Aeltharion let go of Nytherael met the burning eyes of his lovely and cute venom.

Sseraphis’ beauty makes female beastfolk jealous, and male beastfolk can’t help but want to take a second look.

He has big, watery violet-black eyes and bright ink tainted lips. His character was gentle until provoked, and by the chilling glare the male was giving him, he knew he had stepped on his tail.

Aeltharion hardened his face and circled around Nytherael, coming face to face with Sseraphis. "What do you have to say for yourself, venom?"

Sseraphis’ fist clenched harder. For the past one and a half years, no matter what he did, said, or whom he hurt, Aeltharion never lost his cool with him. He never scolded him.

But Nytherael gets hurt once, and his dragon is questioning him, that too in everyone’s presence. That fact stung at the deepest parts of his cold heart.

’I did all this for you. To save your life and you are siding with him,’ a violet tear drop fell from his left eye.

Aeltharion felt his resolve crumbled when he saw Sseraphis’ tear. He wanted to wrap his hands around his serpent and comfort him, but he had to be stern if he wished for Sseraphis to understand his mistake and not harm Nytherael again.

As it stood, he didn’t know how long he had to live, and if he were to depart from this world, he needed to know there was someone watching over his husbands.

It would please deeply if the person they both had to rely on was each other. For that to happen, he needed to intervene and resolve the conflict between them.

"I asked you a question. Tell me, how could you think of setting such a trap and torturing Nytherael like this?"

Aeltharion questioned, Sseraphis opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Nythereal snapped awake. He wiped his tears and turned around. He glanced at Aeltharion before his eyes trailed over to Sseraphis and felt something amiss.

With how tight the two had become and how determined Sseraphis was about showing him how well they were doing without him, he doubted Sseraphis would create a scenario in the illusion where he and Aeltharion would argue because of him.

’Is this real?’

"Tell me?" Aeltharion growled, raising his voice a bit. His voice echoed in the air, startling every beast present.

Sseraphis raised his tear stained lashes slowly and gazed into Aeltharion’s eyes with deep disbelief. He watched Aeltharion stand in front of Nytherael like his shield and wished it was him that the curse on the bond claimed first, so he would like to see such a day.

"Brother, how are you speaking to Sseraphis?" Aenyra asked, wrapping her arms around Sseraphis’ shoulder as she glared at Aeltharion. "How can you forget so quickly who you are addressing? Who is Sseraphis? What does he mean to you? How much does he love you?"

"I know all of that, but..."

"I won’t stand here and watch you question him like he’s a criminal on a stand."

Aeltharion weakened at his sister’s intervention. He too didn’t wish to treat Sseraphis harshly. He felt compelled.

His condition was getting worse. His time was ticking, and his survival chances were close to none. He couldn’t leave the world without helping Sseraphis let go of his hatred or have Nytherael suceed and regain redemption in Sseraphis’ eyes so they can at least have each other when hes forced to leave the them and the world.

"Aenyra, stay out of this."

"No, I will not."

"Sseraphis will have to answer me today," he remained firm.

"Why? Are you the beast court judge? Are the Emperor? Are you his master?" Aenyra bombarded him with questions, pulling Sseraphis further in her protective arms. "Why should he be compelled to answer you?"

"What he has done is wrong," Aeltharion argued.

"Then, tell him so nicely. Why must you raise your voice and shout at him? Can’t you see that you are hurting his feelings and embarrassing him?" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Aeltharion drew a sharp breath. He regretted ever teaching Aenyra the law and boosting her confidence to a point that she learnt to fight her battles head on. Because now, she was fighting him and giving him no room to have his way.

"Yes, Lightning. I think you should calm down," Nytherael intervened, not liking the idea of Aeltharion fighting Sseraphis because of him.

It defeated his wish of making amends with both of them and rekindling their bond to its original glory.

Aeltharion threw a perplexed look at him. His actions were aimed at helping Nytherael, so he couldn’t understand why he, too, was asking him to stop.

Regardless, with the bugger picture in mind, he declined Nytherael’s suggestion.

"I want to know how he could stoop this low and harm Nytherael."

Aenyra opened her mouth, ready to rise to Sseraphis’ defence when Aeltharion spoke over her. "You were also trapped in the illusion he created. Don’t you feel hurt by that?"

Aenyra thought back to the moment when Sheana held her hand, hugged her, and the point when she phoenix seductress threw reason out the window and decided to kiss her. Her body trembled with pure displeasure.

"He should give evert beastfolk present an explanation as to why he did this."

"Aeltharion," Nytherael grabbed his hand and shook his head, signalling for the dragon to drop the matter and end this argument there.

Sseraphis watched them and felt like he was the outsider, the villain standing in the way. His heart clenched. His body shakes with resentment.

Aenyra felt him shake against her and snapped out of her daze. She rubbed her fingers softly at Sseraphis’ side, hoping to offer him relief from the ache of the affliction he must feel from Aeltharion’s harsh actions.

"Why are you stopping him?" Tivnir spoke up. "I, for one, feel the dragon sovereign is right. Lord Sseraphis should offer us an explanation as to why he did this?"

"Yes," Theren supported the notion. Along with him, Samahita, Rhysandor, Nerezza, and Sheana nodded their heads in agreement.

Sseraphis’ emotions shifted. He went from shaking in resentment and pain to radiating with enough anger to annihilate a city.

He removed Aenyra’s hands from his shoulders and stood tall on his own two feet. His violet-black rotating pupils captured in his line of sight the beastfolk present.

His venomous gaze sending shivers down their bodies, causing them all to take careful steps back.

"Whover feel that I have wronged them and deserves an explanation as to why I did what I did should step forward. I promise to give that beast an answer!" He growled.

"I do," Aeltharion stepped forward. "Now keep your word and tell me why you did this?"

Silent tension settled around as Aeltharion and Sseraphis got into a heated staring battle. With neither party willing to back down or give way to the other.

A late arrival to the party, Jura appeared with a bag of candies in hand. He popped candies with a carefree attitude and said, "Why must lovers quarell? Don’t you know that you are wasting time you should be using to love each other?"

"Shut up!" Sseraphis scolded him.

Aeltharion looker away first. His eyes darted to Jura, and his eyebrows fell into a furrow. "Why are you here?"

Jura, though his eyes could only see lines of fate and not beastfolk, instantly knew he was being addressed. "I hear that question a lot," he replied. "I’m just looking for a quiet place to enjoy my candies. Want some?" He raised the bag innocently to Aeltharion.