"I don’t believe I was whispering," Jura said, he moved to action and led Aeltharion and Nytherael away and led to Sseraphis’ poison chamber"We don’t have much time for me to go back and re-explain anything. I’m going to need you both to keep up with me."

The two nodded even though they weren’t sure their brains could fathom the truth as quickly as Jura expected them to.

"Put him down," Jura pointed to the floor. He rushed to the cabinets and started rummaging through looking for something.

Aeltharion stared at the cold, dirty floor. He took into consideration Sseraphis’ love for cleanliness and his dislike for filth and hesitated to set him down.

Nytherael touched his arm, sliding up to his shoulder in a comforting motion. "We should trust that Jura knows best how to make him better. If he pointed to the floor then we should comply."

Aeltharion was convinced by him. He gently set Sseraphis down, being careful with him. He didn’t want any discomfort on his venom.

"Why is the beast attacking our bond?" Nytherael asked.

"I don’t know. I can’t see intentions, little fox," Jura replied, still busy looking through the cabinets.

"What are you looking for? Maybe Nytherael and I can help you search for it."

"The Nox. Do you know where Sseraphis keep it?" Jura turned his head, his creamy pools watery with hope.

"What’s the Nox?" Nytherael and Aeltharion asked, they shared a confused glance before turning back to Jura.

"Aye, aye, aye..." Jura shook his head. He begun to wonder how the three functioned as a couple when so much secrets existed between the three of them.

The Nox is a book of forbidden practised, poisons and antitodes that’s been passed down in the Noxveil family for generations. It was called the Nox because of its ties to the Noxveil family and since Noxveils were the ones who complied it.

The secrets within that ancient book could sink dynasties. The current reigns in beast world we’re fortunate that Sseraphis wasn’t aiming for world domination for he clearly had the means and the power for it.

And he knew that wasn’t the only secret between the three. Aeltharion was dying, Sseraphis had discovered the reason why and had yet to disclose it to the two so that they can sit down and brainstorm solutions together.

To witness the rare mate bond reduced to such a state of distrust and lies was truly tragic.

"I need you to think of all the beautiful memories the three of you had together before mistrust, betrayal and hurt came into your relationship," he instructed and kept on searching.

"How is that going to help?" Nytherael asked, behind down to hold Sseraphis’ hand in his.

"I am going to need them to remind Sseraphis. That is the only way I can think of to help him and your bond."

"Are you insinuating that Sseraphis has forgotten our past?" Aeltharion felt his breath coming in short and sharp gasps.

"I’m not insinuating," Jura paused as an idea sparked in his head. "I am telling you that he is forgetting. It’s the way that the beast is using to replace you. He’s forcing Sseraphis’ insecurities towards you both to take reign and force Sseraphis to turn away from you and trust him and the fake memories of the two of them together that he’s busy planting in Sseraphis’ head."

Nytherael and Aeltharion’s faces darkened. They clenched their fists and spoke as though sharing one mind. "Who has the nerve?"

Jura halted. The chill hitting his back from the icy murderous stares from the two nearly made him shiver, then he remembered that he was powerful enough to beat the two beasts to a pulp and calmed down.

"Where is that beast? We will make him rue the day he set his eyes on our wife!" Their voices echoed with possession and defensive tone.

Jura blinked. "Where is this unity on your day to day lives?" He asked.

"He’ll regret touching what’s mine!" Aeltharion roared.

"And harming my little truth, unacceptable!" Nytherael’s voice matched his in loudness and rage.

There might be cracks in their bond and their marriage wasn’t in the best place but there was one unspoken truth that they both agreed on. No one was allowed to touch their snake.

Sseraphis was where they both drew a line and were prepared to let their demons loose to devour any beast that dared to harm him.

"Let’s save that fight for later. Nytherael, I need you to find Aenyra and bring..."

"Why do you need me?" Aenyra appeared at the door, walking with Sheana’s help.

"Are you telepathic?"

"No," Aenyra said, leaning more on Sheana as the Phoenix guided her in. "But with all the noise these two are making, I’d have to be dead if I wasn’t attracted here by it."

"True," Jura nodded. The nine-horned dragon and the nine-tailed fox were indeed very loud.

"Hurry up and tell me, where did you get that hourglass you used?" He asked.

He had gone back, rethought every moment since the day began, anything that could’ve created a window for an unknown beast to enter the underwater palace, attack Sseraphis without anyone noticing and get away with it. And the only thing that stood out was the black energy on Aenyra’s wound.

Though the dragoness had been treated and he too had been present, he failed to see what Sseraphis had done with the black energy but he did realize that the black energy had the same print as the one he’d seen on Aenyra’s wound.

It clicked in his mind that beast hadn’t snuck into the underground palace, that was impossible for beasts to do without serpents getting alarmed. No, the beast got in as it was attached to Aenyra and then found away to Sseraphis when the snake was treating her wound.

"The hourglass?"

"You mean the one Sheana told us about?" Nytherael rose to his feet.

"Yes, I believe that the beast that attacker Sseraphis was inside it when you used it. Then it attached itself to you and when Sseraphis was treating you, it got onto him."

"Wait, Sseraphis was attacked!" It was then that Aenyra noticed Sseraphis lying on the floor, unmoving.

Water pooled at the bottom of her eyes, her lips trembled as she sniffled. ’Did I do this?’