Swanly turned.

An old female stood near the root path, holding a bundle of herbs in one hand and a crooked walking stick in the other. Her hair was gray-white and tied back with river reeds. Her face was lined, her body thin, but her eyes were not soft at all.

They were sharp.

Too sharp.

People moved aside for her without being told.

Tilla immediately lowered her head a little. "Nahla."

So this was someone important.

Great.

Exactly what Swanly needed.

Another important person judging her before she had even finished standing.

Nahla looked Swanly over, from her white ears to the scale on her wrist, then to the three black panther cubs pressed around her legs.

Then the old healer said, "But trouble may be what we need."

Swanly blinked.

"Excuse me?"

Nahla did not explain right away. She only started walking, slow but steady, and somehow Swanly found herself walking with her. Tilla followed too, still holding her cub.

Swanly glanced once at Kael.

He watched her like he hated every step that took her away from him, but he stayed close enough to reach her if needed.

Good.

Because this tribe was not normal.

No one here was normal.

Swanly looked at Nahla and said, "If this is about your snake ruler, I already know he is trouble. He crushed my mate, forced his scale on me, dragged me into his cave, and everyone stood there like that was just another morning by the river."

Tilla’s eyes widened.

A few nearby beastmen suddenly became very interested in the ground.

Nahla did not look shocked.

That annoyed Swanly more.

"The White Snake is not as bad as you think," Nahla said.

Swanly laughed once.

It came out sharp. "Then I am thinking too kindly."

Nahla still did not get angry. She only looked ahead, as if Swanly’s hatred was something she had already expected.

"Before Soren took Riverbone, the old leaders hid infected males under the root dens," Nahla said.

Swanly’s smile vanished.

"They kept them chained," Nahla continued. "Fed them scraps. Used them to frighten families that questioned them. If a female wanted to leave, they threatened her cubs. If a male refused orders, they sent his family near the sick pit."

Swanly’s stomach turned.

Tilla lowered her eyes.

The people nearby had gone quiet.

"The old chief died from infection," Nahla said. "After that, the elders became worse. They lied. They hid bites. They used fear until the whole tribe nearly rotted from inside. Then Soren came."

Swanly looked toward Soren’s cave before she could stop herself.

He stood near the entrance, pale and cold, his expression empty, like this story had nothing to do with him.

"He killed the infected they used as weapons," Nahla said. "He killed the elders who kept them. He saved many cubs from the root dens."

Swanly did not want that to matter.

It mattered.

That made her even angrier.

Because simple monsters were easier.

"He still crushed Kael," she said.

"Yes."

"He still forced that scale on me."

"Yes."

"He still thinks wanting something means he can take it."

Nahla’s eyes sharpened. "Yes."

Swanly stared at her.

The old healer was not trying to make Soren sound kind. That was the problem. She was not saying he was gentle. She was saying he was necessary. Dangerous, brutal, and necessary.

Swanly hated that kind of man.

Nahla’s gaze moved to the white scale on Swanly’s wrist. "Females are precious here. A female may take more than one male if she chooses. Males fight, bargain, prove themselves, or wait. But the choice should still be hers."

Swanly went still.

"What?"

Many mates?

One female could have several males in this world?

For a second, her mind refused to move. This beast world kept throwing things at her faster than she could breathe. First cubs. Then a mate. Then infected beastmen. Then a snake ruler. Now multiple males?

Her eyes moved to Kael first.

He was watching her carefully, his jaw tight and his golden eyes guarded, like he was waiting for her to hate the idea.

Then her eyes moved toward Soren’s cave.

Her stomach tightened.

So that was why nobody acted like Soren wanting her was completely impossible. They were not shocked that another male wanted to enter her life. They were shocked because he had done it like a ruthless beast, crushing Kael, forcing his scale on her, and acting like her choice could come later.

Swanly suddenly felt cold.

This world was not only dangerous because of infected beasts.

Even its rules could be used like claws.

"So because females can have many mates," she said slowly, "that snake thinks he can force himself into my life?"

"No," Nahla said. "He thinks he can force anything if he has a reason strong enough."

Swanly’s face darkened. "That does not make it better."

"I did not say it did."

The smallest cub looked up, worried. "Snake Papa?"

"No," Swanly said immediately.

The eldest puffed up. "No snake Papa."

The second nodded hard. "No."

Swanly pulled all three cubs closer with her tail. "Correct. Family meeting finished."

Nahla looked at the cubs, and for one moment, something softer moved across her face.

Then it disappeared.

"You hate him," Nahla said.

Swanly did not even pretend. "Yes."

"Good. He deserves some of it. But do not mistake him for the worst thing in Riverbone."

Swanly did not answer.

Because now she was still angry, but her anger had too many teeth and too many directions.

Soon after, she returned to Soren’s cave with Kael and the cubs close behind her.

She had barely stepped inside before Soren spoke.

No greeting.

No warning.

Just a cold command dropped at her feet.

"You will help me get the Cleanbirth Seed."

Swanly stopped.

The cubs stopped.

Kael’s body went rigid behind her.

Swanly turned slowly.

Soren stood in the center of the cave, pale and calm, like he had not just thrown another problem into her life before she even had time to sit down.

She frowned.

"The what?"

Soren’s silver eyes fixed on hers.

"The Cleanbirth Seed."

Swanly stared at him.

She had no idea what that was.

No warning bells. No half-memory. No explanation. Nothing.

Which meant it was probably hidden, dangerous, and about to become her problem.

She took one slow breath.

"No."

Soren did not blink.

"We go today."

...

Please send golden tickets🥺