Sienna snatched the phoenix feather rope that was dangling from the edge of the bed. "Oh, Elias Veythar, you are planning to become a thief in real time. If I don’t beat you into submission, then I will change my name today."

He raised his brows. "Clothes on or off?"

She had barely huffed when a sharp knock rattled the window. She jumped back, clutching the rope like a weapon. Elias rose immediately, his tails bristling. He opened the window with one finger and looked outside.

Liman was clinging to the wall with her claws.

"Is there a reason why you are could not walk into the house and knock on the door Liman?" Elias asked.

"Apologies my lord," she whispered roughly, "but Byra is not allowing anyone to go upstairs and disturb you. The old bird is sitting half way up the stairs. She almost poked my eye out when I tried to leap over her head."

"Okay." Elias replied hesitantly. "I take it that this could not wait."

"The king needs to talk to you." Liman said, voice urgent. "He says that he is giving you an assignment. Whatever it is, you must leave tonight."

Elias leaped out of the window, in full fox form. He was gone for ten minutes, and when he returned, he had a grave look on his face. "Looks like I will be leaving for a while."

Sienna’s heart sank. "Leaving? For where? For what?"

Elias strode to the dressing table and grabbed some things, tossing them on the bed. "I am leaving tonight and I will be gone for a week. The king wants me to track a rogue group of business men moving through the Southern swamps. Reports say they carry forbidden artifacts through a route over there. If it is confirmed, the team I am leading has to retrieve them, arrest the criminals and their biggest buyers."

Sienna blinked. "That sounds like trouble. Why is he sending you? Can’t he send a lion?"

"Foxes blend better." He replied. He grabbed a travel bag and threw some clothes inside.

She took them out, one by one, folding each carefully. They both knew that this was just a ritual and he had another bag on his ship with emergency supplies. Sienna thought about her new mission, and how it would have to wait. She also thought of what a shame it was that she had just made some progress in restoring the warmth between them and he was leaving already.

The king was really inconsiderate, surely there was another beast man tribe that could blend! Elias had a lot of other jobs to do. Why assign him all this extra work? Was he being paid for it or was the king using his kingly privileges?

It made her sigh.

"Why the long sigh?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I am just worried about you. People that smuggle artifacts tend to be killers as well. The king has thousands of agents, personal guards, the royal vanguard and millions of soldiers. I am sure some of them are foxes. Why must he choose my husband to do dangerous work?"

Elias touched her head, brushing her hair. "Because your husband is the best. You talked about my awesomeness just minutes ago when we were playing fetch. Have you forgotten? Or were you lying?"

She slapped his hand. "Be serious for a moment."

He chuckled. "I am very serious at every moment of everyday. That is why I am coincidentally aware of this rogue group of thieves. I have never come across them and they have never dared to steal from my tribe, but I make it a point to know every group that is moving anything within the kingdom. This group travels using small boats in separate groups. When the first one reaches its destination, they make a call and the second one sets off.

By the time the second one reaches its destination, the first had already delivered their goods where they should go. One group only moves when the ones who went ahead of them confirm arrival. It is done so that even if they are busted, not all their goods are captured and others remain alive and free to steal. The survivors care for the families of the dead and recruit new blood into the group. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

They work for a legitimately registered company named Axe supplies. The group has wolves, hawks and apparently humans too. They move under the cover of the night and always leave false trails. The route used by group one will not be the one used by group two. That is how cautious they are."

Sienna’s eyes widened. "So how are you going to track them all in a week? This sounds like a major operation. You need to cut off the head of the snake."

"Huh!" He frowned.

She slapped her forehead gently, "I mean, you should just go directly for the man in charge. Kill him and the minions will scatter. It will destroy 99% of the chances they have to rebuild. After that, go national. Plant a major charge on Axe supplies and close the company. Spread the news, put it everywhere that anybody found to be involved in whatever you frame them for will suffer great consequences. You don’t even need to specify what they are, just let people use their imaginations. Trust me, it will be worse than simply declaring that they will be imprisoned for life."

Elias’s lips twitched, forming a hesitant smile. "You like framing people, don’t you?"

She snorted. "It’s not that I like it but it gets results. As long as it won’t come back on you...why not? Besides, it is simpler to do that sometimes than keep hoping your troubles will not re-spawn. Just frame them until they can’t get up ever again." She rose decisively. "Come on. If you won’t see the children for a week, then you must bid them a proper farewell." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Also, you need to make it clear to your mother that she is not welcome here in your absence. I am trying to get that fake fainting persona out of my daughter."

Elias sighed. "It will be easier to move a mountain."

"Well, I am going to move it." She declared on her way out of the bedroom.

The children were still awake, sharing a bed in Ali’s bedroom because grandma Byra was sleeping in Eli’s room. They were still awake, whispering and laughing like close friends.

Sienna cleared her throat. Silence followed immediately.

Then came the ridiculous deep snore!

It made Sienna roll her eyes. "Stop it Ali, we know you awake." She snapped softly. "Your papa is leaving tonight to chase bad guys in a swamp. Get up, give him some hugs and remind him to bring us nice things on his way back or he will be getting the pan."

Ali clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes gleaming wickedly. "I will help you mama. We will give him the pan together."

Elias buried his face in his hands. He could already see himself being chased by his wife and daughter, both holding pans and both very vengeful. "How is this my life now?" He muttered.