“When I first saw you with her, I thought you’d do everything to prevent her from knowing us, from...learningabout who you really are.”
He snorted out a scoff. “Zylah knows everything. I haven’t kept anything from her relating to what I’ve done to you all.”
“I know. She’s told us everything in defence of you today.”
A singular laugh came from him as he rolled his eyes. “I’m sure that went over well.”
He could only imagine how much that annoyed Zylah.
“She cares for you very deeply.”
He met this woman’s brown eyes firmly, but kept his voice quiet as he stated, “I know.”
He watched the moment her round face twisted up and her eyes flooded with tears. She wrung the skirt of her dress so hard he thought she was moments from tearing it. Her lips shook as she licked at them.
“Do you... do you love her?” she asked in a shaky, broken voice.
He opened his mouth to snap at her, since his feelings were none of her business. He also didn’t like that she felt the need to fucking ask, as if what he’d done today, everything he’d given up, wasn’t already proof of that.
Yet he promptly shut his lips as he took in her trembling form.
She was just a mother who was showing care for her daughter. He’d long forgotten what it felt like to receive that attentive kind of parental affection.
“Yeah, I love her,” he said while looking away. “I wouldn’t have given her my soul otherwise.”
His ears drooped at having to admit that to her, his heart feeling a little too exposed than he could say he was comfortable with. His free hand curled into a fist, suddenly finding it hard to meet her teary gaze.
“That’s all I care about,” Delora stated with a trembling voice that also held a hint of relief. “All that matters to me is you treat her well and give her everything she deserves. I-I can... I’ll forgive you for the past so long as you do that.”
He glanced at her before looking down at the food she’d given him with a nod. She turned and walked away, and Magnar was quick to come to her side since he’d already been hovering.
His orbs flared red at Jabez, likely blaming him for her tears, before she mumbled, “It’s okay. They’re happy tears, Magnar. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
The Mavka’s orbs then flared dark yellow as he looked at Jabez once more. Then he crossed an arm over her back to support her as he returned her to the other females, and even sat down with her between his thighs.
Jabez placed an elbow on his bent knee so he could rest his jaw in his palm.I wasn’t expecting her to do that,he thought as he popped a strawberry in his mouth.I guess she loves Zylah very dearly.
She’d also solidified one thing today: he’d bring Zylah back here whenever she wanted, so long as the council approved it.
His ears twitched as Delora hinted at the conversation she just had with him to the puzzled humans, and his cheeks fucking heated in embarrassment. But a smile did nag at his lips, to the point he had to cover them, when it gave Zylah an opening to speak about him warmly. She explained how he often brought her gifts and went on lame long walks with her through Lezekos City.
Even though she was facing towards him with orbs bright pink, he could almostsenseher tail swaying happily.
To his annoyance, a few of the males caught wind of the conversation, and they began to crowd around her and the humans.
It, apparently, gave Nathair an out, and he slithered away to sit back on his tail next to Jabez. He let out a very loud, tired sigh as Linh followed.
“Do you mind if we join you?” she asked, despite Nathair not really having given him a choice.
“Do what you want.”
At his approval, Nathair collected the female holding their younglings into his arms and sat her on his tail. He wiggled down, sinking into the folds of his long body to get comfortable, and reclined back on himself.
“Is it alright if I hum?” Linh asked. “It quietens his mind.”
“Go for it,” Jabez answered as he popped a carrot stick into his mouth.
She hummed a very soft and quiet tune, and any stiffness in Nathair’s coiled tail and body softened in relief. Jabez’s ears pricked high at the lulling aspect of her voice, which was rather pretty.
