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He shoved just his snout through the coils of his lengthy limb and flicked his tongue forward to check the scents. He grunted. Two were unfamiliar, but the Anzúli’s strong magic was undeniable.

It wasn’t Linh. That’s all that mattered to him.

Why has she not come to me?He shook his head as a whine threatened to break.

When the footsteps stopped just beyond him, Nathair slipped through the fold of his tail. He placed his hands on the ground and looked up at who approached him. The guards wisely stood back, whereas the Anzúli continued to approach.

“Well?” Nathair signed with one hand, hoping she’d just spill everything swiftly so she could either destroy him or finally remove the tempest in his chest.

“Linh is recovering,” the female stated coldly, and the fucking breath that fell from him was like a balm to his being.

She’s alive.Thank goodness!

“Where is she?” he asked, before placing both hands on the ground.

The Anzúli’s mask followed his gestures, but she only tsked at him. Nathair tilted his head when he noticed her posture was much straighter, stern, and more defensive with him than a few days ago.

“You obviously care enough about her to have healed her,” the Anzúli female bit out in a dark, snide tone. “If you hadn’t, I don’t think we would have been able to save her. Your venom is strong, and it was in her system for a long time. She hasn’t woken, and her right leg still isn’t responding properly, but we hope continued healing will save all her limbs.”

Nathair leaned back and propped his torso upright so he could utilise both hands. “Give her to me. I will fix her.”

If they removed the venom, then his ability to heal her would save her entire body. His magic was superior.

“Your venom is rather unique,” she continued, reminding him that even if she could read sign language, he could not speak Austlan – only Nathair speak. “It doesn’t fester in the organs, but is purely muscular. It completely cuts off the nerves and leaves yourvictimsalive and aware. It’s rather cruel.”

Nathair gave a low, although dark, chuckle at that.Do you think I asked to be formed this way? To have the ability to envenom?It’s not like he could choose what he became.

Neither had his mother.

She had no idea what she was doing when he was born. She fed him fish meat because it was easiest to capture. Weldir had informed him that Nathair, in his infant stage, had protected her by consuming a venomous serpent when it went to strike her. He, being indestructible, had been unaffected by its venom, and had shortly formed his skull and lost his two legs.

He’d started to become what he was now.

A Mavka, who was growing annoyed with this female’s sudden hostility.

“Thank you for all you have done in helping her,” the Anzúli stated, despite her tone holding not an ounce of gratitude. “Now that you know she is alive and recovering, I hope that means you will take your leave.”

Nathair immediately parted his maw just enough to let his hiss be quiet and unnerving.

“We will not trade one monster for another,” she bit out through obviously gritted teeth. “She has suffered enough, and if given the choice, I would rather she not endure more. Linh has always been kind-hearted. Her blissful ignorance of the cruelty of the world was something to be commended, and now that is lost.”

He leaned forward to get an inch from her mask with a growl.

“Haven’t you caused enough damage?” she shouted, seemingly unafraid of the way he menacingly towered over her. “First you... you...” She audibly swallowed, and looked behind her at the guards, only to shove her head forward. “You are more of a danger to her than anything else. You almost killed her. Is that not enough for you to put aside whatever deplorable need you have and let her live some kind of proper life?”

Nathair bared his fangs at her.I made one mistake!Okay, a few, but none as bad as this.

He pointed towards the village.I have protected and cared for that female for almost an entire month. I have never truly hurt her in that time, never done anything she did not want.A whimper threatened to crawl up his throat, but he shoved it down with all his willpower.I can no longer breathe without her.

I need her.

Although her voice chased away the fragments, this wasn’t why he needed her. Even if she became as silent as he was, he would value and cherish Linh with all his might. From her hair all the way to her toes, he was enamoured by that female, that woman, thathuman.

No person nor creature would be able to steal his heart, not now that she’d forcibly shoved herself into it.

He did not ask her to do this. He did not even want her to. When she first came to his pond, he wanted her to leave!Sheclimbed into his nest on her own. She took kisses from him, and showed him he could give them in his own bony way.

So, until his little nightingale came herself to tell him she did not want him, he was not leaving this fucking spot.