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She shook her head. “No. I didn’t.” Then she leaned on the table more, laying out her hands beseechingly. She knew what she was about to ask was futile, but if Ingram didn’t have the humanity to dig deeper and could only take things at face value, then she would be the one who would try. “Are you sure there is no other way?”

“We believe Faunus is a special circumstance,” Mayumi stated, drawing her gaze. “And a lot of dumb luck, on my part.”

“I will find another way to bring Aleron back,” Ingram said, making Emerie wince at his determination. “But the Witch Owl directed us here for a reason.” He finally lifted his head towards Magnar, and then Orpheus, as he said, “I want to destroy the Demon King.”

A heavy, still silence blanketed them.

So heavy, in fact, that it made Delora pause just as she was placing a plate in front of Emerie. A sliced piece of carrot rolled off and landed on the table, and she quickly set it down before any more could follow it.

Ingram’s skull darted around as his orbs whitened, likely unsure as to why he caused everyone to suddenly freeze.

Emerie connected eyes with Mayumi, who was directly across from her. She watched as the shock that had settled onto her features turned into determination, then she quickly looked down. She placed her hands against her stomach before her nose crinkled tightly.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Come on!” Mayumi yelled, causing the baby Duskwalker who had been trying to escape to shuffle back to Faunus. “Finally someone wants to kill that bastard, and it has to be right as I’m bloody pregnant?!”

Faunus released a quiet growl up at her. “You think I would have let you face Jabez regardless, little hunter?”

“Well, you can’t go!” she shouted back, pointing her index finger not even a centimetre from his feline snout. “I lost you once, and I’m not losing your big furry ass a second time.”

“I’ll go,” Reia chimed in, and although her voice held a hint of excitement, her features said otherwise. Her brows were furrowed with concern, then her lips pursed – as if she was already trying to formulate a plan.

“No, Reia,” Orpheus firmly stated. “We have spoken about this. None of us will face the Demon King.”

“Yeah, none ofyoucan,” she argued, gesturing to the three Duskwalkers.

“None of you can come back,” Delora muttered, so quietly it was like she didn’t want to be heard. She rubbed at her left biceps. “But we can.”

“No, Delora,” Magnar growled as he stormed to her and wrapped his arms around her soft belly to grab the crook of where her arse met her thigh. “You cannot do this.”

Delora turned incorporeal in his arms to escape, floating away as he gave chase. Her sweet features suddenly became sharp, and she glared the tall Duskwalker down. She turned solid, letting her feet thud against the ground, before pointing up at him.

“Yes, I can. You can’t come back, Magnar, butwecan,” she repeated. “Even if we aren’t successful, we will live to try again. You Duskwalkers, on the other hand, have a glaring vulnerability.”

Reia attempted to push her way out of Orpheus’ arms, only to be slammed back against his torso repeatedly. She eventually let out the cutest version of a human growl and turned ghostly as well to escape her latched-on Duskwalker. She walked over to the table and slammed her hand against it.

“We’ve all been wanting this from the moment he began specifically targeting us.” She lifted her chin up at Orpheus, who rose to his feet and came over to stare down at her with reddened orbs. “Delora’s right, and we all know it. Only us brides can take this risk without the chance of permanentlylosinganyone.”

“You and Delora cannot do this alone,” Orpheus argued. “You may be good with your sword, but he is an Elf! You have not fought against him. My skull may be breakable, but it takes force.” He reached out to cup the side of her face, being careful of his sharp claws against her skin. “You, my little doe... I can shatter your entire body with barely the slightest touch. One hit, and he will kill you.”

“And I’ll come right back here, to you!” Reia shouted. “You said you wanted to start our own family, but I can’t and will not do that when there are thousands of Demons out there threatening us and our children. I’m tired of waiting now, Orpheus. I’m ready to take that step with you, but I never will if he is out there, taunting us.”

For a woman who, seconds ago, had appeared fierce, she suddenly looked pale and afraid. Ingram’s orbs reddened with hunger, but he quickly covered his nose holes and turned his beak away from her.

Orpheus curled his arms around her and gently pulled her against his chest. His red orbs turned blue, but darker and deeper than normal.

“I know, Reia. I want this too, but the thought of you coming to harm again fills me with agony. I would rather have my skull crushed than know you are there, alone and unprotected.”

Emerie realised what she and Ingram were asking was... too much. Even if they hadn’t said it, each woman in this room had fear in their eyes.

“They wouldn’t be alone,” Mayumi pushed, her eyes bowing into a glare that held no animosity for anyone here. “If we wait until I give birth, which is only in a few weeks, I can go with them.” She held her hand up before anyone could speak over the top of her. “That gives me more time to train everyone. I may be small, but I was one of the best Demonslayers in my sector.” Then she gestured her hand towards Emerie and Ingram. “We would also have them. They both seem to have a death wish, so if we have at least one Duskwalker on our side who can take on Jabez, everyone else just needs to keep a horde of Demons from him.”

“We will go with you,” Faunus declared, finally sitting up. It seemed he could no longer lazily lie about while his woman was considering going on such a dangerous mission. “If you think we wouldn’t follow our brides into a battle, then you are sorely mistaken, Mayumi.”

“And what about them, Faunus?” She picked up the child, who was actively moving between them, and shoved them in his bony face. “One of us would have to stay behind regardless. And I’ll be damned if you go and get yourself fucking killed, take me with you to the grave, and leave them to fend in this world by themselves. You wanted children so much, then you must bear the weight of having them, even if that means you let me go to fight a battle that involvesallof us – without you.”

The growl that rumbled from Faunus was as terrifying as thunder – loud, and a hellish warning of the brewing chaos. Mayumi raised a brow and shoved their child in his face again, their little limbs flapping about but seemingly unbothered.

He huffed, pushed her away from him, and sat up properly to place both feet on the ground. He shoved his skull into his hands with his claws digging into the back of it.