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Simply because all the other Mavka had drawn their females into their laps and arms, Ingram made Emerie join him on the floor by dragging her onto his thighs. She didn’t make any complaints, but her cheeks did pinken a little.

He liked it when her lightly tanned skin did this. It made her multiple brown freckles more prominent. He also liked that she warmed the front of him, while the fire from behind kept the worst of his fever chills from striking him.

He wasn’t bothered by the Witch Owl’s appearance. However, there was a staleness in the air, like the other Mavka and their brides were worried. He didn’t see any reason for them to be wary of her; she had played with him and his kindred plenty of times, and had tried to protect them.

It was unfortunate she had not been able to save Aleron as she had with him. Even though that betrayal still lingered like he’d eaten a thorny bush, the time since then had worn him down. Being around Emerie had taught him much, and he’d begun to... accept why she’d done it, even if it had hurt him deeply.

Ingram watched her closely, noticing how she was tense with her arms loosely folded across her chest. Her stance, although confident, was also defensive as she blocked the hallway in front of him and across the table.

That may be due to the many stares upon her, most of them mistrusting.

Faunus was seated on the long chair to his right by the fire with Mayumi and his younglings on his lap. Magnar was sitting on the big dining chair with Delora curled up in his arms, and her hand was tightly clasping his loose shirt.

Orpheus had taken himself and Reia to the furthest wall, which just so happened to be next to the door. It was like he wanted to be close to the exit so he could sprint off with the blonde-haired, pale female who was sitting on his crossed legs. He had huffed with red orbs when he’d entered, and had been carting Reia around in his arms.

He didn’t wish to let go of her, and she seemed content to stay with him.

Ingram had pressed the right side of his back against the rest of the rustic lounge Faunus was half-laying back on, with Emerie’s butt on the ground between his crossed legs. She was stiff as she pressed against him. She was the only female that didn’t appear natural, and no amount of hair patting had calmed her into relaxing for him.

He would have been disheartened about that if he wasn’t too busy trying to breathe through his blocked face. Had he’d known that having the illness called acoldwould make him feel stuffy and drained, he may not have traded his own health for Emerie’s wellbeing.

At least he didn’t feel the urge tosneezeright now, but his throat was scratchy.

“I am assuming you are all aware by now of why Ingram has come to you,” Lindiwe began, her dark-brown eyes roaming over them all. “What is your current plan?”

“Nothing,” Orpheus growled from the right. “The females have offered to go while we stay behind, and I will not allow Reia to come to harm like this.”

“That’s not what you promised,” Reia uttered up to him, her green eyes squinting into a glare. “You said if we can come up with a plan that we think will be successful, then you would allow it.”

His growl cut off into a huff as he darted his head away from her and everyone else. His hands tightened on her, like he feared she’d suddenly disappear if he didn’t hold her. The blonde turned her face to them all and gave a wincing apology.

“Ingram will come with us,” Mayumi stated. “As well as Emerie. But we have to wait until I’m no longer pregnant.” She gestured to Magnar and his bride. “Delora will take a bow and defend us from somewhere above if she can. We can float in our Phantom forms, so fuck it, she can just stand on a chandelier or something.”

He didn’t know why that made all four females giggle.

“Reia, Emerie, and I will take to the ground and fight with swords. We just need to grab Jabez’s hair to teleport with him, and if we attack him as one unit, someone might get the advantage enough to slit his throat. I may even be able to drive a dagger up through the back of his skull.” Mayumi turned her gaze down to Ingram, as he twisted his head back and up to look at her. “That’s, of course, if Ingram can’t rip his head off his shoulders himself. We will have a Duskwalker, but with how volatile their kind can be, we can’t rely on him. I’m actually thinking he’d be more useful mindlessly slaughtering Jabez’s army as they’re trying to get to us.”

“None of this is certain,” Orpheus snapped out. “You will all be picked off, one by one. The Demons are faster, stronger, and there is a chance Ingram will turn on you.”

“Yeah, but Ingram will also redirect to whatever is attacking him,” Emerie butted in. “He may turn on us, but he’s easily distracted. No offense.”

She patted his chest in apology, and he tilted his head at her for it. What she said was true, so there was no need for her to do this.

“I can make him chase me instead,” Delora offered. “If I shot him with an arrow, I might be able to grab his attention and fly away long enough for a Demon to take it.”

That, he didn’t like, simply because he didn’t actually want to be hurt. He knew arrows could bemeanlittle weapons.

“All of you are willing to come forward and help?” Lindiwe asked as she bounced her stare between each of the females in the room. She kept it on Delora the longest, but then ended it on Emerie. “Even knowing that you may be harmed, eaten, and killed?”

“Yes,” was their collective answer.

“My sons have all chosen such brave women,” she complimented firmly, as she dug inside her feathered cloak. On her side was a bag strapped to her waist that Emerie was only able to peek at from her cloak hem shifting back. “Then I bring you our possible solution.”

She took out a small stone no bigger than a thumbnail and revealed it as it lay flat on her palm. It was blue, at first glance, but it pulsated with a golden yellow, as though it was filled with magic.

“This... this is our answer.”

“What is it?” Reia asked, her brows furrowing deeply.