"I’m just looking for a quiet place to enjoy my candies. Want some?"

"Is this the time to have candy?"

Jura got a feeling of deja vu. Fates had its ups and downs, but Sseraphis and Aeltharion sure thought and scolded in the sake manner.

"When is the right time. Someone needs to inform me so that I stop making the same mistake?" He mused while popping mode candies in his mouth.

"You have an addiction, old man," Aetharion said, feeling suspicious of Sseraphis’ intentions in trapping the beastfolks along with Nytherael in the illusion.

Jura, in all his terrifying power, never left Oveli without purpose. The beast, though young looking, was older than a time of his grandparents and was legendary for his laziness and addiction of candies.

For him to have left the Abyssal Coil and came to the surface with Sseraphis, something big must’ve gone down.

He quickly turned to Sseraphis to ask him to fill him in but stopped at the ’come near me and I’ll kill you’ glare that Sseraphis threw at him.

’Oh, heavens, why did I pick a fight with him before knowing the full story. Now, how will I find out?’

He looked at Jura and shook his head. The old serpent was tight with information as he was about quitting his habit of eating candies and nothing else.

Getting Jura to open up about other people’s business was an impossible foot, and getting Sseraphis to tell him now that he launched full war on him was pure daydream.

"I don’t need an explanation," Nytherael said, taking the high road even though deep down he had a million questions he wished to ask Sseraphis.

He figured it was neither the time nor the place to pick a fight. Nytherael glanced at Aenyra, remembering the advice the dragoness gave him.

"I know that I deserved it," he tried to put himself in Sseraphis’ shoes and understand his anger instead of focusing on the affliction he felt due to Sseraphis’ actions.

Sseraphis rolled his eyes in annoyance. He had heard right about enough of Nytherael’s voice right at that time.

"I’ve accomplished what I came here to do. I am leaving."

He announced his exit. He turned to Aenyra, "Sis, what are your plans. If you want, we can have a meal together before you return to Drakheiron. My treat," he offered, sweetly. His voice, tone, and body lacking the venom, he showed the other beastfolks.

"I..."

"That is a good idea," Aeltharion cut in. Sseraphis’ face fell. For some reason, Aeltharion had woken up from his herbal soak with the will to piss him off. "You should treat the beastfolks to a meal after what you’ve put them through. Show sincerity and apologise properly."

Sseraphis lost his temper. "Apologize?" He questioned, gritting his teeth. "Me?" He went on. I’m disbelief. "You expect me to apologise to them?" His head nearly exploded from the hypocrisy of the suggestion.

"Yes, Venom. I do expect you to make it up to my sister, Fior, and most of all, Nytherael, for this mess that you’ve created."

Sseraphis hated being told what to do. He disliked it even more since it was Aeltharion making such ridiculous requests.

Before he could speak up, Nytherael let out, "I have already said that I don’t need him to give me an explanation. So I definitely don’t need him to make it up to me."

"How generous," Ssirel mocked.

"I couldn’t agree more, brother, cheating and breaking my heart has indeed made him generous." Sseraphis added fuel to the fire with a tad flair od venom.

Aeltharion felt his head pounding. Getting Sseraphis to calm down was hard. He couldn’t imagine how harder it was going to be to convince the serpent to forsake his hatred and forgive Nytherael.

"Heartfire is giving you a way out. Why can’t you take it..."

"Heartfire?"

Hearing Aeltharion address Nytherael with a term of endearment paralysed his body with sadness.

Nytherael, however, heard the way Aeltharion addressed him and felt warm. The dragon’s voice touched tickled his ears and travelled directly to his heart. It gave life to his heartbroken and tired heart.

Re-energizing it and giving him the courage and strength he needed to face all obstacles. Nythereal looked at Aeltharion, his eyes softening with a love that he hadn’t expressed in a long time and a longing that clawed at his insides.

Sseraphis caught that gaze and felt his insides twist uncomfortably. He had the itch to gouge Nytherael’s eyes out and throw them in the middle of the sea where serpents lurking beneath the water surface would feast upon them.

"I have no intention of treating any beast here to a meal. I only wish to eat with my sister-in-law. No one else."

"What about me?" Nerezza asked, "Am I not your sister-in-law?" She questioned, glaring daggers at Sseraphis when she remembered how the illusion he crafted changed her dressing style and forced into dresses she’d kill before ever putting on.

She couldn’t understand why he would do that to her when she had never done anything wrong to him. Once again, she fell victim to her brother’s mistakes.

Sseraphis stared blankly at her. No feelings aroused to the surface when he glanced at her.

He had made it a point in his life to cut ties with Nytherael and his side of the family. He considered Aeltharion and his family close ones, but he had long retracted from granting the same right to Nytherael’s family.

"I hate your brother will every ounce of ny being and the same blood he has runs through your veins. What do you think?" He answered with a question of his own.

Nerezza instantly understood. She wasn’t granted the sane protection and compassion as Aenyra even though they held the same relationship to Sseraphis. It saddened her.

Nythereal felt the indirect hit, and it extinguished the resolve Aeltharion’s term of endearment had brought him.

"That’s not fair," Samahita spoke up. "How can you treat Aenyra kindly and act indifferent towards Nerezza. They’re both your sister-in-laws. Right, Sovereign Aeltharion?" She switched targets and aimed the question at Aeltharion.

Her intention was clear. She wanted Aeltharion to stand up for Nerezza and speak up to the unfair treatment.

"Why would he say anything. His sister is being given special treatment here?" Ssirel remarked, sparking trouble.

"And when I spoke of the sovereigns unfairness, you were all lecturing me," Princess Sheana raised to the moment, funding an opportunity to create conflict. "Why are you questioning the sovereign now?"

"I don’t answer to you," Sseraphis said coldly. "But worry not, I’ll remember your face, and soon enough, I’ll give you a befitting reply," he added, his lips curling up into a venomous smirk.

Samahita shivered, feeling a chill unsettle her despite being an ice phoenix. Luckily, Theren stepped forward and shielded her from Sseraphis’ murderous gaze.

Sseraphis raised a curiosity eyebrow. "A hero. Well...those don’t usually last long against me."

"Enough!" Aeltharion barked, exhausted. He had overused his energy in the argument and could barely keep up with the back and forth exchanges.

Jura chuckled. "You should be like me and sit quietly enjoying candies. It will help you live long."

His statement annoyed Aeltharion further than he already was. But it reminded Sseraphis of the bitter truth. Sseraphis bit his lip and forced himself to calm down.

For Aeltharion’s well-being, he waved a white towel and accepted defeat. "If you wish for me to treat every beastfolk here to a meal. I’ll do it."

Nytherael and evety beastfolk present felt like they had heard him wrong. Sseraphis Noxveil? Treat them to a meal? It felt like a distant fantasy.