Chapter 1362: Emberlyn... can speak too!

Thalia, Selene, Nyx, Nightfire, and Raven were lying on the mat as each one groaned in pain, their bodies covered in wounds.

Thalia’s entire stomach was covered in deep bruises and dark patches, as if something monstrous had pummeled her gut over and over. She growled, clenching her teeth and curling her fists, the sharp ache making her tremble.

"Fuck... It’s fucking hard to breathe," she muttered, her tone heavy, trembling, and hoarse.

Selene was holding the side of her neck, her hand pressing against the bruised flesh as she winced. She couldn’t even turn her head; it was as if a steel clamp had snapped shut on her spine, locking her in place. She didn’t dare lie down—just sitting upright made every muscle in her back quiver.

"My bad... arrh," she gasped for air, words barely more than a whisper as she tried to speak.

Nyx was holding a bucket before her, crimson drops hitting the metal with soft, relentless splashes as her nose bled nonstop. Blood smeared across her upper lip and chin, staining her pale skin. She tipped her head, letting the blood flow freely.

"So much..." she muttered, her voice trembling.

Nightfire’s cheeks had turned beet red, five bright marks burned into her skin, a ghostly handprint that wouldn’t fade. Her back was twisted and aching, impossible to rest. She faced down, hair falling around her crying face, and her voice broke as she spoke,

"I fucking told these bitches... it was dangerous!

Awee

... I shouldn’t have gone with them, fuck me! Aarrhh, ouch, ouch... My jaw’s hurting... ahh... fuck!" she muttered, nearly sobbing, each word torn from her throat.

Raven, well, her skin was still leaking faint wisps of smoke. Her arms and legs had turned dry and cracked. She lay on the mat. Emberlyn, her mother, moved with careful hands, slowly rubbing a viscous, golden oil into her skin, the ointment hissing faintly wherever it touched a burn. Raven wore nothing but her bra and panties, body shaking as the medicine worked.

Her eyes, wide and glassy, flickered away from Emberlyn and landed on... Aether.

He stood a few paces away, his gaze cold as stone. He watched them, expression unreadable, while Emberlyn explained everything she’d gathered—each brutal detail of what happened, or what these pitiful girls remembered, while she tended to Raven’s wounds.

Aether, after hearing that, looked half shocked... The metallic figure had actually appeared where they went?

The fuck?

He had been roaming around searching for them for entire days—and yet, here they were, found in a single afternoon.

He shook his head and asked one question to all of them,

"Why didn’t you all... inform me?"

Yup, that’s the question. If they had just informed him the moment that figure stepped into their land, he could have dealt with it immediately... no one would have been hurt, right?

And it wasn’t like they needed Arcane energy to use telepathy, right?

When he questioned them, their faces turned silent, each one looking away.

None of them answered.

"What? Cat got your tongues or what? Tell me—why the fuck didn’t you contact me!!" he shouted. The anger wasn’t only at them, but at himself for letting this happen, for not being there when it mattered.

He’d sent them out as a group to lessen the possibility of encountering that metallic figure. He’d planned for safety, and here they were, broken, hurt... found in the exact spot he’d feared.

Okay... Whether it was luck or some cruel coincidence—whatever it was—they’d found it. And yet, they didn’t call him?

Are they fucking idiots?

It could have been life-threatening! If something worse had happened to them, he could never forgive himself.

This was a fucking mess!

"W-We could have called you," Thalia said with a strained tone, her voice hoarse. "If it was... life-threatening."

Aether raised his eyebrows, "Oh?" He looked around at the battered group, seeing nothing but pain and wounds.

"So... this is not life-threatening?" He glared at Thalia, "Woman, you could have died. Look at those bruises. Do you think that’s not life-threatening? What the fuck are you talking about?"

The woman’s face fell, eyes dropping to the floor.

Aether clenched his fist so hard that veins popped on his forehead. "Ignoring Nyx and Thalia, since they don’t have the seal—but the rest of you... You could have told me. Right, Selene?" He stared at her.

Selene bit her lips, unable to meet his gaze.

His expression darkened, jaw clenching even tighter. He glanced at Raven, who averted her eyes, and at Nightfire, who... actually spoke up,

"Well, it just... happened," Nightfire muttered, not looking at him.

That only irked him more. He opened his mouth, ready to shout again, but Emberly stood up, placing herself between him and the others,

"Let’s give them a moment of rest."

Aether didn’t even glance at Emberlyn as he kept staring at their painful expressions and wounds—each bruise, each cut, making him even angrier.

"Now you all understand why I didn’t want you to leave this place? Huh? You all went out with those haughty faces, acting like I was the one making a mistake, like I was holding you captive—"

"AETHER!"

Aether flinched, turning to the side, startled by Emberlyn’s furious glare.

He blinked in surprise—not just him, but even the other women were shocked at Emberlyn’s sudden outburst.

"Can we talk outside?" Emberlyn said, her voice cold and commanding. She didn’t wait for his response, just took Aether by the arm and pulled him out of the room.

Everyone inside exchanged a quick glance of disbelief and shock.

"Is that really your mother?" Selene asked in a strained tone, looking from Thalia to Raven, both of whom seemed just as confused.

Nightfire’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, doubt flickering across her face. "Did he fuck her?" she muttered.

"Oh god! Stop it, Nightfire!" Selene groaned, her voice annoyed and tired.

****

Meanwhile, outside, Aether and Emberlyn stood together in the corridor.

Aether tried to say something, but Emberlyn interrupted him in a chilling tone, "Take a deep breath first."

"But I—" he started.

"Inhale!" Emberlyn snapped, not giving him a choice.

Aether slumped his shoulders, obeying. He drew in a slow, shaky breath and let it out.

"Again. A few more times," she instructed, her tone brooking no argument.

Aether sighed and repeated the deep breathing a few more times before finally speaking, "Now, are you calm?" Emberlyn asked, her gaze sharp, then continued, "I know you’re worried about your wives and all, but shouting at them like that isn’t helping anything."

Aether blinked, "I’m not shouting—"

"Sorry, but you have been," Emberlyn pointed out flatly.

Aether sighed again, rubbing his nose, frustration boiling inside him.

"I... I just lost it. I mean, look at them— their bodies riddled with wounds... How am I supposed to stay calm? I don’t know exactly how they feel, but... I’m fucking angry!

They could have contacted me the moment they sensed danger!

They should have told me—am I wrong here? I just want to protect them... I want them to be safe.

Right now, everything is dangerous; they don’t have their powers, and anything could happen at any moment.

I—I—fuck! Look at Raven, her skin is burned... fuck!! What am I supposed to do? Congratulate them for their great work?" He clapped his hands sarcastically,

"They should have understood this isn’t a game!"

He clenched his fists, fury simmering, and only then did Emberlyn speak, her voice softening just a fraction.

"You poured out everything?"

Aether blinked, uncertain, "Yeah?"

Emberlyn nodded, "Now it’s time for you to understand something... They did this for you—"

"I didn’t—" he started, only to be stopped mid-sentence.

"Did I interrupt you?" Emberlyn interrupted his interruption.

Aether closed his mouth, taken aback by her tone. For a heartbeat, he wondered why Emberlyn looked so different!

Emberlyn continued, "They’ve been watching you, everything you’ve been doing, all this time. You’ve been working day and night, barely sleeping. You’re drowning in responsibilities, and clues, and riddles—always trying to find the truth, never stopping to rest.

You’re exhausted, Aether.

Your wives have seen this. They couldn’t stand by and watch you fade away, so they tried to help. And... when they stepped forward, what did you do?"

Aether blinked, the ache of memory returning as he muttered, "I... I told them I was fine?" He remembered the moment—Raven offering to take care of the Empire’s affairs, Thalia volunteering to guard the borders. They’d come to him with hope in their eyes, but he’d refused.

He had convinced himself he was the only one who could face these threats, that his strength was all that stood between disaster and the people he loved.

"But I didn’t have any choice there—" he tried to defend himself, only to be cut off again.

"Did I interrupt you?" Emberlyn snapped.

Aether let out a heavy sigh, shoulders drooping, feeling like a scolded child.

Emberlyn pressed on. "You were fine? No, you were barely holding on. And while you buried yourself in work, what did you expect them to do? Just watch their husband destroy himself? Sit on the sidelines and eat whatever scraps of peace you handed out? Would you do that, Aether? If your wives were the ones killing themselves for duty, would you simply sit still? Of course not."

Aether’s face closed down. He bit his lip as he painfully realised he’d made a mistake. But...

"But they’re weak, you know..." he whispered.

"So are you," Emberlyn replied instantly, "The moment you believe they are weak is the moment you become weak!"

Aether stared blankly at Emberlyn.

Emberlyn stepped closer,

"Look at them, Aether. They’re burning flames—and you’re their fuel. If you don’t pour in what they need, if you don’t trust them, if you hold back, then everyone will be weak."She reached up, her fingers warm and gentle as they brushed his cheek,

"They don’t need you to protect them from the world. They need their man to believe in them, to look up to them, to see their strength, their heart, their words and... Believe in their love.

That’s what they want from you.

That’s what you owe them, as much as your own life."

Aether stared at her, words failing him. Then, slowly, a small laugh escaped him, "I am such an idiot..."

"No," Emberlyn replied softly, lips curled into a smile, "You’re just hopelessly in love with them."

Aether looked at her, "I’m sorry," he whispered.

She shook her head and pointed back to the room. "I think they deserve to hear it—from you, right now."

Aether chuckled again, this time more freely. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering just a moment longer than usual. "Thank you," he murmured, turning and walking back toward the room with a steadier step.

Meanwhile, Emberlyn stood in the hallway, a soft smile spreading across her face. Suddenly, she flinched—wait, had she just scolded the Emperor himself? Interrupted him again and again... and ended up with a kiss?

She touched her forehead, feeling the warmth still there, her heart racing.

Oh my god.

She bolted down the corridor, her face burning beet red!