Chapter 61: Episode 061: Party ended too soon.
The heavy white silk curtains of the VIP pavilion fluttered wildly as guards rushed into the room.
Tyara screamed for a healer. Her voice completely shattered the happy, warm atmosphere of the tent. It was a loud, raw sound of pure panic. The Tiger Matriarch fell to her knees right next to the thick fur couch. She grabbed Iris by the shoulders, shaking her gently, but the chaotic Wolf Princess did not wake up. Iris was completely limp. Her face was pale.
Gianna quickly rushed to call her brothers.
The tribal leaders inside the tent stopped talking. The music outside kept playing, completely unaware of the sudden disaster happening inside the VIP section. The heavy, thumping drums made the floorboards shake, completely mocking the terrifying silence inside the pavilion.
Queen Tanith stood up from her raised wooden chair.
The Basilisk Queen walked slowly toward the couch. She looked down at Iris. She checked the girl’s pulse with two pale fingers.
"Stop the music," Tanith ordered. Her voice was not loud, but it cut through the air like a sharp knife. "The ceremony is over."
A guard nodded frantically and ran out of the tent.
Less than a minute later, the heavy drums outside completely stopped. The sudden silence was deafening. Thousands of people stopped cheering. The happy, joyful noise of the Full Moon Festival completely died.
Caius did not look at Queen Tanith. He did not look at Iris.
The moment Iris hit the couch, Caius completely changed. He was no longer a slightly annoyed father. He was no longer a jealous mate fighting for walking positions. He instantly shifted into the Left General of the Vanguard.
His posture locked into rigid, perfect military lines. His golden eyes vanished entirely, turning into a glowing, lethal red. His long black tail uncoiled and whipped the air, ready to strike anything that moved too fast. He scanned the room for weapons. He scanned the dark corners for enemies.
He found no immediate threat, but his instincts did not care. The perimeter was compromised.
Caius took two massive steps across the floorboards. He reached Rue.
He wrapped his large, incredibly hot arm entirely around her waist. He pulled her hard against his side, trapping little Theron safely between their chests. Rue gasped slightly at the sudden, rough movement, but she did not fight him. She recognized the pure survival logic in his eyes.
Knox was already moving. The Panther King had heard the panic from outside. He pushed through the heavy silk curtains, his Golden eyes wide and alert. His sharp fangs were fully extended.
Caius did not argue with the panther. He did not care about the jungle silk or the right side of the road. This was an active emergency.
Caius shoved Rue and the baby directly behind Knox’s massive back.
"Take them," Caius ordered sharply. His voice was a low, aggressive growl. "Take them back to the cabin right now. Do not stop walking. Do not talk to anyone. Lock the heavy door and do not open it until I return."
Knox did not hesitate. The Panther King nodded once. "I will guard them with my life."
"Go," Caius barked.
Caius turned his back on them immediately. He sprinted back into the center of the chaotic pavilion. He rushed toward the fur couch to help Queen Tanith and Tyara secure the room. He needed to find out if this was an assassination attempt, a poisoning, or a sudden ambush.
Knox turned around. He looked down at Rue.
The Panther King was massive. He stood well over six feet tall, with shoulders built to tear through thick jungle vines. He raised his heavy arms and completely wrapped them around Rue and the baby. He did not crush her, but he pulled her so close she could feel the heavy, rapid beating of his heart. He formed a living, breathing, heavily muscled shield around her small frame.
"Keep your head down," Knox whispered gruffly. "Do not look at the crowd."
Knox guided her out of the pavilion.
The royal courtyard was a complete mess. The guards were running back and forth, shouting orders to clear the area. The thousands of beastmen who had just been cheering for the Panther tribe were now confused and deeply scared. They whispered loudly to each other. They pointed at the royal tent.
The bright paper lanterns were still floating in the sky, but they did not look beautiful anymore. They just looked like warning lights.
Knox walked fast. His heavy boots stomped against the stone road. He kept one hand firmly on the hilt of his hunting blade. He kept his other arm wrapped tightly around Rue’s shoulders. He tucked her directly into his side, hiding her pale pink dress from the staring crowd.
"Move!" Knox growled loudly.
His voice was a deep, terrifying rumble. A group of merchants carrying wooden crates quickly scrambled out of his way. They saw the golden glow in his eyes and decided moving was much better than dying.
Rue kept her head down just like he asked. She focused entirely on Theron. The baby boy was completely oblivious to the panic. The sudden movement and the warmth of Knox’s chest had actually put him right to sleep. Theron had his eyes closed, his small chest rising and falling in a steady, peaceful rhythm.
Rue could not understand what exactly could have frightened Iris to collapse and she was worried.
They left the stone road and hit the dirt path leading back to the woods. The noise of the frightened crowd slowly faded behind them. The air turned freezing cold again. The smell of roasted meat vanished, replaced by the damp smell of pine needles and wet grass.
Knox did not slow down. He marched through the dark trees with absolute purpose. His eyes tracked every single shadow. His ears twitched at every snapping twig.
They finally reached the small clearing. The wooden cabin sat quietly in the moonlight. It looked incredibly small and fragile compared to the massive, ancient trees surrounding it.
Knox pushed the front door open. He ushered Rue inside.
He stepped in right behind her. He grabbed the heavy wooden door and slammed it shut. He reached up and shoved the thick iron bolt firmly into place. The metal clicked loudly in the quiet room.
Knox did not stop there. He walked quickly to the kitchen window. He pulled the heavy wooden shutters closed and locked them. He walked to the back door and checked the lock twice. He circled the entire small living room, making sure every single entry point was completely secured.
Only when the entire house was locked down did he finally let out a long, heavy breath.
"We are secure," Knox said. He turned to look at Rue. His golden eyes were still wide with adrenaline, but his voice was gentle. "Are you hurt? Did the crowd push you?"
"I am fine, Knox," Rue said flatly. "You walked so fast I couldn’t keep up, but I am not hurt."
She looked down at the baby in her arms. Theron was still sound asleep.
"I am going to put him in his bed," Rue said.
Knox nodded. He walked over to the stone hearth. He grabbed a piece of dry wood and began building a small fire to warm the freezing room.
Rue walked into the bedroom. And went over to the crib in the corner of the room. She leaned down very carefully and placed Theron onto his soft white fox-fur blanket. She tucked the blanket up under his chin. He let out a tiny, soft sigh and rolled onto his side.
Rue stood up straight. She rubbed her tired shoulders. Her pink dress felt heavy now. The beautiful night had turned into a total disaster in a matter of seconds.
She walked over to the bedroom window. The wooden shutter was still slightly open. She did not close it yet.
She looked out through the glass. She looked past the dark, silent trees of the Ironwood forest. Far away in the distance, she could see the Convergence valley.
The valley was completely dark. The floating paper lanterns had all been blown out. The massive central fire had been smothered with dirt. There was no music. There was no laughing. There were no cheers.
The beautiful festival was completely over. It was replaced by a heavy, terrifying silence that hung over the entire Beastworld like a thick blanket.
Rue rested her hand against the window. She thought about the chaotic Wolf Princess lying completely lifeless on the fur couch. She thought about how pale Iris had looked.
"I hope she will be fine."
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