CHAPTER 48 #2
Varek crossed his arms, a frown on his face that made Lenore think he found the greeting terribly disrespectful.
Up close, he and Kyrie were even taller than Lenore had expected.
He stood around six feet eight, while Kyrie stood at an impressive six feet herself.
Lenore almost gaped at their heights, nervousness abandoned as she stared.
Varek’s frown turned into a toothy grin. “The Moon’s Sovereign truly loves you, Eddy! He had someone even for you!” Boisterous laughter belted from him as he reached out, slapping Edmund hard on the back. “Congratulations!”
“... Thanks,” Edmund grumbled. His sour response only made Varek laugh even more.
“I’m in absolute shock.” Kyrie spoke, though her face was completely stone-faced. Her hair was half-pulled into a bun, held in place by two sword-shaped hairpins. She looked down at Lenore, briefly assessing her, then commented dryly, “You’re very small.”
Lenore wasn’t sure whether that was a compliment, an insult, or merely an observation. She smiled anyway and said, “H-hello! It’s really nice to meet you both—Edmund told me a lot about you—”
“All of it being praise, I’m sure,” she interjected flatly.
“Um—he loves you a lot, as he does with the rest of his siblings!” Lenore laughed nervously.
“But I can tell you’re really strong. It’s no wonder Edmund grew up strong too.
But, um, I’m really happy to meet you in person.
” She clasped her hands together. “Oh—and thank you for taking us in during these… circumstances.”
She wasn’t too sure, but she felt as if Kyrie’s guarded aura eased slightly. Kyrie placed a hand on her hip, face unreadable as she replied, “Hm. Alright then.”
“Aw, welcome to the family, Lenore!” Varek cheered.
“My moonflower and I were excited to meet you since we heard the news.” With how stone-faced Kyrie looked, Lenore just had to believe he was speaking the truth.
“You are small,” he added. “Smaller than even the Nyvens in my pack.” He raised a brow and leaned down to peer at her more closely, as if puzzled she’d survive this long.
She offered a flustered smile back. “Has Eddy given you any trouble at all?”
“Oh—uhh—”
Edmund’s expression deepened into a scowl. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
A corner of Kyrie’s lips twitched upwards. “Anyone who’s met you knows what you’re like. It’s good that you have someone that can force you to be soft rather than...” She gestured at her brother. “Whatever this is.”
“I should be saying that to you,” Edmund growled. “You make any forest feel like a tundra.”
Kyrie dismissed him with a scoff, then turned her attention back to Lenore. “So you’re the one who was turned by a Lucyn a couple weeks ago. We heard about you—our pack got a request to take you in as well. And it looks like you got yourself into all kinds of trouble since.”
“Not willingly!” Lenore winced to herself. “Wait—does that mean everyone here knows what I am?”
“No. Not everyone has the sensibility to stay rational at the moment, so it’s not something we’re parading around.” Kyrie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I wonder why a lone Lucyn was willing to go to a city in the first place.”
“... I think it may have had something to do with the mithrial blood,” Lenore said. “There’s potions containing it in some magic-related shops. Since the blood offered a boost to one’s mana, I think the Lucyn were desperate enough to go after it.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” Edmund said. He rubbed the crease between his brows. “Have you all started preparing for the Lunar Ball tomorrow?”
“Couldn’t we have waited a little longer to talk about battle plans after a nice family talk?
” Varek joked, but the smile he wore dimmed in brightness.
“I already sent out messages to our allies. One of them was attacked from within the pack like we were—some of their own turned Lucyn. Another hasn’t responded at all. It’s not looking good so far.”
“We already lost a few good wolves,” Kyrie murmured. Her head dipped down, offering a brief silence for the fallen. Then her gaze lifted. “But regardless, the other packs that answered us are determined to go to the Lunar Ball.”
A loud crack sounded out from the stretch of Varek’s neck.
“Azelf better make as many vials as he can with his magic. The frost from those Lucyns is no joke. I couldn’t move my arm—nearly lost it.
” Kyrie’s gaze became like the frost itself, and Lenore had to look away from the murderous fury that seeped into her aura.
“It is tough,” Edmund agreed. “Right after we summoned the white raven, a member from our pack tracked us down and attacked us. Ryker. He put up a challenge from all the frost growing into my wounds.”
Varek nodded, a low rumble in his chest. “I reckon he’s no longer alive?”
“No.”
“Ryker...” Kyrie repeated. The name was spoken with familiarity, tinged with the memories she had from her birthplace. “He became one of the Lucyn?” She lowered her head. “What a shame.”
Lenore’s eyes flitted down to the side. “It was,” she said.
The haunting memory of his corpse played in her head, and she let out a small sigh to expel the tightness in her chest. A gentle touch to the small of her back turned her head to Edmund as his hand pressed itself more firmly against her, comforting her through the wave of emotion.
“Awwwww!” Varek’s laughter returned. Kyrie let out a single, barely audible, amused snort. Redness flared through Edmund’s cheeks, and he tried to glare at them while Lenore shyly lifted a fist to her lips, her gaze turned to the side. But Edmund kept his hand there, choosing to hold on to her.
He cleared his throat, raising his other hand to get their attention. “We also received another blessing against the Lucyn.”
He pulled off his dark glove and lifted his right hand, turning it so his palm faced upwards.
A gleam of white pulsed through his fingers before streaming outward into a strand of moonlight that wove between them.
It slipped back into Edmund’s palm—briefly transforming his hands into pure white claws before fading to normal.
Recognition dawned in both Varek’s and Kyrie’s widening eyes.
“Stars... it can’t be. You’ve got yourself a piece of Ieric’s claws—the moonlight itself?” Varek asked in awe. “Damn it, Eddy, that’s every werewolf’s dream!”
“A dream sounds about right. It still feels like it,” Edmund murmured. His hand tightened into a fist. “And I won’t let it go to waste.”
A short chuckle left Varek as he shook his head. “No one’s worried about that.”
“We’ll finish this conversation at our home,” Kyrie said.
She placed a hand on the pronounced curve of her stomach.
“Even if the Lucyn escaped, we shouldn’t stay out in the open any longer.
” Her impersonal voice couldn’t mask the burning intensity that blazed in her eyes.
“If we’re going to talk, we’ll begin our preparations for the Lunar Ball at the same time. ”