It warmed his heart to see Briella take to being such a wonderful eldest sister as she touched her sister's hair in concern, catching the sound of a hungry child's belly rumbling. He reached over Brazen to touch Briella in turn, brushing his nose across her neck and pressing a soft kiss beside her ear. He'd picked a good one. She was perfect.
His son answered the snake's question, as cool and unimpressed as his mother would have. She certainly wouldn't be that calm when she arrived this time, though. She'd likely be livid, removing the very earth beneath their feet and turning their pretty home into dust if she didn't turn them into dust first.
She'd probably spare the innocent children. Depending on her volatile mood.
Some other guy landed from the sky with his pretty wings, all arrogant and holier-than-thou with his head high and walking around like he owned the place. He was probably some kind of king or something as equally regal and demanding. But it had been Vulgaris that stole him from his home, and so it was Vulgaris that he was here for.
There was something the man had said that made no sense in any way at all. For safety's sake? As if Briella could hurt him. This guy was nuts. Why on earth would it be safe for his smallest children but not for his frost daughter unless the man was afraid of her? Trauma as a child maybe that had nothing to do with Briella. What an idiot.
He dismissed the gold stallion without a word and settled black eyes on his captor.
"My children will be staying with me," he told Vulgaris firmly in answer to the stranger's attempt at separating them. He touched Briella's cheek, kissed her softly. Don't speak, he would handle this. She was his. "If they are so threatening and frightening to anyone," he continued as he straightened again, "then they may remove themselves from my children's presence and cover their eyes as much as they'd like until the nightmare is over."
He didn't spare the man a glance, but he'd heard.
"If anyone tries to send them away or take them away from me in any manner, you will find yourself without a captive prize. If any of them go, then all of us go."
He didn't mince words for the sake of all the children present as Vulgaris had.
we're slaves to any semblance of touch
Lord, we should quit but we love it too much
