Chapter 148: Bleeding Cacophony (3)

A U T H O R

Severus’ horse charged through the dense forest, its hooves pounding against the earth as his men followed close behind. They burst into the dragon shifter empire, and the air filled with screams of terror. His soldiers cut down anyone who crossed their path, their focus razor-sharp. They were here for one thing only. Bernadette.

Meanwhile, Bernadette’s body lay still and unconscious in her old bedroom. The three children huddled around her, their small hands clutching hers as tears streamed down their faces. Their nanny had slipped away to secretly call for a healer, leaving them alone in the tense silence.

“What if Mama doesn’t wake up?” James sobbed, his voice trembling.

“Shut up, James,” Hildegard snapped, her tone harsh with fear she wouldn’t show.

“Mama will be alright, James,” Eliza said softly, though her own hands were shaking. “She’s only sleeping.”

“I hope her lover comes soon,” Hildegard sighed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Lover?” Eliza raised an eyebrow, glancing at her sister.

“Ms. Ernest said Mama has a lover. He works in the lycan army as the Beta,” Hildegard explained matter-of-factly.

“That’s just something she says to help you sleep. It’s not true,” Eliza rolled her eyes, trying to sound firm.

“No, I’m not lying. James was there, weren’t you, James?”

“She said he was tall and big,” James chirped, his tears momentarily forgotten.

“And handsome,” Hildegard added with a toothy grin.

“Oh, come on…” Eliza’s protest was cut off by a loud grunt from downstairs, followed by the heavy thud of boots on the floor beneath them.

The children froze, their eyes widening as they exchanged nervous glances.

“What is that?” James whispered, his voice small.

“Hush, James!” Eliza hissed, pulling him closer.

“I’ll go see what it is,” Hildegard said, pushing herself up from the floor.

Eliza grabbed her arm tightly. “Have you lost your mind?”

“No… I just want to see what’s happening, that’s all!”

“What if it’s a monster?”

“Pfft… it’s not even evening yet, Eliza. Monsters can’t come out until night.”

THUD!

The door burst open with a splintering crash, swinging wildly on its hinges before slamming against the wall. Severus stood in the doorway, drenched in blood and sweat, a massive sword gripped tightly in his hand. His presence filled the room, fierce and terrifying, and the children shrank back instinctively.

His eyes scanned the room wildly before landing on Bernadette’s still form. All the rage and tension drained from his face, replaced by raw fear. He dropped his sword with a clatter, his hands trembling as he rushed to her side. Slowly, he cupped her face, his thumb brushing gently over her pale cheek as tears welled in his eyes.

“Bernadette… no, no, no,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “What did they do to you?” He checked her pulse, and a shaky sigh of relief escaped him when he felt the faint but steady rhythm beneath his fingertips. She was alive, but barely holding on.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, pulling her limp body against his chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

“How romantic,” Hildegard murmured under her breath.

“Shut up,” Eliza whispered through clenched teeth.

“I know, but he’s rude. Couldn’t even knock. Just broke the door,” Hildegard scoffed, crossing her arms.

James had ducked under the bed, hugging his knees tightly. Eliza’s blood ran cold as Severus’s gaze finally shifted from Bernadette to them. His eyes were intense, questioning.

“Who are you?” he demanded, his voice low but firm. “How did you get here?”

“I… I…” Eliza stammered, her body trembling.

Hildegard stepped forward confidently and gave a slight, practiced bow. “I’m Hildegard Grace Black, Princess of Eretria. This is Eliza Reese Black, the older princess. And—” She paused to nudge James with her foot.

“Ouch!” he groaned, scrambling out from under the bed.

“This is James William Black, Prince of Eretria,” she finished, gesturing toward her brother before tilting her head. “You must be Mama’s lover?”

Severus’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

“Hildegard, we shouldn’t talk to strangers,” Eliza whispered urgently.

“He’s not a stranger,” Hildegard rolled her eyes, taking a few steps closer. “We’ve heard a lot about you.” She smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re the Beta of the lycan army, aren’t you?”

Severus studied them carefully, his mind racing as he pieced it together. These were the children Bernadette had begged him to adopt. James, the youngest, had blonde hair and deep blue eyes that reminded him strangely of Perseus—a trait inherited from Thomas Black.

Hildegard, with her brown hair and sharp grey eyes, was fiery and bold, her delicate features clearly from her mother. Eliza, silver-haired with golden-brown eyes and Raphael’s distinct cleft chin, stood protectively beside her siblings. They were undeniably striking, each in their own way.

“Look… I’m Severus. Severus Kaos Black,” he said, mimicking their formal tone.

“Oh, so you’re a relative?” Hildegard asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No… it’s just a coincidence.”

“So is it Chaos with a C?”

“No… K-A-O-S. How old are you, anyway?”

“Six. I’ll be seven in a few days.”

“Great. You talk a lot,” Severus sighed, though a faint smile touched his lips.

“I’ve heard that one before. If you’re wondering what happened to Mama, I could tell you everything since I saw it all myself. But since you think I’m talkative, well…”

“No, no,” Severus said quickly, his expression turning serious. “Please. Tell me.”

Hildegard launched into the story, with Eliza and James jumping in to add details or correct her when she wandered off track. Severus listened intently, his jaw tightening as he understood what had been done to Bernadette. She hadn’t willingly betrayed Perseus—she’d been forced. This was something Asmodeus could fix. Finding her was the first step. Now he had to get her back and end this war.

“Thank you,” he said once they’d finished. Gently, he lifted Bernadette into his arms, her body resting limply against his chest. “I can fix this, but I have to take her away now.”

“Our nanny went to get the healer,” Eliza explained nervously. “The healer fixes every illness.”

“Not this one,” Severus replied firmly, turning toward the door.

“You’re not going to leave us here alone, are you?” Hildegard asked, hopping off the bed and stepping forward.

“I can’t take you with me. There’s a war happening. It’s too dangerous. Stay with your nanny.”

“But you just said there’s a war out there,” Hildegard argued, her voice rising. “Ms. Ernest can’t protect us alone. She’ll die!”

“I’m sorry, but—”

“How do we know you’re even Mama’s lover? You could be kidnapping her!” she gasped dramatically.

“What? No. I’m her husband.”

“But you just said you were her lover.”

“It’s the same thing.”

“No, it’s not.”

James began crying again, his small voice pleading. “Please, sir. Don’t leave us here to die.”

“No, we’ll be fine on our own,” Eliza said, though her eyes betrayed her fear.

“Speak for yourself,” Hildegard shot back.

Severus let out a frustrated grunt, his shoulders slumping in resignation. “Okay, fine. You can come.”