novelraw Chapter 359: I’m so going to create an army to kick their ass
Chapter 359: I’m so going to create an army to kick their ass
Fenric stepped inside, his face contorted with worry and hardened with his warrior sharpness.
"What is it?" I asked.
You only see that expression on Fenric when something has gone wrong somewhere.
"The guards that were on patrol found more tracks at dawn, Arinya. Three of them. They didn’t approach the nursery, but they circled the northern ridge before heading back toward the Eastern pass."
My heart did a nervous little skip. More tracks?
"They’re watching us," I said.
"It feels more like they’re measuring us," Fenric corrected, his voice a low growl. "But they’ve retreated for now. They know we’re alerted."
I gripped the edge of the furs, feeling rather unsettled by this discovery.
"Then we don’t give them a second chance to measure. Noah, I want the clearing pushed back another fifty yards. If there’s tall grass near my walls, burn it. I want a kill-zone where nothing can hide."
Noah nodded, a dark smirk touching his lips. "I like the way you think, little tiger. A kill-zone. I’ll get the hyenas and the wolves on it. We’ll turn that slope into a bald patch of dirt before noon."
"And Thalor," I turned to the merman, who was already watching me with that steady, violet gaze. "The underwater barrier. If those scouts are heading back to report, we need to be ready for a larger group. Can you get your people started today?"
Thalor leaned in, his cool fingers brushing my cheek. "I have already sent word first thing this morning. My kin are... intrigued by the idea. They are currently gathering the ironwood stakes from the sunken forest. By the time the moon rises, the river will be a forest of thorns for anyone without fins."
I let out a long, shaky breath. "Good. Because I have a feeling the ’barking orders’ part of my job is about to get a lot more literal."
Despite the stinging in my arm and the ache in my gut, I forced myself to stand. I looked at Lyra, Phina, and Raiden, who were all tangled together in a sleeping heap of silver, white, and tanned limbs. They looked so peaceful—so innocent.
They had no idea that their mother had spent the night designing a cage to keep the world out. But it’s a good kind of cage, so nothing to worry about, haha.
"Alright," I said, wincing as I pulled a clean top over my head. "Let’s go build a fortress. I want every able-bodied beastman on the line. We’ve moved from building the heart of the West Way, which is the palace, to building the ribs, and I’m going to make sure it’s a very strong rib that no one can break."
Noah held out the slate I’d worked on last night, his eyes shining with that raw respect again.
"Lead the way, Boss."
I took the slate, feeling the weight of the stone in my hands, and then handed it back to him.
"You know what, you hold it," I said, and he laughed. "And Thalor,"
"Yes, Arinya,"
"Can you take care of the babies for me?" I asked. "There should be some goat milk you can feed them once they wake up."
Thalor went quiet at first, but then looked down at the babies. I had entrusted him with my precious little ones, and he felt incredibly touched.
"I’ll take very good care of them and protect them with my life," he said, an appreciative expression on his face, as if I had handed him the world. "Leave them to me."
I nodded and walked towards him, reaching my hand to brush his cheek.
"You’re so reliable," I said and then leaned up to peck his lips. He blushed, and I whispered softly, "Thank you."
Noah and Fenric bared their teeth from behind, but the moment I turned my head back to them, their expressions were back to normal.
"Alright, gang, let’s get moving."
As we stepped out into the morning light, the village was already humming. The fear from yesterday had transformed into a grim, focused energy.
The mothers of the cubs I’d saved, with Talia at the front, were already organized, carrying water pitchers their sizes to the perimeter, while the men were carrying massive blocks with a ferocity I’d never seen.
They were so fired up.
I looked toward the Eastern mountains, the jagged peaks hidden in a low, gray mist. Somewhere out there, the red-scales were waiting. Because if not there, where else would these poisonous creatures come from?
Fine, I thought, narrowing my eyes. Come and see what an art student can do with a mountain of limestone and three angry husbands.
I’m so going to create an army to kick their ass.
The next two weeks were a blur of dust, limestone, and the smell of sun-warmed earth. My ’National Holiday’ had officially transitioned into a ’National Construction Sprint.’
We had split the workforce—a move that had me feeling like I was playing a high-stakes game of Tetris with every waking hour.
One part was placed on the palace force since it was already nearly finished and couldn’t be left as it was. And the other part was working on the fortress.
The walls were going to take a considerably longer period to finish, so why not finish the palace?
And because of this, I was running back and forth on Fenric’s back just so I could make sure all corners were put in place correctly.
The palace was going to be my home, so I refused to leave the construction entirely to the workforce. And the wall... Well, it was so intricate that I couldn’t leave it to them either.
If I could split myself in half, I’d sure as hell would do it.
But since I’m only one girl, let’s just deal with it.
"Fenric, if that wall isn’t seamless, the red-scales will find a finger-hold!" I shouted over the din of stone-cutters as we worked by the wall.
"It will be smooth as ice, Arinya!" he roared back, his white hair plastered to his forehead with sweat as he hauled a block that would have taken four normal men to lift.
I love my strong men.
And then there were my heartbeats. My babies.