Their steps finally brought them back to the plantation. Warm air and the scent of damp earth welcomed them, a sharp contrast to the snowy chill they'd just left behind. From the distance, a small, excited voice rang out.
"Papa!"
Ruby came running, her little rabbit ears bouncing, tiny feet thumping against the ground. The moment she spotted Nathan, she threw herself straight into him. Nathan was startled, but a faint smile slipped onto his face before he even realized it—his arms instinctively lifting Ruby into a tight embrace.
The other monster girls turned their heads at once. Validia frowned in brief confusion, while Velmora whispered under her breath.
"Two days? Why were they gone for so short a time…"
Right then, a massive shadow swept down from the sky. Fwoosh! Morvessa landed gracefully, her black wings beating once before folding behind her. Her eyes sparkled, and without hesitation she wrapped her arms tightly around Nathan.
