Chosen Mate Of The Beastmen Empire

Chapter 406 Chapter 406

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The ground shook, mountains trembled. Rolling dust swallowed the whole valley, blotting out the sun. Everyone inside turned blind, unable to see a thing.

People were animals too, after all. When danger hit, some bolted in a panic, others curled up in despair, leaving it to fate.

A chunk of them had already taken the worst of it-knocked out bleeding by the blast, vision black, ears ringing. They couldn't dodge falling rocks or even the trampling feet of their own in the chaos.

The newly minted old chief got clocked by a chunk of debris too, his head splitting open. Ignoring the pain, he sat there horrified, hearing horns and war cries from outside.

When a couple of soldiers finally grabbed him and hauled him to the army, he twisted around. As the dust cleared, he saw the aftermath-his pupils shook, hands and feet trembling like a sieve.

The stone wall was gone, smashed to bits. The cliffs on either side weren't pressed tight anymore-a massive gap had been ripped open, surrounded by scattered boulders big and small.

"Heaven's thunder. Divine punishment," the old man mumbled. "The mountain god's pissed."

The soldier gripping one arm was from Hilltop City, clueless about barbarian talk, and asked the local soldier on the other arm, "What's he muttering about? You get it?"

“Uh, uh,” the local guy frowned. "He says they've sinned, and the mountain god's done protecting them-now it's punishing

them."

"They sure have sinned! Killed so many of our innocent folks-they should've died ages ago!" Hilltop City soldier nodded sagely, then shook his head. "But wait, no- the general's wife set off something to blast the mountain open. What's that got to do with a mountain god?"

The local soldier scratched his cheek. "He's just babbling nonsense."

"The general's wife's gotta be a fairy from the heavens, not the mountains!" said the Hilltop soldier.

"You're right." The local soldier nodded.

*****

For this battle, Erik rolled out with ten thousand troops. Before it kicked off, everyone thought that was way too few, urging him not to underestimate the enemy. Everyone knew attacking was tougher than defending-you needed several times their numbers at least.

But once the fight started, one big boom later, those barbarians turned to jelly- scared out of their wits. The first wave that stumbled out running got picked off easy by the soldiers waiting outside, no fight in them. The rest who couldn't move were sitting ducks, too late to escape.

A far cry from their cocky wall-shouting earlier, the captured barbarians were meeker than sheep now, bawling for the mountain god to spare them.

Some joker started a rumor that Nyx could summon heavenly thunder. It spread like wildfire through the ranks-Nyx even tried to shut it down herself, but it got her more worshippers, even the maids and old ladies back at the house whispering if she was from the sky.

Nyx was rendered speechless. With her rep now, plus Pale Wolf's fighting chops, she'd make a solid rebel leader. But the guy on the throne was her partner too. No way she'd rebel against him.

If she wanted that seat, all she had to do was say it-the little cat would roll right into her lap, begging to step down and be her pet. They were all family-Nyx had

no rebel streak, and neither did Erik. But outsiders didn't see it that way.

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In just a few days, Nyx got a stack of calling cards-big shots like army deputies down to Kellingtown merchants and gentry. all sending their wives and daughters to sniff around.

Some were itching to climb aboard for glory, others loyal to the crown, ready to dash off a secret report to the Emperor if things looked fishy.

Nyx kept a poker face but sorted them all out in her head, jotting them down in her

little notebook to tattle to the Emperor later and let him handle it.

Before heading back to Hilltop City, she squeezed in some sightseeing around Kellingtown. No photos, so she sketched a few quick drawings and grabbed some local goodies.

The little cat waiting in the palace had probably already flipped the jealousy jar by now. She needed gifts ready-make coaxing him a bit easier.

Local stuff wasn't much this season-city shops didn't have anything fresh or exciting, nothing beating palace tributes. So Nyx poked around the wild instead- skipping risky mushrooms but picking flowers and plants no problem.

She dried some flowers and potted a few others. They were simple but sincere gifts.

Pale Wolf went nuts over a flower crown, and the palace cat wouldn't dare scoff either-Nyx's handmade stuff was the best in his eyes.

After roaming outside a few days, Nyx got restless, wanting to stretch out more. One night, on a whim, she poked Erik's rock-hard arm muscles. "Let me ride your horse."

Erik was half-asleep, jolted awake by her prodding and the word "ride. Suddenly wide awake in every sense. "Ride. How do you want to ride?"

He thought, 'Should I lie down or sit up? Like before the legs were busted? Why the sudden treat tonight?

Erik's face burned red-too bad it was dark, no lights, and Nyx couldn't see a thing. She didn't sense the danger. "Sitting up. obviously! How else?"

"I know how to ride-you know that," she said, thinking Pale Wolf forgot she could handle a horse. She reached out, patting his chest. "Don't worry."

Darkness stirred bad impulses, dulled reason, pushed people closer to beasts. Feeling that soft touch on his chest, Erik's dark eyes glinted like a wolf's. His long arm shot out, locking around her slim waist.

*****

Honestly, Nyx had no clue how things spiraled like this. She fed the home beasts plenty, didn't starve them much, but they still acted like they hadn't seen meat in eight hundred years-scary hungry.

Thinking back to last night, she rubbed her temples, baffled how a normal convo turned into sex. After some head- scratching, it had to be one word's fault.

Well, great-now she definitely wasn't riding a horse today. Wasn't just her body- her mind needed a break too. She hadn't recovered yet. One bumpy ride on horseback, and she'd probably start thinking stuff she shouldn't in broad daylight. After a few days of chilling, on the last day before leaving Kellingtown, Nyx finally managed a horse ride outing.

Erik's mount was a sleek black steed. Maybe horses matched their riders-big guy, big horse. Its coat was short and glossy, not a stray hair, shining like black silk in the sun.

Pretty as it was, it had a rotten temper-proud and prickly. No one but its master could ride it, and even hinting at trying got you attacked. Except Nyx, of course.

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She just stood there, and it trotted over curious. She fed it an apple, and bam- best buds, prancing around her, begging to play outside.

When Nyx climbed on, Cloudie played nice, smart enough to go slow and steady. Only when she nudged its side did it pick up the pace, speeding up on her say-

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Erik trailed on another horse, worried, but seeing Nyx handle his steed like a pro, he finally relaxed.

“Nyx, you're amazing," he said, eyes full of admiration and love. “Besides me, you're the first to ride Cloudie."

Even he'd gotten tossed hard breaking Cloudie in-only his tough hide pulled him through. Nyx rode it smooth as silk. Truth was, Nyx wasn't as chill about it as she looked.

This body was nowhere near her real one's strength-core too weak to handle a beast this big easily. After a short gallop, wind in her hair and joints loosened up, she rubbed her achy waist and thighs, ready to hop off and lead it on foot.

Looking up at a tree right in front of her, Nyx paused mid-dismount. Her eyes

narrowed, staring at it for a while, then lit up.

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