271. Penetrating Hearts

271. Penetrating Hearts

Adam’s eyes fell to his little sister, who was currently clutching her hands together tightly, shaking with a thirst for more blood to be spilled.

‘We’re such a bad influence on my Lanababy,’ Adam thought, wondering how to accept that his sister may be too zealous about spilling blood.

He spent more Mana casting Healing Word to bring the Iyrmen back up.

“You guys okay?”

“I am fine,” Nirot said.

“You are strong,” Naqokan said, helping Laygak up.

“Yeah,” Adam replied, smiling at the pair of Iyrmen who were getting to their feet. “I am.”

“Did you need to use magic against them?” Kaygak asked, checking on her son.

“Yeah.”

“They are not Experts, and they are no threat to you.”

“No threat?” Adam asked, his eyebrows raised. “They’re Iyrmen.”

“Yes, but they are still young.”

“Yeah, and they almost downed me,” Adam said. “You might be used to it, but I don’t forget how scary Iyrmen are. Naqokan there is probably stronger than Jurot physically.”

Naqokan’s nostrils flared, her lips twitching up into a smile. “I am quite strong for my age.”

“I have no shame using my Smites against any of you. Plus, my little sister was watching so I couldn’t lose.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have used any. Plus, I could have ended the fight earlier if I didn’t hold back so much.”

“Adam, let us marry,” Naqokan said.

“I refuse,” Adam said, almost reflexively.

“I am strong as you said, and our children will be-“

“Aaaaaah!” Adam butt in. “I will not marry yet, not for a few years. It doesn’t matter who offers to marry me, whether it’s you, Cirot and Sirot, or Entalia, or even Mara.”

“Entalia?” Naqokan asked. “Queen Silvari, The Silver Terror?”

“Yeah.”

“You know her?”

“Yeah.”

Naqokan looked to her mother first, before looking to her uncle, and then finally to her Aunt, who nodded her head. “Are you certain you do not wish to marry?”

“I’m certain,” Adam said. “You’re too young for my taste.”

“How old are you?”

“The same as Jurot.”

“I am sixteen,” the Iyrman said. “That is not much younger.”

Adam winced. “I refuse.”

“Okay,” Naqokan replied, simply, leaving Adam be.

“Is Lanarot okay?” Adam asked, looking to the baby, who had finally calmed down.

“She enjoyed the fight,” Sonarot said.

“Yeah, I could tell. Should she be so excited for fights like that?”

“It is fine.”

“If you say so.”

“Adam,” Laygak called.

“Yes?”

“Do you not like men?”

“Hey Vonda, what’s up?”

“The sky?”

“Right,” Adam said. “What’s, uh, how are you?”

“Well, and you?”

“I’m good.”

“What are you doing?”

“Carrying a box.”

“Yes,” Vonda said.

Adam smiled. “Well, if you want to know, you can come with me.”

Vonda felt as though it was going to be something queer, so she followed him back to the estate. “The Iyr is such a lovely place.”

“Right? I hope I am welcomed here forever.”

“You are a Nephew, are you not?”

“I am, for now,” Adam said. “That might change.”

“You are strange, but I think the Iyr considers you as someone who benefits them more than you endanger them.”

“We’ll see how long that lasts. If they welcome Strom here, then I should be welcomed here. I’m pretty sure he’s strong, maybe even a little stronger than the Chief.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Isn’t that how it goes?” Adam asked. “Some cool old man that even the Chief has to respect, who talks about being over a thousand years old. No, maybe he’s much stronger than the Chief. I wonder if he could handle multiple monstrous Iyrmen.”

“Are there beings who can deal with multiple powerful Iyrmen?”

“The Gods?” Adam asked, raising his brow at her.

“Fair point.”

When they finally returned, the children were already being given their gifts. Mostly clothes and weapons made of various different materials, though nothing which could cut them accidentally, or purposefully.

Adam cleared his throat. “I just spoke with Uncle Snowiyr, and he sent me here with his gifts for all the good boys and girls.”

The children looked up to Adam, before swarming around him, staring up at him with expectant eyes.

“Where is Uncle Snowiyr?” Katool asked.

“He’s really busy right now, so he sent me in his stead,” Adam said. “I’ve heard that you’ve all been good, so I’m here with the gifts he has sent me.”

He placed down the box before unravelling half of it, revealing the various little packages within. He peeked through one and handed it to Raygak, who revealed the peppers.

“Red peppers!” Raygak said, excitedly. “My favourite.”

“Right, and they’re all yours,” Adam said.

“All of them?” Raygak asked. There were ten, one for each day of the week, and more.

“Yep. If Jaygak tries to steal any, you let me know and I’ll sort her out,” Adam said, winking at him, before his eyes snapped to Jaygak, narrowing them at her with a glare.

“Okay,” Raygak said, grabbing a pepper before biting it. He winced from how cold and spicy it was, but continued to eat it.

He handed out the cheese to Turot, the nuts to Taygak, fruit for Katool, and another set of peppers for Saygak. Damokan and Kalokan were harder to shop for, since he wasn’t sure what they were really into, so instead there were a pair of small wooden contraptions full of sugar.

The children all ate some of their gifts, sharing some of them between one another. Adam had tried to make sure they each received roughly the same amount, not wanting them to feel as though he favoured one over the other.

The trio who had only just met Adam stared at him. They weren’t sure what Kaygak had meant earlier, but they did now.

‘He is quite the young man,’ Halikan thought, signalling her daughter with her eyes.

Naqokan shook her head. Adam had already refused, so she wouldn’t press the issue. ‘I need to be stronger so that he will accept me.’ Then, a thought passed in her mind, and her eyes fell to Lanarot, whose head was pulled back towards Jurot’s chest as she stared up at her older brother. ‘It is not Adam’s heart I need to penetrate.’

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I'm having so much fun writing this story! Thanks for all the views and support! I've ruined my sleep (again) so I haven't been feeling too well, but I have been drafting like an animal. These rolls are so insane, and I hope that you guys are excited for what's to come in the future. However, until that comes to pass, enjoy the next few, totally slice of life chapters, with definitely no action at all...