There was truly nothing for her and Loras to talk about. To her, he was nothing more than a mission objective.

After leaving, Evangeline went straight to Lachlan’s bamboo house. It was empty—he had gone hunting and wasn’t back yet.

Evangeline tidied up a bit, then sat at the table to brew some floral tea while waiting for Lachlan. The man had a tendency to overthink things; if she didn’t talk him through it, he would probably keep blaming himself over the matter of the Beastman Tribe’s trade meet.

’Come to think of it, for a female, my role is starting to feel like that of a caring older sister, having to look after everyone’s mental and physical well-being.’

Dusk slowly settled, and the bamboo house fell silent.

Evangeline waited for a long time, but Lachlan still hadn’t returned. A wave of pregnancy-induced fatigue washed over her. Not wanting to just sit there waiting like a fool, she lay down on her side on the bamboo bed and let sleep overtake her.

When she awoke again, the sky was already dark.

Evangeline slowly sat up. Her gaze swept across the room—Lachlan still hadn’t returned.

Her brow furrowed. Just as she was about to get up, the door to the bamboo house was suddenly pushed open.

Thorne strode in, his expression unusually grim, but it softened the moment he saw Evangeline.

He hurried forward and placed a steadying hand on the small of her back, murmuring, "You’re awake. Are you hungry?"

"Where’s Lachlan?" Evangeline’s gaze went past his shoulder to the world outside. A thin mist was already rising into the pitch-black sky.

Thorne’s brow tightened, his voice sinking low. "He never came back. Something might have happened."

A gust of evening wind rustled past, causing the Bone Bell on the corner of the eaves to chime.

Evangeline’s red lips pressed into a thin line. Her fingertips brushed against the Contract Mark on her waist, and her pupils constricted. The mark belonging to Lachlan felt cool to the touch. This familiar sensation made her own expression turn icy. "Something has happened to Lachlan."

Her voice was laced with ice as she turned to leave.

Thorne grabbed her wrist. "I’ll go with you," he said softly.

Evangeline was about to shake her head when Caden Albright’s voice sounded from outside. "Didn’t we agree? From now on, you’ll take us with you every time you go out. Even if it’s into a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, we won’t just sit at home waiting for you to come back."

His silver hair swayed, and his magnificent eyes also held a cold, grim light.

No matter what, Lachlan was one of them. Now that he was in trouble, they couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Evangeline raised her eyes, her gaze meeting Caden Albright’s for a brief moment before she gave a crisp nod. "Fine. We’ll go together."

Danton also appeared silently at her side, his fingertips still stained with mud. Clearly, the repairs on his bamboo house weren’t finished.

Just as the group was about to leave, Loras pushed the door open. He stood on the porch, his purple eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. He seemed to hesitate, yet he clearly didn’t want to be left behind. His fingers gripped the doorframe, knuckles turning white. "I... I’ll go too."

Thorne shot Loras a surprised look, sizing him up from head to toe. He let out a cold scoff but, for once, refrained from making a sarcastic comment.

’The guy might be a timid coward who likes to stab people in the back, but he’s a Nine-star Extreme Realm master, after all.’

Evangeline gave Loras a deep look, then spun around, her black hair carving a sharp arc through the air. "Let’s go!"

The five of them, plus one cub, traveled at a rapid pace. After two full days of trekking, they finally arrived before a towering cliff.

The peak before them pierced the heavens, its steep rock face wreathed in vast clouds and mist. The mountain wind howled past, whipping up strands of Evangeline’s loose hair. As soon as she set foot in this place, the Snow Leopard Contract Pattern on her waist began to burn faintly.

Thorne’s eyes narrowed. "This is the territory of the Goldeagle Beastmen!" he said in a low voice. "Cloudfall Cliff."

Among her Beast Husbands, Caden Albright had fallen into Thorncliff years ago and knew nothing of the continent’s current affairs. Danton was a Tideborn Beastman, whose knowledge of the land-dwelling tribes was spotty at best. As for Loras, he was utterly clueless.

Among them, only Thorne had a clear understanding of the Beastman Tribes in Norfell.

"The Goldeagle Beastmen make their nests on Cloudfall Cliff and excel in aerial combat. But they’re a proud people who never meddle in the affairs of other tribes. Why would they suddenly abduct Lachlan?" Thorne’s voice, tinged with confusion, was carried to the others on the mountain wind.

Caden Albright’s large Beast Eyes glinted as he said thoughtfully, "So, it was Drake?"

Evangeline, holding Bunny, was seated on the back of Caden Albright, who had transformed into The White Fox. She looked up at the churning clouds, a cold smile touching her lips. "Whether it was or not, we’ll know soon enough just by asking."

She raised a fair hand, and a bolt of thunder condensed in her palm. Like a sharp blade, it forcibly tore through the mist shrouding the cliff.

"BOOM—"

The moment the thunder exploded, the vast expanse of clouds was ripped apart, revealing the scene hidden behind the mist. Massive nests hung high on the steep cliff face, each one glowing with a golden light. They resembled honeycombs, but were immense in scale.

"SCREEE—"

A shriek that could pierce clouds and shatter stone suddenly rang out.

In an instant, countless golden figures shot out from the nests, soaring into the sky. Their unfurled Feather Wings blotted out the sun. Each one was over ten meters long, their golden feathers blindingly bright in the sunlight. The hurricane-force winds they stirred up sent debris hurtling toward the group.

Evangeline’s long hair whipped wildly in the gale as she looked up at the massive golden birds circling in the sky.

The eyes of these raptors glinted with the fierce light of a predator.

Thorne’s dark green pupils contracted into thin slits, churning with cold, murderous intent.

Giant snakes and Goldeagles were, by nature, mortal enemies.

Danton took a silent half-step forward, his light blue eyes transforming into vertical slits as he watched the Goldeagles with extreme caution.

Caden Albright’s amber Beast Eyes blinked slowly, his fluffy fox tail idly sweeping against Evangeline’s waist.

Loras’s face was a little pale, but he stood his ground, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Compared to the wariness of her Beast Husbands, Evangeline simply patted the soundly sleeping Bunny, her expression so calm it bordered on indifference.

Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it was imbued with Thunder Power, piercing clearly through the howling wind.

"Tell Julian to come out."

The flock of Goldeagles above the clouds suddenly grew agitated.

Evangeline lowered her gaze to Bunny, sent her into her personal space, and then stood up. Tiny sparks of lightning danced on her fingertips. "You took one of my people. If you don’t have an explanation, wouldn’t that make me look like a pushover?"

The moment that last word fell, she clenched her fist. A torrent of lightning descended from the heavens, forming a dazzling electric net that tightly bound several of the circling Goldeagles!

"SCREEE—"

The Goldeagles let out piercing shrieks, struggling frantically as their golden feathers rained down like snow.

Evangeline curled a finger, her voice faint. "Be quiet. Hand over Lachlan, and no harm will come to you."

’I have a good idea of why The Goldeagle Clan took Lachlan. A pity Julian miscalculated my abilities. Did he really think I was a pushover just because he saw me retreat at the trade meet?’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

A moment later, an enraged roar echoed from the highest Goldeagle nest.

Evangeline tilted her head to look. A resplendent Goldeagle spread its wings in fury. A blinding golden light shot from its sharp beak and slammed into the thunder net. The two forces collided with a deafening roar!

Silver lightning and golden energy clashed violently. With a screech, the Goldeagle managed to tear the electric net apart.

This Julian was clearly a formidable figure, using his massive body to brazenly rip an opening in the net.

A cold smile touched the corners of Evangeline’s lips. She snapped her fingers.

The sky abruptly darkened, and raindrops the size of beans began to pour down. The moment the rain hit the lightning net, it erupted in arcs of electricity, electrocuting the drenched Goldeagles and causing their bodies to convulse. Their anguished cries echoed across the cliff.

She looked up at Julian and sneered, "I’ll say this one last time. Hand. Over. Lachlan."

’Even if Drake is a potential Beast Husband I haven’t won over yet, The Goldeagle Clan’s actions—abducting someone so brazenly and indiscriminately—are despicable. I’ve never been some weak female who can only whimper and cry. I have plenty of strength and methods of my own.’

’And since I’m already here at The Goldeagle Clan’s doorstep, I can’t leave empty-handed.’

She would have Lachlan. And she would have Drake, too.