CHAPTER 219: RETURN

I exhaled deeply, a long breath of relief escaping my chest. "That was close," I muttered. My head still throbbed faintly from the mental backlash, but at least it hadn’t cracked open like I’d half expected.

Truth be told, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. My only goal had been to push her past her limit, to force her to awaken that buried potential—but I hadn’t considered what would happen once she did. Reckless. Stupid, even. But since my brain was still intact and she wasn’t dead, I figured everything had worked out fine.

I took a step toward her, but Nira was faster. She rushed past me and dropped to her knees beside Zivra’s unconscious body, gently lifting the girl’s head onto her lap.

"Please... don’t kill her," she said quickly, her voice tight with panic. "She didn’t mean it."

I stopped a few paces away and crossed my arms. "I already told you," I said, my tone even. "I don’t intend to spill any more blood."

Nira let out a shaky sigh, the tension in her shoulders easing as she brushed Zivra’s hair away from her face.

"But..." I said, letting the word hang.

Nira’s head snapped up immediately, panic flashing across her face.

"I didn’t get her decision," I continued, my tone calm but deliberate. "Does she plan to leave... or become a member of this clan?"

"She’ll join," Nira said quickly, the words tumbling out almost too fast.

I arched a brow. "I don’t remember her saying that."

"She would have," Nira insisted. "She’s just... confused right now. Saddened. She’ll come around once she wakes."

I watched her for a moment, weighing the sincerity in her voice, then exhaled slowly. "Fine," I said at last, turning away. "We’ve wasted enough time here."

I looked around at the gathered goblins, most still uneasy after what they’d just witnessed. "Everyone," I called out, my voice firm, cutting through the quiet, "we’re heading back to base."

No one argued. The crowd stirred immediately, obeying without hesitation, and one by one, they began to follow.

Nira lifted Zivra carefully, trying to keep her limp body steady, but it was Gork who stepped forward without a word, taking the girl onto his back. He carried her as if she weighed nothing, his expression blank, eyes fixed straight ahead. Unlike Nira, he hadn’t said a single word when Zivra had collapsed. Maybe he didn’t care, or maybe fear had tied his tongue. I couldn’t tell, and honestly, it didn’t matter much either way.

We made it back to the base within minutes. The place felt emptier than before—too quiet. Dozens of tents still stood, but most no longer had owners. The ghosts of the fallen lingered in the silence between the trees. At least the destruction from my fight with Jael had been cleared away; the charred ground and broken debris were gone, replaced with crude attempts at order. It wasn’t much, but it was livable.

I scanned the camp, noting who was present and who wasn’t. The place still needed structure, discipline, purpose—but I couldn’t plan the next step yet. Not until the rest of my clan regrouped.

So, after a moment’s thought, I decided to go get them myself.

"I’ll be heading back to the clan," I said, my voice steady as I turned toward Ariel. "You stay here and keep watch."

Ariel gave a lazy nod, tail flicking behind her.

"Don’t hurt any of them, fox," I warned.

"I’m not making any promises," she replied, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

I didn’t bother arguing. She could try whatever she wanted; it wouldn’t end well for her. These goblins were now part of my clan, and any harm she caused them would reflect back on her. The bond worked both ways.

All except for Zivra and Talia—neither of them had received an invitation yet, and I wasn’t planning on sending one until I was sure about their loyalty.

My eyes shifted to Gork, who stood a few paces away, watching silently as Nira knelt beside Zivra, tending to her. When he noticed my gaze, he turned toward me, lowering his head in acknowledgment.

"The two of you are in charge while I’m gone," I said to both of them. "Keep watch and make sure no one tries to leave." I paused, letting my gaze fall on Zivra’s unconscious form. "Especially her."

"That’s an order," I said, letting my voice carry the weight of command. The moment the words left my mouth, I felt the faint pull of the oath binding itself into them. Both Nira and Gork stiffened slightly, then nodded with serious expressions. I couldn’t afford carelessness—not after everything that had happened.

Gork hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Permit me to ask, Chief... are you going somewhere?"

"Yes," I replied. "I’m heading back home to bring the rest of my clan members here."

He nodded once, his posture firm but respectful. "Understood."

"When I return," I continued, "we’ll discuss the next steps. You’ll also tell me everything you know about this King’s Game. Every detail."

Gork gave another nod, his tone steady. "Yes, Chief."

"Good." I turned my gaze briefly to Ariel, who was still standing off to the side, her tail swaying lazily as she met my look with that same infuriating half-smile.

"Don’t burn anything," I said dryly.

She chuckled but didn’t respond.

With that, I activated my teleportation seal, focusing on the mark I had left on Zarah earlier. The air around me warped, the world twisting into streaks of color before everything blinked out, and I vanished from the clearing.

I appeared inside my chambers, the familiar dim glow of the cave walls greeting me. The air was cool, still carrying traces of smoke and earth from the last fire we’d lit before I left.

My eyes found Zarah immediately.

She was lying on the mat I usually slept on, curled up and breathing softly, her auburn hair scattered across her face. A small smile tugged at my lips as I crouched beside her.

For a moment, I just...