CHAPTER 221: CHAPTER-221

Kaya wasn’t certain whether this man could truly identify the poisons in her body, let alone detoxify them. But one thing was clear—his medical knowledge was far sharper than most.

And that was exactly what unsettled her.

The longer she stayed, the more likely it became that he would uncover something else—something far more dangerous. That she wasn’t what she claimed to be. That she wasn’t even a beastman at all.

Kaya’s chest tightened. No matter what the poisons were, no matter how deadly, she would not risk being exposed. She refused to become a specimen on some healer’s table, torn apart and studied like an animal.

She straightened her back, every nerve braced with cold resolve. Better to leave ignorant than to stay and be unmasked.

The healer stepped forward and caught Kaya’s wrist again. Her body tensed instantly, a cold glare cutting toward him—but before she could snap, he quickly lifted his other hand in surrender and released her.

"Listen," he said, his voice steady but urgent. "I won’t ask you to stay here. I know this place isn’t familiar to you. But hear me out. Whoever gave you that third poison... they knew about the first and the second. If you can find them, if you stay close to them, there’s a real chance they can detoxify you."

Kaya’s eyes narrowed, but he pressed on.

"And if you can’t—" he hesitated, then added carefully, "—if you can’t, then at least let me try. I can’t promise to cure you completely, but if you trust me, I can help."

Before she could respond, he glanced at the fading light through the door. "Wait—hold on."

He hurried into the side room. Crashes and the sound of rummaging followed, until finally he emerged, holding a small packet wrapped in cloth. Inside, tucked neatly, was something that looked almost delicate—like a child’s lace, washed clean and carefully preserved.

He placed it on the stone table in front of her.

"This," he said, his tone softer now, "is a medicine I created. It won’t heal you completely... but if you take it, you’ll feel lighter. Different. Better." His eyes searched hers with quiet determination. "Take it. See how it works. And then, if it helps... come back to me. We’ll talk again."

Kaya’s gaze lingered on the packet. Then her eyes shifted back to the healer. For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy with doubt.

But she knew—without taking it, she wouldn’t be able to slip away cleanly. And it wasn’t like she planned to swallow it anyway. Who the hell would trust something like this?

Still, her hand reached forward and closed over the bundle.

The healer’s voice softened. "Take one after eating. At night. And when you start to feel better... come back to me."

Kaya didn’t answer. She just turned on her heel and left.

The moment she stepped outside, a shadow rushed at her—him.

"Are you okay? Did he touch you? Are you hurt?" His hands roamed her arms, her shoulders, even pinched her sides twice as if to check she was real.

The sharp crack of a slap echoed in the quiet street.

Kaya’s palm left a red mark on his cheek. He froze, blinking, but the sting of it didn’t register. His eyes had already narrowed past her, locked onto the figure standing in the doorway behind.

The healer.

"Stay away from my wife," he growled, voice low with threat.

The healer didn’t flinch. His gaze only followed Kaya. "See you soon."

Kaya gave no reply.

But Veer snapped, voice breaking into a snarl: "To hell with you—see you soon, my ass! If I ever see you again, I’ll kill you!"

Kaya caught his wrist and dragged him away before his rage could boil over further, his curses echoing in the street until they faded into the night.

Just as Kaya disappeared into the night, another figure emerged from the shadows of the doorway. An older man, his hair streaked with silver, came to stand beside the healer. He placed a heavy hand on the younger man’s shoulder and gave a small, disapproving shake of his head.

"Child," the old man muttered, his voice carrying both weariness and warning. "Why are you chasing after that girl? You should know by now—that vulture isn’t normal."

The healer’s lips curved into a faint smile, unbothered. "It’s nothing like that. I just... find her interesting."

"Interesting?" the old man huffed, his brows furrowing deeper. His eyes flicked toward the direction Kaya had gone, then back at the healer. "We’ve brought you so many brides, good girls, proper ones. Not a spark of interest. And now, when you finally show it, it’s with a vulture’s mate—and not just anyone’s, but the vulture prince’s woman."

He let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "What am I supposed to do with you?"

The healer chuckled softly. "You misunderstand. I’m not interested in her like that. She’s... different. Interesting on a level I can’t quite explain."

The old man gave him a long, puzzled look, clearly unconvinced. But what could he say? The young had their own ways, their own troubles. With another sigh, he muttered under his breath about youth these days and turned his gaze toward the darkened road.

The healer, however, kept his eyes on the shadows where Kaya had vanished, the faint smile still lingering at the corner of his lips.

.

.

.

Veer dragged her for a few more steps before Kaya finally spoke, her voice cold and flat.

"Fly."

The single word cut sharper than a blade.

Veer met her gaze, about to argue, but then his body stiffened. His senses flared—there were presences around them.

The monkeys.

They hadn’t gone far from the tribe yet, and their watchers were closing in. Without another word, Veer shifted his grip, one arm curling around Kaya’s waist. In a single motion, his wings unfurled, cutting through the air with a snap. With a powerful beat, they rose sharply into the sky, leaving the forest and its eyes far below.