Chapter 736: Chapter 736: I need him to leave with a message, not half his eyebrows missing

The moment Isabella finished eating and finally felt a little strength return to her body, she suddenly remembered something very annoying.

The First City messenger.

She had almost forgotten him because too many things had happened in one morning. First her body started acting strange, then Cyrus and Zyran looked like they were hiding a crime, then Bubu came into her mind like a greedy little ghost selling life-saving packages, then Kian burst into the room looking as if someone had told him the babies were falling out already.

With all of that happening, who would remember a messenger waiting for an answer?

Unfortunately, Isabella remembered now.

Her hand stopped on her stomach, and her eyes slowly narrowed.

Kian noticed first because he was sitting closest to her and because his eyes had barely left her since he entered the room. His white hair was still a little disordered from rushing over earlier, and his blue eyes were cold, but the coldness softened whenever they moved over her face.

"What is it?" he asked.

Isabella looked at him. "The First City messenger."

The room quieted at once.

Cyrus’s hand, which had been adjusting the fur at her side, stopped. Zyran’s red eyes lifted from where he had been lazily watching her eat. Osiris, who had come for Kian and was now sitting nearby with a serious face that looked strange on him, immediately frowned as if even hearing First City made fire gather under his skin.

Kian’s expression became colder. "You can answer him later."

"No," Isabella said, placing the bowl down. "I have to answer him now."

Cyrus immediately leaned closer. "You should rest."

Zyran also clicked his tongue and said, "For once, I agree with the snake. Your body already acted like it wanted to betray you this morning. Sit still."

Osiris stood up at once. "I can go tell him no."

Everyone looked at him.

Osiris looked back as if this was a very good idea.

Isabella stared at him for a long moment. "You want to go speak to the First City messenger?"

"Yes."

"And what exactly will you say?"

Osiris thought about it very seriously. "No."

Isabella blinked.

Zyran covered his mouth with one hand because he was clearly trying very hard not to laugh.

Osiris continued, "If he asks again, I will say no again. If he still refuses to understand, I will burn him a little."

Cyrus closed his eyes for one second.

Kian looked like he suddenly understood why some kings aged faster than others.

Isabella could not help but laugh softly, though the laughter pulled slightly at her tired body. "That is why you are absolutely not going."

Osiris frowned. "Why?"

"Because I need him to leave with a message, not half his eyebrows missing."

Zyran finally laughed. "That would be a message too."

Isabella glared at him. "You are not helping."

He smiled with full shamelessness. "I rarely do."

Cyrus still did not look amused. His pink eyes stayed on Isabella’s face, and the guilt from earlier had not fully left him. "You do not have to do this today."

"I do," Isabella said more softly this time. "They came here because they think they can pull us into their hand. If I keep delaying, they will think I am hesitating. I am not hesitating."

Kian’s eyes moved across her face.

He understood that.

Even if he wanted to keep her in the room and make everyone else deal with the outside world, he understood why she had to go. First City had tested them too many times already. They had touched Osiris’s pain, spoken of rare fire beasts, and wrapped threats in polite words. If Isabella kept silent, the silence would become a weakness in their eyes.

Still, his hand moved to her arm when she tried to rise.

"You will not walk there alone."

Isabella looked at him. "Did I say I would?"

Cyrus immediately started to stand too. "I’ll go with you."

Zyran also rose smoothly. "Naturally, I am coming."

Osiris straightened. "I will also come."

Isabella looked at all three of them, then looked at Kian, then looked back at them with disbelief. "Are you all planning to surround me like a moving wall?"

"Yes," Cyrus answered honestly.

Zyran smiled. "A beautiful wall."

Osiris said, "A fire wall."

Isabella sighed so deeply that even Glimora, who had been resting near the furs, lifted her head as if to see what foolish thing had happened now.

"No," Isabella said. "Only Kian is coming with me."

The room became unhappy at once.

Cyrus’s expression changed first. "Isabella."

She reached out and touched his hand before he could continue. "You have to stay. If my body acts strange again, I need you close when I return. Also, you still owe me a very long explanation about something later, and I need you alive and unburned for that conversation."

Cyrus’s face stiffened slightly.

Zyran’s eyes moved between them with great interest, though he said nothing this time.

Isabella then looked at Zyran. "You stay too. If Osiris suddenly decides to become a walking disaster because the messenger breathes wrong, you are the only one here shameless enough to hit him on the head fast enough."

Osiris looked offended. "Why would I need to be hit?"

Zyran patted his shoulder. "Because you ask questions like that."

Osiris glared at him.

Isabella ignored them and slowly stood with Kian’s help. The moment she got to her feet, Kian’s hand came to her waist. He did it naturally, as if helping her stand had already become part of his body’s habit. His fingers were firm and careful, and his whole body leaned toward her just enough to catch her if her knees weakened.

The passage outside was cold, even with fur curtains blocking the harsher wind. Snowlight spilled faintly through high openings in the stone walls, and the air smelled of smoke, dried hides, and the sharp clean cold of winter. The palace still had a primitive beast world roughness to it, no matter how much Isabella had changed things.