Chapter 412: Happy, Grandmother?

I'd seen Dad angry, beside himself, in an animal-like rage fed by power. But I've never seen him so full of fury he couldn't speak.

Sassy did it for him.

"You trapped the girls here on purpose." He growled a soft whine, ears flat, tail thrashing against me. "Took their hope, forced them to fight. Ahbi, that's despicable, even for you."

I sat back, not really all that surprised, to be honest, as I met Dad's eyes. "Can you please tell me," I said, amazed at how light my tone was, "why you ever wanted to come back to this place?"

He shook his head, teeth grinding as he clearly fought the urge to do something unspeakable to his own mother. "You know," he said, "I really have no idea."

Dad surged to his feet, holding his hands out to us. "In fact," he said, "I think I'm about to change my mind." Meira took one of his hands as she rose, mine sliding over the warm skin of his palm as I joined her. "Well done, Mother. But you've forgotten something." He pointed at the sight of the basemen