Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: A Cheap and Ridiculous Name**

The weight of Lucien’s secret pressed heavily on him. If he were to unmask himself, the consequences would be dire for Emma. Her safety was paramount, and revealing his true identity would only place her in jeopardy.

He feigned ignorance, allowing his body to go limp in her delicate grasp, a tactic born of instinct.

Emma found herself utterly speechless, her mind racing with confusion. Did this little creature truly comprehend the words “come with me”?

Yet, despite the bewilderment, this rotund black bird had just roused her from a deep slumber, sparing her from becoming a mere snack for a lurking predator. He was, in essence, her feathered savior.

“Alright then, you can accompany me,” she relented, a smile breaking across her face.

With a newfound sense of purpose, she resolved to leave the valley alongside the little bird, eager to reunite with Edric and the others. They possessed knowledge that could illuminate the true nature of this enigmatic black creature.

Emma gently caressed the bird’s soft feathers, her touch tender and soothing.

Lucien had not anticipated such an unexpected sensation. He squirmed instinctively, attempting to wriggle away from her gentle fingers, his instincts flaring. His plumage was intended solely for his future huntress, and the notion of being handled by another was unsettling.

As the Second Prince of the Interstellar Empire, he was bound by the rigid doctrines established by the Beast God, his obligations weighing heavily on him. His loyalty to his huntress was unwavering, a bond that transcended mere duty.

Unbeknownst to Emma, Lucien wrestled with a tempest of emotions. She noticed a small twig ensnared in his plump body, having brushed against him while petting him. It must have been uncomfortable, she thought.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she plucked the twig free and cast it aside.

Lucien’s flame-colored eyes widened in alarm as he witnessed Silas being unceremoniously discarded.

“Cheek-!” he exclaimed, his chirp cracking under the weight of shock.

In a flurry of flapping wings, he scrambled out of Emma’s hand, desperately pursuing Silas. However, his rotund form and stubby wings betrayed him, and he crashed clumsily to the ground.

“Cheep! Cheep!” he called out, frustration evident in his voice.

Lucien hopped frantically along the bank, his heart racing as he watched Silas tumble into a small pond, drifting away on the water’s surface. In his avian form, he was utterly helpless—he couldn’t swim, and there was no way for him to dive in and rescue his friend.

“Cheep! Cheep!”

Why did you throw Silas away, female?

“Cheep!”

You must save Silas!

The thought of Silas floating away alone filled him with dread. Who knew when he might recover from such a predicament?

“Was that twig meaningful to you?” Emma asked, her brow furrowed with concern as she observed the little black bird’s frantic behavior over the discarded twig.

Realizing her mistake, she quickly retrieved it from the water, her fingers wrapping around the pitch-black stick. It appeared unremarkable at first glance, save for its unusual sturdiness.

With Silas now safe in her grasp, Lucien released a sigh of immense relief. He understood that as long as Silas remained in twig form, he was vulnerable.

Lucien looked up at Emma with newfound determination, gently placing the twig—Silas—into her palm.

Lucien’s feathers fluffed up in indignation.

Coalball?

He was Prince Lucien, the second prince of the royal family from the Empire’s Central Planet! How dare she bestow upon him such a cheap and ludicrous name, one that would invite laughter from any beast who heard it?

Meanwhile, just outside the valley, Edric and Damian raced through the dense forest, their hearts pounding with urgency as they searched for Emma.

Two days and nights had passed without a single trace of her, and Edric felt himself teetering on the edge of despair.

He jabbed a finger at Damian, his voice laced with accusation. “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t stopped me, I could have killed that Chitinid, and Emma would be safe right now!”

“Don’t you dare put this blame on me!” Damian retorted, his own anxiety bubbling to the surface as he grappled with Emma’s disappearance.

“In that moment, if you had died, did you even consider what Ms. Tibarn would have done?” His tone was firm, refusing to shoulder the blame. “When she suddenly pinned the Chitinid and told us to run, it was clear she valued our lives over hers.

“If you had gotten yourself killed, she would have been devastated—probably would have thrown herself in after you. My decision was the only rational one. If you want to place blame, then blame Ophidian’s cursed secret arts. That ritual took an eternity!”

“If your arts didn’t take so long, Ms. Tibarn would be safe right now!”

Edric fell silent, the weight of Damian’s words hitting him hard.

“It’s all my fault,” he murmured, a hand covering his face in shame. The gentle, mild expression that usually graced his features around Emma had vanished, replaced by a storm of regret and desperation.