The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1913

Dalton arched an amused brow as he teased, "You're Wynter Quinnell. Not even the deepest water can pull you under."

"Well, that's because I have my partner by my side." Wynter chuckled. She then glanced at Wolf and called him over.

Wolf obediently trotted toward her. As he settled in his seat, Wynter broke the news in a gentle tone. "You won't be getting your fried chicken tomorrow, Wolf."

Wolf snapped his head toward her. "What? Why?"

"There's something you need to do," Wynter answered sternly.

In an instant, Wolf shook his head wildly. "I'm not going! I want to stay with you!"

Holding Wolf's head in place, Wynter warned, "Are you refusing to listen to me now?"

Wolf pouted. "It took so long for you to find me, and now you're leaving? I don't care! I'm not listening!"

Wynter leaned in closer, speaking softly so only Wolf could hear. "Mr. Chamberlain is one of our allies, Wolf. I need you to protect him from any harm."

"But I'm still just a kid, Boss." Wolf pursed his lips.

At that retort, Wynter gave a light smack on Wolf's head. "You're young, but your power is strong. I promise I'll visit whenever I can. Mr. Leprechaun will take you out for some tasty food, too. Once everything in Havenia is settled, I'll bring you back home."

Wolf could only nod. "Okay. But you have to miss me, alright? If my left eye twitches, that means you're thinking about me."

Wynter caressed his face affectionately. "Good boy, Wolf. I'll miss you for sure. By the way, did you lose the smartwatch I bought for you?"

"I didn't lose it. The person who kidnapped me destroyed it," Wolf answered.

Wynter held out her hand toward Dalton, who silently raised an eyebrow. He pulled a box from his pocket and placed it in her palm.

Wynter opened the box to reveal a brand-new smartwatch. "This is a gift from Mr. Leprechaun. It came all the way from Colifernia."

"Mr. Leprechaun is so nice! But I'd rather have a new phone. It's way more useful than a watch. You can even watch cartoons on it!" Wolf requested as he eagerly offered his wrist.

However, Wynter turned down his request. "I'll get you a phone when you're older. You're still young, and spending too much on the phone can lead to addiction and strain your eyes."

"Alright. I'll wait until I grow up." Wolf sighed, hanging his head in disappointment.

Once Wynter fastened the smartwatch on his wrist, Wolf suddenly recalled something and reported, "There's something you need to know, Boss."

Wynter's gaze sharpened, and she asked, "What is it?"

Wolf began, "When I was in Colifernia, I smelled something nice in the municipal building. I remembered you told me that any scent I fancy could mean danger. I saw the person the scent belonged to—an old man. I stayed hidden and waited, yet I was suddenly whisked away.

"Luckily, I left some clues behind, and the Special Unit managed to track me down at the port. Just as we were arresting the abductors, I caught that same scent again. So, I changed my plan on the spot. I'm pretty sure the old man is in Havenia, but I don't know where."

He paused to take a deep breath, then continued, "Not long ago, I ran into someone who smelled and looked the same as the old man—only his scent is weaker. He tried to attack me, but I fought him off."

Wynter pondered for a moment before replying, "That person must've been a replica. The old man must've sensed your presence and sent someone to test your strength. That said, since when do you talk this fast? You still spoke slowly back in Colifernia."

Wolf flashed a cheeky grin. "That's because no one taught me how to talk there. Ms. Ingrid's been helping me when she has time. She taught me word by word, then showed me how to read them together. That's how I've been talking faster."

Wynter gave a thoughtful hum. She had always known that Wolf struggled with speech since he was young. While others could form full sentences, he could barely manage a few words.

Normally, Wynter used acupuncture to help strengthen Wolf's vocal cords. Though it brought slight improvements, she never imagined he would become fluent after arriving at Havenia.

"Oh, one more thing—we were stopped by some nasty cultivators on our way here. They were out to take Mr. Antoine's life. We fought for a few rounds, and eventually, they conceded defeat. They said they were from some kind of Draco mountain," Wolf added.

Hearing that, Wynter swiftly corrected him. "Do you mean Mt. Dracorite?"

"Yeah, that's the name! You have no idea how terrifying it was, Boss. If I hadn't run fast enough, those cultivators would've caught me!" Wolf exclaimed.

Even though Wynter's voice was soft, the heads of Mt. Dracorite caught every word. After all, cultivators typically had sharper hearing than most people.

Flustered, Garnoc rose to his feet and asked, "Did you call for us, Ms. Quinnell?"

Wynter hesitated before replying, "It's nothing for now."

She turned back to Wolf and pressed on, "So, where are the cultivators who attacked you?"

Wolf thought for a moment and answered, "They sought eternal rest, and I answered their plea."

"I knew you wouldn't pull your punches." Wynter held her forehead with a sigh.

Wolf looked at her aggrievedly. "But if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been able to see Mr. Antoine! Those Mt. Dracorite guys were way too arrogant! I'm telling you this because I want revenge, Boss. Let's go tear that mountain down!"

His bold declaration reached the ears of Mt. Dracorite's leaders, too, and a wave of emotions played across their faces.

As they headed toward the group, they eagerly clarified themselves. "Have you misheard, little boy? Mt. Dracorite's cultivators are not of that nature. We don't harm the innocent—that goes against everything we stand for."

Wolf turned to the three cultivators and insisted, "No way! I heard them loud and clear!"

"There might be a misunderstanding," Garnoc replied as he and his peers came to stand before the group.

Facing Wynter, Garnoc explained, "You know us, Ms. Quinnell. There's no way we'd ever allow such behaviour under our name."

Wynter thought the same as well. She looked at Wolf and asked, "Did those cultivators wear robes like these three?"

Wolf studied Garnoc's robe, then slowly shook his head. "No. The colors are similar, but the patterns were different."

Garnoc and his peers let out a collective sigh of relief. Judging from Wolf's interaction with Wynter, they could tell the two had a close relationship. If the attackers had truly been from Mt. Dracorite, they'd not only bring shame upon themselves—they'd also risk damaging their valuable connection with Wynter.

Just as Garnoc began to relax, a realization hit him. "Ms. Quinnell, could the boy have encountered cultivators from Mt. Darkwood instead? Their robes are similar in color to ours, but the patterns are different. You might have noticed Webster's and Edgar's robes just now."

"Just by her looks and figure, I would've thought she's a noble lady if I hadn't seen her in action," someone commented.

Wynter was about to speak when she felt an arm wrapped around her waist. The touch was warm yet carried a faint chill that sent a shiver up her spine. Before she could even turn her head, the microphone was taken from her hand.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Ms. Quinnell's partner." A cold yet charming voice greeted the guests.

Only then did Wynter realize it was Dalton, who returned the microphone to her after making his statement.

All eyes were fixed on the stage, where Wynter and Dalton now stood side by side. Together, they looked like a beautiful scene out of a painting. It seemed the couple had never failed to steal the spotlight wherever they went.

"Oh, my god! Ms. Quinnell's partner is so cool and noble. They really are perfect for each other!"

"It looks like our luck's run out. We're not even close to his height, let alone our looks." A guest sighed.

"Ms. Quinnell's got the looks and skills, and just one glance at her partner tells you he must be powerful, too."

Taking the microphone from Dalton, Wynter cleared her throat and said, "We're a pair of cultivation partners from the mainland, here in Havenia on a trip. A friend told us about the Maynerds' situation, so we decided to visit. It's true we've saved Jules, but it wasn't an easy task."

Hearing that, the heads of Mt. Dracorite murmured between themselves. After all, they had witnessed Wynter effortlessly summon the underworld guards and deal with the hidden spirit.

"If I weren't at the scene, I might've believed her," Elgan commented.

"I understand, though. Ms. Quinnell prefers to keep a low profile and avoid unnecessary attention," Sion added.

Back on the stage, Wynter continued, "There's no need for such high respect. For those seeking geomantic consultations, you can refer to Mt. Dracorite.

"Without their assistance, my partner and I wouldn't have been able to resolve the matter smoothly. So, please consider Mt. Dracorite for any consultations. Thank you."

After delivering her speech, Wynter handed the microphone back to Driscoll and stepped down from the stage with Dalton.

As Ingrid watched on, her face lit up with a sweet smile. "Did you see that, Dad? While the guests were talking about Wynter, her partner just went up and held her by the waist. If they weren't cultivators, they'd be straight out of a romance novel!"

Yet, Antoine reprimanded her severely, "Don't gossip behind people's backs. It's rude."

Wolf let out a loud burp and said, "Ms. Ingrid's right, but actually, it's the opposite—my boss is the domineering CEO, while Mr. Leprechaun is the meek wife."

Ingrid nodded firmly. "I totally agree, Wolf."

Just then, Wynter and Dalton returned to the table. As the couple settled into their seats, Wynter turned to Dalton with a frown. "You feel warm yet cold. What's going on?"

Dalton shook his head, clearly unsure. "It might be Havenia's erratic weather. Besides, you've been too busy to take good care of me."

Wynter was at a loss for words. She flipped Dalton's palm over and placed two fingers on his wrist, carefully checking his pulse. After a while, she retracted her fingers and concluded, "Your pulse feels normal. Maybe you've caught a bit of a cold. I'll brew you some medicine once we get back."

"As you say, Ms. Quinnell," Dalton replied obediently.