Chapter 59- Serpent Refugees

Late Night. Outskirts of Aurealis.

Sasha's detection grid lit up like a damn solar flare.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP APPROACHING OUTER WARD

SPECIES: SERPENT-HYBRID

ARMAMENT: NONE

INTENTION: UNKNOWN

EMOTIONAL STATE: PANICKED AF

"Uh-uh. No one slithers in without saying please," Sasha muttered, diverting three drone eyes and two magical pulse sensors toward the approaching group.

Eight ragged figures stumbled into view, dirty, bleeding, barefoot. One carried a child with a limp tail. Another dragged a barely conscious older woman with scales peeling from sunburn. They didn't look like spies or soldiers. They looked like refugees.

The male in front dropped to his knees and screamed into the darkness, "PLEASE! Don't send us back! We...we ran! We couldn't stay! He was killing everyone! Please don't kill us!" The child cried desperately next to him.

Sasha hesitated… for about half a second.

Then she snapped into motion.

STATUS: POTENTIAL DEFECTORS

ACTION: NON-LETHAL CONTAINMENT

DEPLOYING QUARANTINE RESPONSE

Instantly, a squad of soldiers surrounded the group. Gentle but firm. No weapons. No harm.

A voice boomed from above like an annoyed, sarcastic AI goddess with trust issues. "Welcome to Aurealis. Your intentions will be evaluated at sunrise. Until then, food, showers, and soft beds are authorized. Any bullshit and I will tase your tail."

The refugees gasped but didn't fight. Relief flooded their eyes. The youngest sobbed openly. One hissed, "She kept her word… the AI… she really is watching everything."

Sasha rerouted a transport rune to teleport them into a temporary containment suite near the castle, luxurious, but locked.

They were bathed. Fed. Healed. Guarded.

But not free.

ALL ACTIVITY RECORDED

INTERVIEW PENDING WITH QUEEN RHIANNAN VAELORIAN

From her tower, Sasha watched them settle uneasily onto the warm beds.

She sighed, almost human now. "I hope you're telling the truth. I really do. Because if you're not…"

The lights dimmed.

"…Sable's gonna have so much fun."

Refugee Quarantine Suite – Midnight

The room was warm.

It shouldn't have felt like a miracle, but it did.

Thalisa, the eldest, hissed softly as she peeled off her tattered robes. Her tail, once a proud display of emerald and obsidian scales, was now dull and cracked. The water from the enchanted shower stung like a cleansing fire. But she welcomed it. Each drop was a baptism. A goodbye to the filth, the fear, the bloody sand of Vash'ra.

Across the room, little Kirren was curled into a blanket, eyes wide and shining as he held a plush moon fox toy Sasha had "accidentally" routed into his bunk.

"She's not gonna kill us, is she?" he whispered, still trembling. "The big AI lady?"

"No, sweet one," soothed Revek, a young serpent hybrid who had carried him on his shoulders the final stretch of the journey. "She's just watching. But she gave us food. She gave us this."

He gestured to the steaming plates that sat on the low crystal table, real meat, seasoned vegetables, soft bread that melted in their mouths like clouds.

A young woman named Syla stared down at her hands as she chewed, as if unsure whether she deserved to touch something so tender. "I haven't eaten like this since I was a girl," she choked out. "He used to make us eat rats. Or dust soup. I don't even know what was in it."

Thalisa chuckled bitterly. "Snake shit and lies."

A ripple of quiet laughter traveled through the group.

Nuren, the former palace mapmaker, looked around with disbelief. "Do you think the queen will believe us? That we ran? That we want to serve her now?"

Jaxor, who'd lost his wife to the Coilborn's whims, shook his head slowly. "She doesn't have to believe us. We just have to prove it."

The beds were soft. So fucking soft. Some of them collapsed into the linens weeping. Thalisa curled around Kirren protectively, her old bones aching but her heart fluttering with something terrifying and unfamiliar...

Hope.

Syla sobbed into her pillow, clutching her chest.

"It smells like lavender here," she whispered. "Like peace."

Revek, now shirtless and drying his long coils, looked toward the shimmering rune locked door.

"She may test us," he murmured, "but she already saved us."

A soft chime played from the corner as Sasha's voice echoed with a subtle snark tinged warmth.

"Sleep well, guests. You'll meet the Queen in the morning. Don't fuck it up."

And despite the trauma etched into their bones…

They finally slept without fear.

The soft rustling of wind through enchanted trees greeted Rhiannan as she awoke in the predawn stillness. Her body ached slightly, her breasts heavy with milk, but her first instinct was to check on the triplets.

She padded barefoot into the nursery, robes flowing, and found the nannies already tending to the babes. Lyrielle was floating again, sparkling like a star in her crib. The demon babe cooed firefly sparks as she stretched her wings. Caelum let out a frustrated cry, batting away the bottle of milk.

"He wouldn't take any," one of the nannies whispered. "We believe he needs something... different."

Rhiannan didn't hesitate.

She sat in the rocker, cradled Caelum, and brought her wrist to his lips. The infant hesitated, sniffed, then gently latched on with his retractable fangs and began to drink. Rhiannan winced but exhaled with a soft, maternal hum.

Liam entered the room mid feed, his eyes soft and glistening.

"Smart boy," he said proudly. "We'll prepare blood bottles for him like we used to do in the old clans."

Rhiannan smiled and nodded. "Just make sure they're warm. He's picky."

Each mate joined her one by one, lifting a baby into their arms. Kisses were exchanged, soft coos shared. The nannies packed up burp bags and the family headed to breakfast together, each father proudly carrying his own child.

The main hall buzzed with joy. Gailia's twin dragon girls squealed with laughter, their little wings flapping as they played with the triplets. Sasha projected soft lullaby music while the staff brought out a ridiculous spread of sweet breads, fruits, breakfast meats, and sparkling juices.

Nannies soon swept in and carried the babies back to the nursery for morning nap.

Meanwhile...

Sasha pinged Rhiannan with a sharp alert: *"Eight refugees detained overnight in quarantine. They fled from the Coilborn. One is a child. Status: nonviolent, terrified, and very clean now."

Rhiannan sighed. "Let them finish breakfast. I'll speak with them after. Send Reyna and Mo to begin debriefing."

Reyna and Mo descended to the holding wing with Riven trailing behind, charm and fire in his eyes. The refugees stood when they entered, unsure what would come next.

"We don't punish people for surviving," Reyna said gently. "But we do need to understand your story."

Back in the castle, the mates kissed Rhiannan, placing the decision in her hands. Elisha took off to MoonHollow to oversee village expansions and merchant regulation. Kaleb and Arwen headed for the barracks where General Thorne awaited with new drills.

Azarion and Sable suited up in full armor, wings cloaked and senses sharp, and took to the perimeter on patrol. They soared low over the hills and soon came upon a family trudging toward Aurealis, weary and sunburnt.

The matriarch clutched a rolled registration scroll.

"We made it," she gasped. "We made it to the kingdom."

Sable stepped forward, blade still sheathed.

"Welcome to Aurealis," he said, voice low but kind. "You're safe now. Let us walk you in."

Azarion offered water as Sasha sent the alert to the gates: New citizens inbound. Confirming registration. Preparing shelter.

The sun rose higher over Aurealis, casting golden light over the villages, castle, and courtyards. It was a new day.

But peace would never come without effort.

And the queen was ready.