Chapter 246: Who Do you Think you Are, Shouting at Mother Like That?!

No one dared to speak immediately. The weight of her words pressed down on every shoulder present.

Benjamin… was truly not among them anymore.

And Elara, their queen and leader, offered no immediate response, no defense, no explanation to fill the void.

In one corner of the hall, closer to Elara’s position, Lotus sat gracefully upon a thick, woven carpet laid out upon the ground.

Her eyes remained closed in deep concentration, her lips moving faintly as she engaged in a silent, rhythmic chant—perhaps seeking guidance from the ancestral spirits or attempting to maintain some inner balance amid the chaos.

Nearby, Tamar and her sisters stood clustered together in a small group, their faces reflecting uncertainty and hesitation.

They shifted uncomfortably but refrained from intervening, unsure of how best to navigate the explosive confrontation unfolding before them.

Marina, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles paled slightly against her dark skin, kept her jaw firmly set.

She was poised and ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation, yet she held herself back with visible effort, maintaining a fragile thread of restraint.

After a long, tense moment, Marina glanced once more at the still and silent Elara.

Seeing no sign that the queen intended to respond right away, Marina took it upon herself to speak again on her behalf, her voice steady despite the storm raging around them.

“I understand the depth of your rage, Sara,” she began carefully, choosing her words with deliberate caution in an attempt to de-escalate. “Truly, I do. But I ask you to listen to me now with an open heart. The force responsible for Benjamin’s sudden kidnapping must have been one of truly immense and overwhelming power—far beyond what any of us could have anticipated or countered in that fleeting moment. In all honesty, there was nothing more that any of us could have done to prevent it. We were outmaneuvered and played with a brilliance that left us no opening to act. It was a masterful trap, and we fell into it before we even realized the danger.”

Sara’s full lips began to quiver visibly, the raw pain etched clearly across her emerald expressive eyes as she struggled to contain the overwhelming wave of emotions surging through her.

Her voice emerged soft at first, yet laced with deep hurt and confusion as she demanded answers.

“Why… did you ever decide to take Benjamin out of here in the first place? Why in all of Elyndor did Benjamin have to leave the safety and sanctity of Verdant Spire…? I need you to answer that question directly and without evasion.”

Marina opened her mouth immediately, ready to interject with some form of explanation or defense, but she closed it again just as quickly.

She found herself utterly unable to produce a single reply that would not risk causing even more painful misunderstandings or escalating the already volatile situation further.

“Enough, Marina,” Elara finally spoke up, her voice carrying its usual commanding presence yet tempered into a low, measured tone that resonated with quiet authority through the vine-draped hall. “You do not need to defend me any longer. I am indeed guilty of every single accusation that Sara has laid at my feet this day.”

She slowly dropped her clasped hands down onto her lap, releasing the tight grip she had maintained for so long.

Her silver-grey eyes then swept across all the Amazons gathered in the hall—her loyal daughters and sisters of the tribe—before finally settling with a heavy gaze upon the pained and deeply hurt expression of Sara.

“Sisters of the Spire…” Elara began, her words carrying the weight of genuine remorse as fresh tears started to pour freely from her eyes, as though the final barrier holding them back had suddenly shattered and vanished completely. “I am… so very sorry…!”

“My Queen!” Marina reacted at once, hurrying back with clear intent to offer comfort or intervene in some way, but Elara raised one elegant hand firmly to stop her in her tracks.

The great queen of the Verdant Spire, the revered Elara herself, was now openly weeping before them all.

This was an event that had never occurred before, at least not within the living memory or knowledge of any of the Amazons present in the hall.

“It is true, what Sara says…” Elara continued, her voice breaking slightly as she sniffed and raised one hand in a futile attempt to wipe away the streaming tears, only for more to replace them instantly. “I indeed took Benjamin to the summit with the intention of flaunting his presence among us.

“You see, amongst the other leaders from various nations and tribes, I am often regarded as the most reclusive and seemingly uninteresting figure. Not to mention, I am also one of the youngest leaders to hold such a position of power and responsibility…

“I… allowed myself to be completely overtaken by a surge of excitement and personal pride in that moment, and I went there specifically to prove that I too am not powerless or insignificant, that I also possess something truly special and remarkable. I should never have given in to that impulse… Because through my reckless actions, Benjamin ended up suffering unrestrained harassment at the hands of Izra, Titania, and that Beast Queen.

“And now, he must be somewhere out there in the vast world, left wondering desperately what has happened to him and why he was suddenly separated from us. He remains so naïve and innocent in so many ways, and he has not yet gathered enough real-world experience to navigate dangers and survive comfortably on his own. He will definitely begin to attract all manner of dangerous individuals and forces, but it should never have happened this soon, not like this…

“I have practically handed Benjamin over to the wider world to feast upon as they please… Sara is entirely correct in her accusations; I… I… I caused this entire crisis through my own foolishness… I essentially sold Benjamin’s safety and well-being for the cheap and fleeting price of a mere feeling of personal accomplishment and validation… And right now, I do not know any way to atone for this grave mistake besides finding him immediately and bringing him back where he belongs… with us…”

After delivering this raw and heartfelt confession, accompanied by her profuse and uncontrollable weeping that filled the otherwise silent hall with the sound of quiet sobs, Elara lifted her tear-streaked face and locked eyes directly with Sara once more.

“I beg of you…” Her voice cracked and trembled with raw vulnerability, each word heavy with emotion. “We can settle our personal fight and grievances later if we must… But for now, let us quickly join forces and find Benjamin without further delay… I… I love him too…”

Sara’s eyes widened just a fraction at the unexpected admission, her brows then creasing tightly together as she witnessed the queen’s visible and profound pain displayed so openly.

For a brief moment, something like hesitation or softening flickered across her features.

But she still harbored some lingering grudge, some unresolved bone to pick, and so she folded her arms stubbornly across her chest, deliberately turning her gaze to the side with clear defiance written in her posture.

“What in the world is wrong with you, even?!”

The sharp voice suddenly returned noise and energy to the previously heavy silence of the hall, cutting through the tension like a knife.

It came unmistakably from Tamar.

“Who do you think you are, shouting at mother like that?!” Tamar began walking gradually and purposefully forward until she stood close enough to Sara to make her presence felt intensely. “Do you truly believe that we all do not share the exact same depth of love and attachment for him? Do you imagine that he is somehow your exclusive prize to claim and hoard all for yourself alone?!”

Tamar used both of her strong hands to deliver a firm shove against Sara, pushing her backward while fuming with protective anger.

Sara staggered back a little from the unexpected force of the push, but she quickly regained her footing and held her ground without retreating further.

However, she chose not to reply directly to the younger woman at that moment.

Tamar kept talking passionately while continuing to push Sara steadily backwards, her words spilling out in a heated rush.

“You kept trying to hoard him all for yourself at every opportunity, always playing the card of seniority even though you are only showing immaturity in certain parts of that inflated head of yours!”

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