Suddenly Koel's expression changed, and the cave's air tightened as if the entire ocean inhaled at once. His golden eyes darkened, the soft lines of embarrassment vanishing in an instant. All eight of his arms curled inward with a strange twitch, his body lowering as if preparing to strike. His aura thickened, heavy and ancient and dangerous.
Alina felt the shift like a jolt through her bones.
Her breath hitched, and she instinctively gathered the babies, taking two urgent steps backward while her heart hammered wildly. Boo clung to her neck, glowing shakily, Rocky pressed to her side, and Felix stiffened, his fluffy tail standing straight up.
"U-uncle…?" Kelpie whispered, voice small and frightened.
Koel wasn't the same gentle creature anymore. His gaze had fixed on something behind them, something that made every muscle in his towering body bunch with tension.
And then—
The world went black.
