My Wild Beast-Chapter 92: Tayun’s Electa

Nova gaped at him, literally gaped, like a damned goldfish, as her mind spun from the new information Yoa had just dropped like it was nor more surprising than the weather.

First of all, the vampires couldn’t leave those caves, meaning she was safe, even at night. Still, she’d been anxiously scanning their surroundings every time they were on foot in the jungle after dark. She couldn’t say whether it was because of the idea of these vampires actually draining the blood of their victims, or her completely irrational fear of flying rodents.

Then there was the part where he held more knowledge about the Electa, a new term she’d not long learned about and that was still wrapped in mystery. And then there’s the part where he claimed to have this knowledge from a bunch of dead guardians, not from old journals or anything like that, but as vividly as if these memories were his own.

Where did she even begin?!

Yoa waited, clearly amused, those sunset eyes twinkling at Nova’s reaction. She wanted to narrow her eyes at him for enjoying her bafflement, but she just couldn’t. Those eyes always made her melt, especially when they were filled with so much warmth.

"Makari and ... the Electa..." She began.

"Kaia," Yoa added.

"Yes, Kaia. She.. travelled here like me?" Nova asked, needing Yoa to confirm it.

Yoa nodded, lifting his hand to her face and brushing his knuckles along her cheek. "Yes. She was from another world."

Nova’s eyes widened as she stared up at him. Did this Kaia, this Electa, come from the same world as her? The possibilities were endless. Now that she knew this wild, beastly world existed, anything was possible.

"Electas are the chosen. Chosen by fate, either brought here by Tayun herself or the Kairan. I have limited access to the memories concerning Kaia. But the legends say she was gifted the power of foresight, and that was what helped Makari seal the vampiras in the caves before they could wipe out the island’s people and doom themselves when the land could no longer feed their hunger."

Yoa paused, and added quietly, his gaze distant, as though recalling the memories of Makari and possibly Kaia. "Her choices shaped the path we now walk, though most will only remember her name, and never the weight she carried."

That weight seemed to now fall on Nova’s shoulders. Though she couldn’t understand Tayun’s or the Kairans’ thought process, she also wondered if being chosen meant she had to serve the island for a purpose they didn’t understand yet. It made her all sorts of anxious.

Yet at the same time, determination slid over her eyes like a wall, like a shield. This Kaia had come from another world and helped save the island from the vampiras. A cold ripple passed through her, unseen, at the idea of the vampiras destroying their own land.

Nova turned back to the wall, her hand reaching for it again, fingers tracing the symbols.

When harmony is broken, the wild remembers.

When the gifts are twisted, they answer.

Was this a premeditated warning? A vision? An omen? It felt too intentional, too precise, for them to have stumbled on these symbols by chance. They had called to her, and like a magnet, she had been drawn to them.

If this was all part of fate’s plan... the island or these Gods, then she needed to be better. How could she ever measure up to Kaia or even one of the beasts of the island? That was a lot of pressure on her.

But that sliver of doubt faded as she turned her gaze to Yoa. "I want to get stronger. I can’t let my name stain what the island knows as legend, an electa, a saviour. I must earn the name."

Yoa’s grin grew wide and he cupped her face in his hands, landing a kiss on her lips, and inhaling deeply to take all of her in. "And stronger you shall become."

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔

The journey back to the treehouse was quieter than Nova expected. Even though they’d hidden out in the caves, she almost expected the harpy eagles to fly out of nowhere and attack them. They did not.

The jungle was silent, no teasing quips from Yoa, no rustling wildlife aside from the lazy sway of the jungle canopy. The quiet didn’t mean they were alone or safe though. Yoa’s body was tense, his hand gripping her thigh tightly as she sat on his arm like usual. His eyes scanned everything as he took his sweet time returning to the treehouse.

When they were there, leaping up the giant tree and climbing the winding stairs inside to the second floor, Atia and Aiyana greeted them with relieved sighs. Atia tugged them both into a hug, and didn’t release them for a while.

"Get off," Yoa grunted when the silence went on for too long. He nudged Atia away, who pouted and stepped back but his nonchalance didn’t reach his eyes.

Before Nova could ask him what was wrong, Aiyana was a blur of dark curls and sharp eyes. She stopped short at the sight of Nova, gaze flicking over her feathery attire, one side covered in dried blood.

"Stars above," Aiyana breathed, stepping aside to usher them in. "You smell like bird ass."

Nova blinked, too tired to come up with a response. Yoa gave a single, dry chuckle.

"I’ll get the bath ready," Aiyana muttered, already moving across the room in that efficient way of hers. "And you—" she turned, jabbing a finger in Nova’s direction, "—you’re not sitting on anything until you’re scrubbed clean. You’ll stain the cushions."

Despite herself, Nova gave a weak smile. "Nice to see you too."

Yoa muttered something mostly incoherent about how the treehouse was his, and how Aiyana was suddenly being suspiciously nice to Nova, but he didn’t say anything more on the matter. Atia gave a weak grin, fingers running swiftly through the end of his plaited hair, as if he had something on his mind he wanted to spill.

Aiyana returned a few minutes later holding a clean set of folded clothes: a loose halter neck dyed soft green and a matching wrap skirt embroidered with tiny sunbursts. "Here," she said, pressing them into Nova’s arms. "Get in the bath. You’re practically dripping feathers."

Nova nodded, barely listening. The heat of the day had sunk into her bones, and the thought of warm water felt like a miracle. She stepped outside to the small, circular bathing platform suspended among the trees. Steam rose from the shallow wooden tub, perfumed with crushed herbs and something faintly sweet.

She stripped out of the awful feathers and sank in with a sigh that trembled through her. Alone, at last. For the first time for a while, she was by herself. But she did not fear her surroundings, feeling completely at ease, especially with Yoa so close by. Her arms floated loosely at her sides, and she tilted her head back, letting the heat soften the stiffness in her neck.

Back inside, Yoa stood near the doorway, leaning against the frame with folded arms. His expression was unreadable, the kind of guarded calm he wore when he didn’t want anyone to see what was swirling underneath.

"The mark is gone," Aiyana murmured quietly. Yoa’s shoulders tensed slightly from her words and she realised it was the worst thing to speak to him about, especially when they were the reason Nova was with Vulcan in the first place, forced to become his Nokari.

Thank the gods it faded quickly.

Atia’s usual grin was nowhere to be found. He hesitated, watching Yoa’s broodiness, then walked up and looked him straight in the eye.

Atia’s voice broke the silence first, quiet and rough. "I should’ve been watching Nova. We both should have. You trusted us to keep her safe, and we failed. I failed. If I hadn’t looked away, if I hadn’t let my guard down for even a moment..." He trailed off, eyes fixed on the wooden floor. "Vulcan never would’ve gotten near her."

Aiyana stepped forward slowly, her jaw tight. "She was under our protection. You left her in our care, and we treated it like a task instead of a duty. That shame is on us. I didn’t feel the shift in the air. I was too focused on other things—too slow."

She met Yoa’s eyes, unblinking. "Whatever scars you and Nova carry because of this, know that some of them belong to us too."

Atia’s shoulders hunched slightly as he added, "If you’re angry, you should be. If you never trust us again, I’ll understand. But I swear by Tayun and every breath the island gives me—I won’t let it happen again."

Aiyana gave a firm nod. "From this day on, we don’t just watch her back. We stand beside her as we stand beside you."

The stoicism dropped instantly from Yoa’s features. Their apology was never needed. He knew they would have guarded Nova as best they could. This happened because Vulcan had been relentless in his pursuit of her. He would have gotten to her at some point, whether she was with him or Atia and Aiyana.

The bird brain was sneaky and cunning.

Yoa nodded once. "What is done is done. You do not need to apologise."

Aiyana looked away, guilt etched deep into her usually fierce features. "We tried to follow her scent, but the wind changed. The jungle covered her tracks before we could get close."

"I know." Yoa’s voice softened, though the weariness beneath it remained. "I know you did what you could."

Atia’s shoulders slumped, and he dropped into a woven stool with a groan. "Still feels like we failed." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"No," Yoa said, stepping further into the room. "You know the Kairan, it was probably all destined to happen."

Outside, Nova sat submerged up to her collarbones, eyes half-closed. She could hear muffled voices through the treehouse walls, too distant to make out the words, but the tone carried. Low. Apologetic. Heavy. She didn’t need to hear everything to know what they were talking about.

She exhaled and let herself sink lower in the water, until it lapped gently at her chin. Her muscles ached, and her thoughts refused to stay still—darting between images of the cave, the cold stone, the scent of feathers, Yoa’s sharp gasp when she fell, and the way his arms had held her like she was something precious.

When the water finally cooled, she stepped out and dried herself with the rough cotton cloth left beside the tub. The green tunic felt soft against her skin, clean and fresh, a sharp contrast to the dirt and tension that had clung to her for days.

She walked back inside to find all three of them seated around the firepit. They fell silent when they saw her.

"You clean now?" Atia asked with a faint smirk.

Nova nodded. "I think the bird smell’s gone."

Aiyana gestured to the seat beside her. "Sit. You need to eat."

Nova settled in, and Yoa tugged her into his lap, inhaling deeply into the side of her neck. Atia and Aiyana shared a knowing look. When Yoa was done he opened his glowing eyes, locking them on his friends, a low command rumbling in his voice. "I’d like to have some alone time with my Serakai."

"Hey, I want to spend time with her too, stop hogging her to yourself-"

"How about we patrol the treehouse?" Aiyana suggested, interrupting Atia’s dramatics.

"It doesn’t need patrolling?" Atia tilted his head in confusion.

Aiyana sighed heavily then hopped up and dragged Atia away by his ear. "Ow! Yana!"

Though he was being dramatic, the pair already felt like they’d been completely forgotten. Yoa and Nova were staring into each other’s eyes, the air growing thick and heated around them. Yep—it was definitely time to leave.