Chapter 429: The return of the Demerides twins.

A week later, the meeting with the Somnivores had been confirmed. The Supreme leader had sent back a short message saying they were fine with all the terms set by the humans.

Days before they sent a message to the Supreme leader and after a lot of intense back-and-forth talking, the necessary parties agreed that the historic meeting would take place in Cornsaw_ a quiet, dusty little town near the border. The time was set for 10:00 AM, exactly two weeks away.

Now, all that was left was to deploy a backup army just in case things went south, and, of course, to actually prepare Cornsaw and its residents to host a delegation of alien visitors.

Preparing the town for the visit was like putting a puzzle together. Since nobody knew what aliens liked, the human teams were basically guessing. Workers were frantically scrubbing every building, hanging gigantic "WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD" banners, and setting up the required security scanners every ten feet. ℯℯ𝑙.

"Do Somnivores eat our food?" one worker asked while hauling a heavy metal seat. "What if they do not like our refreshments? That could trigger a war? God I am dreading that day!"

"We will just give them what we have, whether they like it or not is their business!" another yelled back, placing a digital clock on the wall. "Besides, they are not coming here to eat but rather to negotiate peace and end the longest war humans have ever fought."

The possibility of the war truly coming to an end had many humans excited. It also had a few groups up in arms, because they wanted revenge for their dead loved ones. One Priest in the capital had been arrested for turning his Sunday sermon into an anti Somnivore rally.

Tension was building with each passing day. Every single person in Cornsaw was on edge, jumping at the slightest loud noise.

The most normal and safest place during this time was Beast Valley City. It was harmonious, with humans and beasts living side by side. Technology there was more advanced than anywhere else. Factories hummed with inventions, producing goods that were reshaping the world. Trade thrived--already sixty percent of commerce relied on their products, from textiles to farming.

True to her initial goal, Zyra was fast becoming the richest woman alive, thanks to Malia and Achilles.

On one warm, quiet evening, Zyra was having dinner with the others at the Kaelion estate when Hunter cleared his throat and made an announcement. "I’m going back beyond the Veil," Hunter said casually, buttering a roll.

Zyra looked up, her heart doing a small flutter. She had actually been thinking about going there too. She wasn’t really needed in Beast Valley anymore. She had built strong, reliable systems to run the city smoothly even while she was away. It was time for her to focus on what mattered most: finding her parents. Besides, she was utterly sick and tired of waiting around for Tori Demerides to return. For all they knew, the woman was already dead.

Zyra said this much to the grand elder right there.

Hearing this, the Grand Elder placed his fork gently on his plate with a soft click. He looked at Zyra with soft, warm eyes.

"I wish I could help you more than I already am, my dear," the Grand Elder said quietly, his voice full of gentle concern. "Finding your mother is no small task." He paused, a troubled frown appearing on his face. "In fact, I am getting worried now. I haven’t heard back from Maverick."

Zyra’s brows narrowed instantly. "Wait... you asked Maverick to look for them?"

She had zero idea the Grand Elder had done that. First off, the man had a mountain of stress on his plate with the upcoming alien visit. Secondly, he hadn’t mentioned a single word to her!

The Grand Elder propped his chin on his folded fingers, looking deeply thoughtful. "Yes, Hunter is searching for them too...we kept it to ourselves because we did not want to raise your hopes. If anyone in this world can find Zena, it’s Maverick. But he has not sent word for days now."

Achilles, who was chewing on a piece of steak, chimed in dryly. "Knowing Maverick, he probably got too close to the fire and couldn’t resist going deeper."

The Grand Elder nodded slowly, his eyes heavy. "Maverick knows I don’t like to worry. The fact that he hasn’t sent a single word... it could mean he has found something, or he is dead."

A heavy silence fell over the dinner table. Zyra felt a lump form in her throat.

Suddenly, loud yelling and frantic, banging footsteps echoed from the hallway outside!

"Madam! Please, wait! You can’t just burst in!" the butler’s panicked voice pleaded from behind the doors. "At least let me inform the Grand Elder of your arrival first!"

"Out of the way, old man, I do not have time for this!" a rough voice shouted back.

"What on earth is happening out there?" the Grand Elder asked, setting his napkin on the table. He pushed his chair back and began to stand up. Everyone else at the table scrambled to their feet, ready to face whatever chaos was crashing through the door.

But the Grand Elder froze mid-stand. Zyra froze. Achilles stopped with a fork halfway to his mouth.

The double doors burst open, and three people strolled right into the dining room. Leading the pack was Maverick, looking windblown, dirty, and thoroughly exhausted. But right behind him were two women who looked so identical it made Zyra blink twice. The only way to tell them apart was their clothes and their hair_ one had a short, sharp bob, while the other had her hair tied in a messy ponytail.

"Oh, it’s you!" the Grand Elder gasped, staring in sheer disbelief. "You finally decided to show yourself!"

The woman with the short bob stepped forward and bowed lightly, her movement smooth and crisp. The second woman followed a second later, echoing the gesture with an easy grace.

Then, without missing a beat, the woman with the bob reached out and gave Maverick a sharp shove with her shoulder.

"And you," she scolded him, giving him a stern look, "You need to stop going beyond the Veil sniffing around for things you shouldn’t be poking your nose into!"

Maverick grunted, speaking through tightly pursed lips as he nursed his bruised pride. "Hey, I was just doing my job! The Grand Elder specifically told me to find Zena Scorpion and her husband."

The second woman_ the one with her hair tied in a ponytail strolled casually past Maverick right up to the dining table. Without asking for permission, she plucked a bright red apple off a fruit platter, took a loud, satisfying crunch out of it, and turned around. "Well, if your ’job’ involves sniffing so loudly that you’re going to get Zena killed then quit." She said coolly, chewing on her bite of apple.

Zyra’s heart thudded hard against her ribs. She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. Staring at the two identical women, a wild, disbelief-filled suspicion took root in her mind, but she needed to hear it out loud.

"Who... who are you two?" Zyra asked, her voice tight. "Where is my mother?"

The lady with the short bob turned her eyes to Zyra. Her expression softened, a flicker of genuine warmth breaking through her sharp composure.

"You look exactly like your mother," the woman said softly, gazing at Zyra’s face.

Before Zyra could process those words, the Grand Elder cleared his throat, a look of profound relief washing over his tired face. He looked over at Zyra and smiled gently. "Zyra," the Grand Elder said, gesturing toward the two newcomers, "meet the Demerides twins."