Chapter 17: Jealousy

“When are they coming?”

The voice on the other end of the line was cold, crisp, and terrifying. Medusa held the phone against her ear, swallowing hard. Sweat beaded on her forehead even though the stone room was cool.

“I… I don’t know, Mother,” she answered, her voice breaking and sounding much smaller than she intended.

The person on the line was Adrazelle or as the guradians call her ‘Mother’. The creator of Eden’s Vault. A being of unbound strength whom every guardian spoke to with careful respect… or absolute fear.

Well, almost everyone.

There were exceptions. Three, to be exact: Ebonara, the Scale Queen, and the Spider Weaver. Those three could curse whenever they wanted. Everyone else? They kept their heads down and their words polite.

Medusa was definitely in the “everyone else” category.

“Medusa, child,” Mother’s voice turned colder, dropping an octave. “Does this sound like charity to you? I will not repeat myself. I want both Ebonara and the boy, present at the meeting as soon as possible. You have six hours. After that, I will send one of the inner guardians to collect them.”

Click.

The call ended.

Medusa stared at the blank screen like it had personally betrayed her. Her hand shook slightly as she lowered the phone. She let out a long, miserable sigh.

Why is this my problem? she thought. If Ebonara had just answered her own damn phone two days ago…

She flopped backward onto her bed. Her heavy breasts jiggling, but she didn’t care. She just stared at the carved ceiling, exhausted.

If only I hadn’t contacted Mother that first time. And if only that scorpion bitch wasn’t holed up in her cavern doing… whatever disgusting things she’s doing with that pretty human boy.

She rubbed her face with both hands. I just want to sleep.

But before she could even close her eyes…

“Did Mother just threaten to send an inner guardian after us?!” Stheno yelled, her voice cracking with a mix of panic and rage.

Euryale appeared a heartbeat later, floating up from the ground level with her usual calm grace. But even she looked tense, her shadow-serpents raised slightly like they were tasting the danger in the air.

“She sounded… impatient,” Euryale said quietly. “Two days of silence from Ebonara is a very long time.”

Medusa stood up so fast she almost tripped. “If that scorpion bitch had just…”

She never finished.

All three sisters froze at the same moment. The aura outside was unmistakable. It was approaching fast, right at the edge of their territory.

They didn’t walk. They ran.

Medusa’s bare feet pounded down the smooth heartwood stairs. Stheno vaulted over the railing, landing in the garden on the ground floor with a heavy thud. Euryale drifted after them, calm on the surface but moving faster than usual.

They burst out the front arch together, nearly crashing straight into the figures standing casually in the garden. Luckily, Euryale was ahead of them and stopped the collision with a wave of her hand just in time.

Standing there was Ebonara. She looked like she’d just stepped out of a dream.

Her long black hair was still damp from a shower, clinging to her pale shoulders in glossy strands. She wore her usual too-tight black crop top, straining over her chest, and those custom leather pants with the perfect tail-hole cutout. Her scorpion tail swayed lazily behind her, the tip glinting with fresh venom.

All eight of her eyes glowed a soft violet-pink. Tiny glowing hearts drifted slowly inside each one.

And she was still holding Hyun-woo’s hand.

Hyun-woo stood right beside her, looking like he’d just rolled out of bed rather than a bath. His black hair was a total mess, tousled and sticking up in every direction, evidence of fingers running through or pulling it for hours. He wore loose black pants that hung low on his hips and a slightly oversized white shirt that definitely wasn’t his. The sleeves were rolled up unevenly, the collar slipped off one shoulder, and a few faint red marks peeked out from his neck, little love bites that hadn’t quite faded yet.

In the soft, dappled blue-green light filtering through the glowing forest leaves, he looked sleepy, perfectly content, and unfairly, ridiculously pretty.

The moment the Gorgon sisters burst out of the treehouse and saw them, Ebonara didn’t hesitate.

She reached over casually, laced her fingers through Hyun-woo’s, and lifted his hand to her lips. She pressed a slow, lazy kiss to his knuckles, lingering just long enough to make his skin tingle.

Hyun-woo’s cheeks flushed pink instantly, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he leaned in with a soft smile and gently bumped his forehead against hers, murmuring something too quiet for anyone else to catch.

Whatever it was, it made Ebonara’s eight gem-eyes sparkle brighter, the tiny glowing hearts drifting lazily inside like floating lanterns. Her long black scorpion tail curled happily around his waist in response, tugging him a little closer until their sides pressed together.

Medusa’s eye twitched so hard it looked painful. I should have let Mother send the inner guardian, she thought bitterly.

Stheno’s snakes all hissed at once. What the fuck is this lovey-dovey show?

Euryale just smiled. She was completely unbothered; it wasn't her drama, after all.

“You’re alive,” Medusa finally said through gritted teeth. Relief at seeing her friend safe battled with irritation at seeing her this happy, and irritation was winning. “We thought Mother had already sent an inner guardian to drag your sorry ass to the council chamber.”

Ebonara didn’t even try to look guilty.

“Sorry~” she sang lightly, swinging their joined hands like a carefree teenager on a first date. “We were… occupied.”

Hyun-woo coughed into his free fist, ears turning bright scarlet. He suddenly found the glowing moss on the ground very interesting.

Stheno crossed her arms so tightly her tail slapped the ground. “Occupied. Right. While we were getting our asses threatened by Mother because of you? Because you decided to ghost everyone for two whole days?”

Ebonara shrugged one elegant shoulder, still holding Hyun-woo’s hand like it was permanently glued there. “Blame him. He’s very distracting.”

Hyun-woo shot her a look that was half-exasperated, half-completely melted. “Don’t pin this on me, Ebo.”

She leaned over immediately and kissed the tip of his nose with an exaggerated mwah. “Too late, cutie pie.”

Medusa made a strangled noise somewhere between a groan and a scream of pure frustration. Stheno’s eye twitched even harder. Both older sisters were visibly annoyed now, cheeks flushed, tails flicking, snakes hissing louder with every second of this disgusting display of affection.

Euryale coughed delicately into her hand, clearly trying and failing to hide a delighted laugh. She was the only one having fun watching her sisters slowly implode.

“Come inside,” Euryale said, still fighting a grin, gesturing gracefully toward the treehouse entrance. “Before Mother decides six hours is far too generous and sends someone sooner.”

They all filed in, Ebonara never once letting go of Hyun-woo’s hand.

Inside the cozy main room, where living wood met carved stone, and everyone settled onto the various moss-cushioned benches and vine hammocks. Hyun-woo sat on one of the low wooden benches near the center.

Ebonara immediately dropped down right beside him, thigh pressed firmly to thigh, her tail draping possessively across his lap like a living blanket claiming territory.

Stheno narrowed her eyes. She was getting more annoyed by the second watching this nonsense. So she sauntered over, trying to look casual—too casual—and moved to sit on Hyun-woo’s other side.

Ebonara’s tail whipped out faster than a striking cobra.

Thwack!

The smooth black scales slapped Stheno’s scaly butt with a loud, wet sound that echoed off the stone wall.

“Ow—hey!” Stheno yelped, jumping back and rubbing the spot with both hands. “What the hell?!”

“Taken,” Ebonara said sweetly, patting Hyun-woo’s knee like she was marking ownership. “Find your own pretty boy.”

Hyun-woo looked between them, eyes wide for a second, then he just burst out laughing, soft and helpless.

“Ebo…” he said, half-scolding, half-amused, cheeks still pink.

“What?” Ebonara blinked, all eight gem-eyes wide open, sparkling with fake innocence. “I’m just protecting what’s mine.”

Medusa stared at the scene like she’d walked in on an alien invasion. What the actual hell happened to Ebonara? The Scorpion Queen she knew used to be cold, proud, and solitary. But now? She was acting like a clingy teenager with a crush. It was… disturbing.

Stheno, meanwhile, looked ready to commit murder.

“Fucking bitch,” Stheno spat, voice dripping venom. “Did your loose pussy cum so much it finally broke your brain and turned you into a lousy, lovesick whore?”

The entire room went dead silent.

Medusa, Euryale, even Hyun-woo—everyone froze, waiting for the explosion. Ebonara was not known for taking insults lightly. Especially not about her sex life.

But instead of snarling, lunging, or turning Stheno into modern art… Ebonara just tilted her head, smiled sweetly, and said:

“Getting mad because you couldn’t sit next to my darling? Just whose pussy is loose here, hmm?”

She looked at Stheno with an amused, pitying expression.

Stheno stood there stunned, mouth open, snakes frozen mid-hiss. She had known Ebonara for centuries. They’d fought side-by-side, shared kills, gotten drunk on fermented desert cactus juice, cried once after too much cactus juice—and never once had Ebonara thrown a comeback that sharp and petty.

But Stheno wasn’t about to back down.

“Oh, please,” she sneered, recovering quickly. “It's not like you didn’t literally pick him up in the desert just to fuck him first. You’ve been ignoring everyone’s calls for two days because you were too busy riding that pretty boy dick to answer your phone.”

Stheno knew Ebonara’s old personality inside out; of all the Gorgons, she was the closest to her. But seeing Ebonara claim Hyun-woo like a personal treasure while ignoring everyone else? That was annoying as hell.

Ebonara’s smile vanished.

“Fuck you,” she said flatly, right to Stheno’s face.

Stheno stepped closer. “Fuck you.”

And just like that, they both lunged.

It wasn’t a graceful fight. It was messy. Petty.

Ebonara grabbed a fistful of Stheno’s golden hair. Stheno yanked on Ebonara’s tail. They stumbled around the room, punching, shoving, pulling hair, tails whipping, snakes hissing, claws scratching harmlessly against scales.

Hyun-woo sat frozen on the bench, eyes wide.

“What—” was the only word he managed before a stray elbow almost hit him in the face.

Medusa and Euryale, in perfect unison, sat gracefully on the opposite bench. Legs crossed. Chins in hands. Tails neatly coiled. Like two elegant ladies watching a mildly entertaining street brawl.

Medusa tilted her head. “Punch her in the stomach,” she suggested calmly. “She always drops her guard there.”

Euryale nodded sagely. “Good advice.”

The fight escalated—more hair-pulling, more swearing, more tail-slapping—until Euryale finally had enough.

She stood up in one smooth motion.

“Can we focus?!” she snapped, voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. “Mother gave us six hours before she sends an inner guardian to collect you! Do you have any idea how terrifying those things are?!”

The room froze.

Ebonara had Stheno in a headlock. Stheno had one hand tangled in Ebonara’s hair. Both of them slowly turned to look at Euryale.

Ebonara blinked once.

“…Fine,” she muttered.

She released Stheno, dusted off her hands, and squeezed Hyun-woo’s hand again. “We’ll go. Right after I finish this bitch. Five more minutes.”

She punched Stheno square in the face.

Stheno yelped, staggered back, and groaned so loudly her snakes joined in like a sad little choir.

Medusa clapped slowly from the sidelines. “Nice form.”

Euryale just smiled wider, completely unbothered. Not my mess, not my problem. But watching the chaos, she was glad that some things hadn't changed at all.

Hyun-woo sat quietly on the wooden bench in the Gorgon sisters' living room, watching the chaos unfold.

It was a war zone. Ebonara and Stheno were physically fighting—hair pulling and all—while Medusa cheered from the sidelines and Euryale tried in vain to calm them down.

And he wouldn’t believe it, but it was all because of him.

Do I look like a toy to be fought over? he thought, a vein popping in his forehead.

Seeing them bicker, something finally snapped.

He stood up abruptly, his loose white T-shirt swaying with the motion. Without a word, he walked straight toward Medusa, the eldest Gorgon sister. She was too busy cheering on Stheno and cursing at Ebonara to notice him approaching.

Or maybe she just didn't care.

Either way, Hyun-woo reached down, scooped her up by her slim waist like she weighed nothing, and sat back down on the bench, plopping her firmly onto his lap.

The room went dead silent.

Ebonara blinked, her long black scorpion tail freezing mid-sway. "Cutie pie…?" she asked, voice mixed with confusion and surprise, her eight gem-like eyes flickering uncertainly.

Hyun-woo didn't answer right away.

Medusa, meanwhile, froze completely. Her eyes went wide, mouth hanging open in pure shock. Her snakes halted mid-hiss, stunned into silence.

Stheno's golden snake-hair stopped writhing, and even Euryale raised her eyebrows in quiet fascination.

Ebonara's eight eyes cycled rapidly through colors—violet for calm, shocked gold, then a flash of murderous crimson jealousy. But it quickly faded back to violet when she remembered her promise to Hyun-woo regarding his other relationships.

Hyun-woo wrapped one arm loosely around Medusa's waist to keep her from slipping off. His touch was firm but gentle. He looked straight at Ebonara with the calmest, most I'm-done-with-this-nonsense expression anyone had ever seen on his pretty face.

"Enough," he said simply. His voice was low and steady—no yelling, just the tone of a man who had endured one too many arguments in a single day.

Medusa finally snapped out of her trance.

"What the actual fuck are you doing?" she hissed, cheeks flushing under her pale skin.

"Nothing," Hyun-woo replied casually.

He leaned in close to her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck. And whispered something.

Then, without warning, he simply… vanished. Medusa went with him.

Gone.

Just empty air where they sat, and a bench that suddenly looked way too big and lonely.

The remaining three women—Ebonara, Stheno, and Euryale—stared at the empty spot in stunned silence. The room felt colder without the sudden drama.

Stheno blinked once. Twice. "Did he just…?" She trailed off, voice a mix of annoyance and disbelief, her snakes hissing in confusion.

Euryale tilted her head, looking more intrigued than upset, her green eyes sparkling. "He teleported. With her. Well, it was probably Medusa who did the actual teleporting at his command. But to up and go like that… bold move," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Ebonara's tail drooped so low that the venomous tip brushed the wooden floor with a soft scrape.

All eight of her eyes dimmed to a dull violet. The tiny glowing hearts that had been floating in them shriveled up and vanished like popped bubbles.

"…He took Medusa," she whispered, voice small and hurt, like a kid whose favorite toy had just been snatched away.

Stheno snorted, crossing her arms over her red tank top. "Well. That's one way to make a point. Guy's got guts".

Euryale stood up gracefully, brushing off her flowing green dress. "He's probably heading to the Council Chamber. We should follow before Mother loses her patience completely".

Ebonara didn't move at first. She just stared at the empty bench, tail limp, black claws flexing uselessly. Dark thoughts started creeping in, but before they could take over, she shook her head. She remembered her promise. She knew where he was going.

He hadn't left her. He was just moving the meeting forward.

Meanwhile….

Hyun-woo reappeared in a massive circular chamber carved from pure white crystal.

The ceiling soared impossibly high, with floating orbs of soft golden light drifting lazily like stars in a night sky. A long obsidian table dominated the center, surrounded by empty high-backed chairs waiting for the guardians.

No one was here yet. The air felt cool and quiet—a stark contrast to the heated argument back at the treehouse.

Hyun-woo let out a long, relieved breath and sat down in one of the chairs.

"…Ebo is probably going to get angry," he muttered to the empty room, rubbing his temple.

Or so he thought. He wasn't alone.

Medusa was right there on his lap, still perched awkwardly, processing what had just happened. Her snakes hissed softly in confusion.

And she was starting to get seriously annoyed.

Hyun-woo had been quietly ignoring her protests while his warm hand slid slowly across her flat stomach in lazy, gentle circles. The touch was light, almost absent-minded—like he was just enjoying the feel of her skin through the thin fabric of her dress.

But every slow stroke made her stomach flutter in a way she didn’t want to admit.

How dare he touch her like this? She was Medusa. She hated men with every fiber of her cold, ancient being. She should kill him right now. Snap his neck. Petrify him into a very pretty, very dead statue.

But… maybe she’d wait just a moment longer.

"Hey," she said, voice sharp but quieter than usual. "We’re far enough from the others now. Won’t you let go?"

Hyun-woo finally looked at her—really looked. His big brown eyes met hers without fear, calm and steady.

"What? You don’t like it?" he asked, a tiny, teasing smile tugging at his lips. His hand didn’t stop moving.

Medusa narrowed her eyes. She shifted in his lap until she was facing him properly, straddling his thighs, eye-to-eye.

"You’re bold," she said. "Especially for someone who knows I don’t like men very much".

He chuckled under his breath. "Hey, it’s not like I was the one who told someone—and I quote—'Well, this is how things work in Greek.'"

Despite seeing her several times before, he still couldn’t get over how breathtaking she was up close. Dangerous. Beautiful. That untouchable aura made holding her feel even more mesmerizing.

"You remember that?" Medusa raised an eyebrow. "You’re one petty idiot".

She thought he was getting revenge for when she and Stheno had teased him back at the treehouse.

Hyun-woo shook his head slowly. "Are you thinking I’m trying to get revenge on you?"

He looked straight at her snakes. A few of them were actually nuzzling his cheek now, their cool scales tickling his skin.

"Aren’t you?" Medusa asked, voice dropping to a whisper.

Her cold, guarded heart gave a strange, quick thud. She could feel the lust rolling off him in gentle waves—not aggressive, not demanding, just… honest. If she really tried to get away right now, she knew he would let her go. No struggle. No anger.

"Should I?" he asked back, voice low and playful, leaving the choice completely in her hands.

Medusa stared at him for a long moment. Her snakes went still, watching too. She let out a sigh—the first real, tired sigh she’d let out in centuries.

"Are you sure?" she asked softly.

Hyun-woo understood immediately. He didn’t push. He didn’t rush. Instead, he leaned in slowly, close enough that she could feel his warm breath on her lips.

Medusa closed her eyes, bracing herself for a kiss.

But it never came.

Instead, he wrapped both arms around her in a tight, warm hug, pulling her against his chest. His chin rested gently on top of her head, one hand rubbing slow, comforting circles on her back.

"We should take things slow," he murmured into her hair.

Simple. Honest. No pressure.

Medusa froze. Then, slowly, a huge breath she didn’t even know she was holding slipped out of her. Her shoulders dropped. Her snakes relaxed completely, draping over his shoulders like sleepy scarves.

Never in thousands of years did she think she could feel this relieved because of a man. But he wasn’t like the others.

"…Thanks," she whispered.

She was just starting to relax, letting herself lean into him—

"Medusa, you sneaky bitch!"

A black blur shot forward.

Ebonara appeared out of nowhere. She grabbed Medusa by the waist with one clawed hand and yanked her off Hyun-woo’s lap like she weighed nothing. Medusa went flying, landing a few feet away and wobbling on her tail.

Ebonara didn’t even glance at her.

She immediately took Medusa’s place, plopping down onto Hyun-woo’s lap with a dramatic huff, crossing her arms under her massive chest and glaring at everyone like she’d just won a war.

"Mine," she declared, tail curling possessively around Hyun-woo’s waist.

Euryale stood there, mouth slightly open, completely stunned. Her eldest sister had a strict No Man May Touch Me rule for thousands of years. And now this? She was truly intrigued.

Stheno threw her hands up. "OOOH, you bitch!" she yelled at Ebonara. Damn, I wasn’t fast enough!

Meanwhile, from somewhere unseen, Mother—Adrazelle—watched the entire scene unfold from her private viewing orb.

A small, warm smile curved her lips.

"Interesting boy," she murmured softly.

But in the next moment she vanished from her seat.

She reappeared right in front of the obsidian table where Hyun-woo sat, now occupied by a very smug Scorpion Queen.

The meeting, will start now.

==================

Chapter 27 is now available on Patreon.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.