“No, I’m done for tonight. Yet I plan on telling the others as well, sooner or later. I could use your help, just like when I told everyone that I’m a hybrid.”
“Do you mean your family?” Kamila asked.
“No, I mean everyone. You are the first person I talked about the Abomination issue and I still can’t believe it went so well. You must really be my lucky charm.” Lith held her tight, losing himself in her warmth as Kamila returned the embrace.
“The first person? Are you telling me that even Tista, Faluel, and Phloria still don’t know about it?” She said with such happiness that it made it sound as if Lith had proposed to her.
“No one but you.” He gave Kamila a soft kiss and didn’t release her until she was out of breath.
“You are full of energy for someone that looked so down until a moment ago.” She panted.
“I’m a hybrid between a beast, an Abomination, and a pervert, remember? It gives me superpowers.” He lay on his bed, pulling Kamila down with him.
“Good thing that I don’t have to work tomorrow.”
***
Between having already rested during the previous day and the jet lag, Lith didn’t sleep a wink even after a few hours of recreational activities. Kamila lay sound asleep beside him, with a huge smile on her face that made Lith chuckle.
‘I’m more hungry than tired, but I feel bad at the idea of making Kami wake up and find the bed empty.’ He thought while watching the sun rise from a small opening in the window in front of the bed.
No matter how many magical marvels Reghia had, or how comfortable the tower was. Nothing could beat sleeping in his own home beside his girlfriend. Kamila had even brought along the Camellia, the magical flower that Lith had gifted her for their second date.
Due to the cheap ass components that Lith had employed to Forgemaster it, the flower would wither and die in a week if not regularly imprinted, yet Kamila prided herself of doing it daily.
“Good gods, did I oversleep?” Kamila stood up abruptly, making him flinch. “Why didn’t you wake me up? I’ll get late to work!”
She jumped off the bed, searching for her underwear that had been thrown around the room while making the Scalewalker armor slide over her bare skin and take the form of her Constable uniform.
“In order: no, you didn’t, and because you’re on leave.” Lith laughed his ass off while Kamila swore on her way back to bed like a trucker stuck in a miles-long traffic jam on a summer day.
“Damn army training. I’m so used to waking up early that by the time my body learns how to sleep in, my vacations are already over.”
“Since you are already awake, do you mind if I get up and eat breakfast? I’m starving.” Lith said and his stomach grumbled.
“That makes the two of us.” She sighed. “I don’t want to get back to bed if it means sleeping alone. I’ll come with you.”
Kamila had the armor take the appearance of flat shoes, black pants, and a white shirt while she imprinted the Camellia. It was the first she did every day when she woke up and the last thing before going to bed.
Once would have sufficed, but she liked to stay on the safe side.
After a hearty breakfast and retrieving Solus, Lith and Kamila went to Protector’s home. Thanks to their shared life force, the Ry was the only person besides Solus to know about Lith’s reincarnations.
Lith felt the need of sharing with both of them his burden about the final meeting with Carl.
“Glad to have you back! You are right on time for breakfast.” Selia Fastarrow opened the door welcoming her guests with a warm smile.
She was a woman in her late thirties, yet thanks to Protector’s treatments she looked barely past her mid-twenties. She was about 1.7 meters (5’7″) tall, with skin tanned from the years of long exposure to the sun.
Her shoulder-length black hair gave her sharp hazel eyes a gentler look. She wore a set of comfortable house clothes comprised of loose brown pants and a black blouse.
“Thank you, Selia, but we have already eaten.” Kamila hugged the older woman who had become one of her closest friends over time. The Verhen and Fastarrow families shared a lot of secrets that couldn’t be leaked, making them only grow closer.
“And I’m not offering you food, I’m asking your help. Ever since he returned from the Fringe, Nalrond spends more time at Faluel’s than at home and I could use a hand with the kids.”
Selia exploited the hug to drag Kamila inside and hand her the youngest member of the family, Fenrir Fastarrow. The baby was now one year old and quite heavy.
“Thanks a lot.” Selia said before Kamila could even think about a proper answer to such an abuse of the rules of hospitality. “You have no idea how much it means to me eating in peace without worrying about that little imp regurgitating her food on my clothes.”
Selia had three children, all of them were human-Emperor Beast hybrids with the energy typical of small kids and the destructive power of an improvised explosive device.
In her attempts to escape, Fenrir shapeshifted her small hands and feet into claws that would have ripped Kamila’s clothes to shreds if not for her actually wearing an enchanted armor.
“This is not really my idea of a courtesy visit.” Kamila snarled at Selia while trying to submit the insanely strong child and make her eat a creamy soup.
“You’ll thank me when you have a few of your own.” Selia’s words made her blush, ending the argument.
“What the heck are you looking at me that way?” Selia scolded Protector. “If you made me clothes like the Skinwalker armor or if at least you helped me more with the children, I wouldn’t have to resort to such petty tricks.”
“Orichalcum and magic crystals don’t grow on trees.” Ryman said with an apologetic tone. “On top of that, I’m doing everything I can, but between making the money necessary for our two houses and practicing magic, I don’t have much time left even though I sleep just once a week.”
“See what I mean?” Selia turned to Kamila again before resuming the quarrel that lasted for the whole breakfast.
‘Do you mind keeping Selia busy for a while? I would like to talk alone with Protector and tell him about my situation.’ Lith asked via the mind link while entertaining Lilia and Leran with his stories until they finished eating.
‘No problem.’ Kamila replied, glad of the armor’s self-cleaning properties. Half of the cream soup had ended up on her clothes, but the stains disappeared as fast as they formed thanks to small bursts of darkness magic.
Once the kids bolted outside to play with their magical pets, Slash and Crash, silence finally befell the house.
“That was intense.” Lith said the moment after Selia and Kamila went out hunting. “Does it happen often?”
“Almost every day, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Ryman said while stopping Fenrir from clawing her way up to the ceiling. He had repaired the walls so often that he had become a professional carpenter.
Thanks to Aleš F for his constant support.
My sincere gratitude to Brian K and Zach L for their generous donation.
