“How can you say that? Is everything a conspiracy to you?” Raaz said, moving his eyes from Lith to Elina.
His wife was so pale and looked so weak that she could faint at any moment. Elina had never hoped that such deep wounds would get patched up easily, but she didn’t expect from her children such a firm rejection either.
“Good gods, you’re right!” Kamila felt her knees getting weak and searched for Lith’s hand. “They could have researched your family history and kept tabs on your lost brothers.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re pulling Meln’s strings and riding his sob story to get what they want. It makes much more sense now.”
“Kamila, how can you say that? They are your parents!” Elina said amid tears.
“I can say that exactly because they are my parents. They used me for sixteen years and threw me away the moment they didn’t need me anymore. I’m not going to let them ruin my life again.
“They never looked for me except when they needed something and I don’t see why this time it should be any different!” Kamila’s rage and Lith’s hand had given her the strength to stand up again.
What followed was as ugly as only a family argument can be, ruining the lunch and everyone’s mood. Neither side needed to throw mean words because their respective positions were so irreconcilable that anything they said stung at the other like a blade.
Raaz and Elina mourned their lost child. Their pain made them incapable of understanding how Lith and Tista could shrug off not one, but two members of their family.
The two siblings, in turn, couldn’t forgive their parents for being so inconsiderate. They had not only let someone Lith and Tista deeply despised inside their house, but even wanted to bring him back into their lives.
Rena was caught in the middle of the two factions. The relationship between the twins ran deep. She and Orpal had lots of memories together, be they about taking care of their siblings or of the farm.
Also, Rena had never truly given up on Trion, always hoping that one day he would come to his senses. She knew him as prideful and hard-headed, but he had never been a bad person.
Trion’s loss left a hole in her heart that Rena wished that her twin would fill, yet she knew him best and didn’t trust Orpal near any of her children.
‘Lith and Tista are right, but they must also realize that Mom is not an Awakened. Their longevity makes them plan in the long term but for the rest of us, death will come before they get a single grey hair.
‘As a mother, I understand that she wants to see her children settle down and enjoy her grandchildren while she has still the strength to do it. Orpal represents Mom’s opportunity to make up for the mistakes that she thinks she made with Trion and to bring the family back together.’ Rena thought.
Once both sides gave up on changing the mind of the other, Lith dragged Kamila and Tista inside his room. He briefly explained to them his agreements with Count Lark in the case Orpal/Meln returned to Lutia while calling the Lord of the Lustria County.
“Did you really plan to get him captured and killed?” Tista hated Orpal, but that was too much, even for her.
“Only if he came back with a revenge in mind. I expected Orpal to try something stupid, like he always did. Yet after I enrolled in the White Griffon and he finished his military service, Orpal just disappeared.
“I thought that the gap between us had become too big for his ego to bear or that maybe he knew about the Queen’s Corps protecting our house. Either way, it seems I was wrong.” Lith replied.
“Lith, it’s so good to hear from you.” Count Lark’s hologram said. “Please, just tell me that for once you are giving me a courtesy call. I’m a bit tired of hearing from you only when you need something from me.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, the nobleman’s words struck a nerve. Seeing Lith flinch in embarrassment made both women chuckle.
Count Trequill Lark hadn’t changed much since the last time Lith had seen him in person. He was a man in his late fifties, around 1.83 meters (6′) tall with a thin build that made him appear even taller.
The Count had thick black hair and a short-trimmed goatee with streaks of grey. His inseparable black-rimmed monocle was attached to his breast pocket with a blue silk string.
He held a glass of whiskey in one hand while he used the other to set the amulet so that he could see all of his surprise guests.
“Tista, you grow more beautiful with each passing year. You are a sight from sore eyes and a scourge to the County’s postal service. I have filled a barn with the letters addressed to you since the last time you bothered to pick them up.”
“I’m very sorry, dear Count.” Tista gave him a curtsy. “Unlike my communication rune, my address is public and I can’t deal with the craziness of people who propose to me after having seen me once during some public ceremony.”
“Constable Yehval, your charming smile never ceases to amaze me. I hope you’ll forgive the curiosity of an old coot. How can an officer as skilled as you have so much trouble turning a single scoundrel Archmage into an honest man?” Lark asked, making Lith blush.
“I’m sorry, but this is no courtesy call.” Lith cut him short, having no desire to hear what his old friend had to say about him. “Meln is back and he’s not alone.”
The Count spat out his drink, making his hologram disappear for a second, as his monocle jumped out of his eye orbit from surprise. Lith reported everything he had learned from his parents just a few minutes ago.
Both the news of Trion’s death and the possible involvement of Kamila’s parents made Lark spat out more of the whiskey that he tried to drink to calm down and made his monocle jump around like a cricket.
“I’d better put this down or my butler, Poltus, will glare at me for days.” Lark said while finally putting his glass down after wasting a good half a bottle of liquor. He had taken just a few sips, but there was so much alcohol in the air that it made him tipsy.
“Here’s what I know. I never revoked the order I gave before you got admitted to the White Griffon and with all the security due to the undead threat, I find it unlikely he managed to reach Lutia unnoticed without someone helping him.” He looked at Kamila with an apologetic expression on his face.
“Do you know anything about what he did after leaving the army?” Lith asked.
“No, my influence ends at Lustria’s borders. I asked my neighbors to keep an eye for him as well, but they either deceived me or Meln stayed away from the Distar Marquisate.
“I can ask Lady Distar, if you want, but I’d say that the answer to your problems is closer than you think. Unlike nobles, the power of Constables is not limited by their territory.” Lark gave Kamila a respectful bow.
