“Inside the tower, Solus and I make the rules of magic. I’m asking your permission because this course of action means revealing the existence of the tower to Morok, Ryla, Garrik, and maybe the monsters that might survive after the Council storms Zelex.
“Morok is an idiot, I barely know Ryla, and I’ve never met Garrik. Even if it’s just the three of them, my safety might get compromised and in turn yours. Once Elysia is born, you’ll be fair game like anyone else so I can’t take this decision without you.”
“I’m proud of you.” Kamila stood on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss. “Yes, you have my permission. Putting my life in the hands of an idiot and a child is a bit scary, but I know how much this means to you.
“Morok is not Derek and Garrik is not Carl, yet you can’t turn your back on them. Not when their mother is fighting tooth and nail for them, just like you always dreamed your Earth mother would. Like Elina does.”
“Damn, I’d never thought I’d be grateful to the Void for making me tell you the truth about my past.” Lith hugged her, feeling both her love and sincerity. “Thanks to that, I don’t need to hide anything from you. You know me. The real me. All of them.”
Lith chuckled.
“You have no idea what it means to me not feeling alone anymore.”
“You’ve never been alone, silly man.” Kamila gently caressed his back and hair. “Remember what the Voidfeather Dragon told you. There are a lot of people who love you. It’s you who keeps them out.
“You better listen to his words if you want to make peace with him.” Kamila blinked a few times in sudden realization. “Wait a second, why are you discussing this with me without Solus? The decision affects her life and safety as well.”
“That’s because-”
“You already talked with her and she gave you her permission!”
“Yes, but-”
“That’s it, we need to talk.” She pushed him away gently. “First, the Void goes rampant to give Solus an out and now the Voidfeather is willing to fight a whole city for her?”
“Uhm, yes. Hey, how are your English lessons going? I remember you wanting to learn a secret language to share with Elysia.” Lith said, trying to change the subject.
“Don’t you try to change the subject!” Kamila angrily poked at his chest. “You don’t have split personalities, only suppressed feelings. What am I supposed to think of all this?”
“That I’ve known her for almost my entire third life, that she’s bound to me for life, and that she’s very important to me? I mean, she’s always in my head. We talked about what to do right after Morok told us about Garrik.
“I didn’t leave you out of the conversation, you just weren’t there.” Lith said apologetically.
“Fine. I forgive you. This time.” She growled in a very Draconic way, her teeth turning into fangs and her skin into scales with anger. “I too really like Solus. It’s just that if not for the lack of sex, your relationship sounds too much like marriage for comfort.”
‘I could tell her that’s exactly what Solus and I joked about since we met. Too bad that then Kami would have to kill me.’ Lith thought.
***
Ernas Mansion, Quylla’s room, at the same time.
Morok sat on the bed, holding his head between his hands and sighing so often and so strongly that Quylla wouldn’t have been surprised if he caused an indoor storm.
“How? How can I have been this stupid?” He bit his hand in frustration. “I have two brains yet most of the time I act like I have none. This is all my fault.”
“Usually I would be inclined to agree on both points but I have no idea what you are talking about.” Quylla said with a warm smile, cupping his face and forcing him to look at her. “What are you guilty of? Everything went fine.
“We earned the monsters’ trust, you got the book about the Harmonizers, and you even got to meet your little brother. Assuming you consider it a good thing, of course.”
“It is a good thing!” Morok said. “Maybe the only redeeming factor of the mission. At least until I screw Garrik up like I’ve screwed everything else.”
“Why do you keep saying that? Things have gone way better than we could hope. Ryla is on our side and with her help, Faluel should succeed in the negotiations.” She replied.
“I screwed up because everything hangs on a lie. I know that when you pray for rain you have to prepare to deal with the mud as well, but I unleashed Lith freaking Verhen and I got a bloodbath instead of mud!” He whined.
“If the Courts tell Syrah about Lith’s Abomination side, everything falls apart. If she sees through our act on her own, everything falls apart. If we don’t make a good argument upon our next meeting…”
“Everything falls apart.” Quylla nodded, completing the phrase for him. “I can’t deny anything you just said but I can’t see how this is your fault either.”
“It is my fault because all I cared about at the beginning of the mission was to get my hands on my legacy and make a good impression on your parents. I’ve never forgotten about Echidna, but after the raids, I assumed we’d have to save just a few individuals like her.
“I was certain that most of the monsters were deranged zealots like Typhos and boy if I was wrong. It was I who agreed with Lith’s plan. It was because of my weakness that I couldn’t keep up with him, leading to the slaughter of those poor guys until Ryla and the others helped me.
“Those people died thinking they were sacrificing themselves to save their brethren while they were just pawns on a board. Lith may have killed them, but their blood is on my hands as well.
“Now, because of my greed, the people of Zelex risk being exterminated and if that happens, Garrik will either die or permanently become a fallen. I spent my life trying to be nothing like Glemos and I ended up becoming him.
“A selfish jerk who toys with the lives of others just to get what he wants.”
“Don’t you ever say that!” Quylla forced him to look her in the eyes. “You are nothing like Glemos. You told me the truth about yourself before even asking me out for the first time whereas Glemos kept your mother in the dark until your birth forced him to.
“You care so much about me that you are willing to share with my family your bloodline legacy that Glemos kept hidden even from his own sons. You’ve known Garrik for a few hours yet you worry about him more than Glemos ever did.
“You may be a jerk and an idiot, but you’re not selfish or ruthless. Otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Thanks. It means a lot to me.” Morok said after pondering her words for a while. “It’s just that I hate feeling so helpless.”
