“Don’t cry, Selia.” Solus glared at Lith for his lack of empathy and went to the huntress’ bedside. “Lith and I can take turns and keep you company until the baby is born.”
“Really?” Selia sniffled.
“Really.” Solus nodded. “You have my word.”
“Good.” Selia blew her nose, her voice steady again. “Ryman, Fenrir, you are my witnesses. They promised.”
“What the heck?” Solus was flabbergasted. “Was that all an act?”
“Not everything, just the tears.” Selia shamelessly admitted, snapping her fingers at Protector for snacks. “I do have to stay in bed and everyone has to be quiet. That much is true.
“Why do you think I never told anyone anything, not even to Elina, via the amulet? Because this way you’d feel guilty about neglecting me and be more easily swayed.”
“This is just another of your rip-off deals.” Solus scoffed. “Just give me one good reason to not take back my offer.”
“Because you are a good person and I’m really bored.” Selia took Solus’ hands in her own and kissed them, quickly followed by a whimpering Fenrir.
Between the mother’s and daughter’s begging eyes, Solus felt like a monster for backing out despite knowing that the promise had been extorted.
“Help Mommy. Please.” Fenrir was a little under three years old and both her forms were as cute as a button.
One looked like a lovely freckled doll with long flaming red hair and the other had big puppy eyes and lowered ears. Shapeshifting from one to another only made it harder for Solus to say no.
“Auntie? Help?” Fenrir asked after Solus remained silent for a while, calling her auntie for the first time and dealing a critical blow to her maternal instincts.
“Of course we’ll help you. Right, Lith?”
“Of course…” Lith swept the air in denial with his hand so Kamila nudged him in the ribs. “Yes.”
“Thank you, guys. I’ll never forget your kindness.” Selia said. “Also, since you are already here, I would like to book you all in advance for magic lessons. I’ll need them once I Awaken.”
“Wait, what?” Kamila said. “I thought you wanted a normal life. What made you change your mind?”
“This made me change my mind.” Selia waved at the pristine condition of the house. “Ever since I’ve been stuck in bed and Ryman has consistently taken care of the chores, I’ve realized how much effort it takes for me to achieve the same results of his flick of a finger.
“He can keep up with the kids, catch them when they throw a tantrum, and he never gets sick.” Fenrir whined apologetically, feeling responsible for her mother’s distress and for a good reason.
“It’s not your fault, sweetie pie.” Selia brought the child to her bosom. “You are supposed to be as lively and destructive as a small cyclone. It means that you are healthy. It makes Mommy happy, but also very tired.
“I’ve also decided to Awaken because magic is becoming a bigger part of my children’s life as they grow up. In a while, they’ll be so powerful that they could get seriously hurt during one of their games if they are not careful.
“As I am, I wouldn’t be able to stop them before it’s too late and then I wouldn’t be able to heal them. I could just cry and call for help.” Selia shuddered at the thought. “There are already many things that they can do only when Ryman is at home, making me feel left out of their lives.
“I want to be able to teach them everything they need in life. I want to have the energy to take care of my children on my own instead of watching them from the sidelines.
“Last but not least, slowing down my aging will let me live as long as this oaf.” She took Ryman’s hand, bringing it to her lips. “I don’t want to leave him alone.”
“My life force was cracked to begin with and even with what Lith passed onto me, there’s no telling how long I’ll live.” He said, gently caressing her face and checking on her with a diagnostic spell. “What if I die before you? What if I still outlive you due to your late Awakening?”
“If you die before me, I just have to stop using the breathing technique to be with you again.” She said with a sad smile. “If you outlive me, it means that you’ll be the last thing I see and that I’ll have no regrets passing away.”
Fenrir had no idea what they were talking about, but between her father’s watery eyes and her mother’s tone, she could tell that something was wrong. She started to howl like crazy, sniffing Selia in search of wounds, and then licking her to make her feel better.
“What’s wrong with Mom?” Lilia and Leran bolted through the door with their communication amulets already in hand and calling Faluel for help.
“I’m okay. There’s nothing to worry about.” Selia quickly reverted to her usual snarky self to reassure the kids. “Uncle Lith was just about to project a movie for us.”
“Pick something funny.” Kamila sniffled. “We can use a laugh.”
She was already Awakened, but Selia’s words had struck her close to home nonetheless. Kamila had never wondered what she would do were Lith to die before her or how to prepare him for her demise.
‘Thank the gods he has Solus. This way, even if something happens to me after Elina and Raaz are dead, there will still be someone with him. Someone who knows about Lith and Derek.’ She thought.
“That’s a really weird way to invite someone to a family afternoon, but thanks anyway.” Faluel said from the amulet. “Yet since you already have plenty of company, I’ll pass.
“Kalla and I are still working on Glemos’ code and if we don’t crack it, most of the Tyrant’s bloodline legacy will just be a waste of paper and it will take us years to craft a single Harmonizer.”
“Is it that bad?” Lith asked.
When he wasn’t otherwise busy, he let the Hydra and the Wight borrow the tower for their research. With the Sage Staff in the Armory sharing its focus-enhancing effects and by using together both Eyes of Menadion, they could achieve in hours what would otherwise take days of effort.
Kalla had gladly accepted to take part in the research, hoping that she could modify the Harmonizer’s Body Sculpting spell so that it would keep her life force and mana core stable when she split them for the final step to become a Lich.
If her hypothesis was correct, it would increase her survival rate by a wide margin.
“Worse. Now let me get back to work. If we don’t start, we’ll never finish. Faluel out.”
***
A feel-good movie and a couple of hours later, Selia had fallen asleep surrounded by the love of her snoring pack.
“Damn, the last thing I needed is another commitment.” Lith grumbled after they closed the door behind them and he Hushed the house to not wake up the happy family. “Between the Void Magic lessons, my personal research, and training, I barely have any time left.
