“Zoreth and Bytra are already here. They were worried for you as anyone else and I granted them hospitality as a thank you for the help they provided in taking you back home safely. As for the food, that’s easily arranged.”
Salaark clapped her hands, moving everyone to her dining hall. “Besides, we can all use a warm meal after so many days of heartache.”
The people involved in the rescue mission were already sitting at the table. Quylla, Nalrond, and everyone else stood up and welcomed Lith back, inquiring about his health
Lith spent the minutes before the food was served reassuring his friends of his well-being. He also thanked those who had helped to stop him and apologized for his own attempts to kill them via a mind link not to scare the children.
“Out of curiosity, why are we in the Desert? What’s wrong with Lutia?” Lith asked, obtaining a series of embarrassed coughs from his family’s side of the table.
“Because your mother doesn’t trust ‘just’ a white core to take care of her ‘baby boy’.” It was the first time that Lith saw Baba Yaga look offended. “She dragged us all here to put you under Salaark’s care and protection.
“Elina wanted to make sure nothing and no one might disturb your recovery.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You are welcome, dear.” Seeing her son already up and in good health was more than enough to convince Elina she had made the right choice.
“How long was I out exactly?” Lith asked.
“Just a few hours.” Salaark replied. “You have to thank your wife for that. First, she had Yaga take care of you until Elina brought you to the Desert. Then, after I was done checking up on your condition, she insisted Yaga and I combined our efforts to speed up your recovery.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Grandma.” Kamila said. “It’s just that I know this bonehead. He’s not going to rest until we have a concrete plan to bring Solus back. Rather than struggle to keep him in his bed, I wanted him to regain his full strength.
“Delaying his departure would only make things harder for everyone.”
“I know.” The Overlord nodded. “Did he at least apologize for all the mean things he said to you and for trying to kill you?”
“Yes to both.” Kamila chuckled. “Right before fainting.”
The valets entered the room, pushing huge carts that carried multiple servings for normal humans or one serving for a Divine Beast.
The meal was pleasant and delicious. Lith made small talk with his friends and family to understand what had happened while he was an amnesiac and how the Kingdom had taken his fight with Meln.
They just had to carefully word a few details to keep the children from figuring out what they were really talking about without Lith missing a beat.
After the bigger children were all tuckered out and the babies fast asleep, Salaark moved everyone to her War Room to strategize Lith’s next move away from impressionable ears.
Lith used that opportunity to share with them the only piece of information that no one but him was still aware of: the details of his battle with Orpal.
“Disturbing.” Baba Yaga said after listening to Lith’s recount of the Undead King’s newfound strength and abilities. “The little bas- I mean, Meln reaching the bright blue is bad news. As soon as his body stabilizes, he can go straight for the violet.
“Then we’ll see what his so-called Vurdalak bloodline is truly made of.”
“My biggest regret is that due to the amnesia, I didn’t have the means to cast your crystal-destruct spell, Yaga. Night’s and Dusk’s true bodies were barely merged. There’s a good chance it might have worked.” Lith sighed.
“Now Meln is never going to show his face until he reaches the violet and finishes fusing the crystals.”
“That’s for sure, but it’s also the reason I’m certain the crystal-destruction spell is already useless.” Much to everyone’s surprise, it was Elina speaking. “Your br- Meln Narchat is a coward, Lith. He attacked you when you were alone, confused, and weakened.
“The fact that he dared show his face in a city with a Warp Gate means that even if Lady Yaga’s spell still retains part of its effectiveness, it can’t be nothing much. Otherwise Meln would have never slithered out of his hiding hole.”
“I agree with Elina.” The Red Mother nodded. “Based on what you’ve told us, Lith, Meln didn’t hesitate to let Night take the wheel even when fighting you in your debilitated state.
“Meln and my daughter didn’t come looking for a fair fight. They wanted a quick and easy victory. I don’t know why they left, but I can tell you there’s no chance the crystal-destruction spell would have caused them more than a tickle.”
An awkward silence befell the dining hall. The Verhens were as ashamed of carrying Orpal’s blood in their veins as much as the Mother was not to have killed Night the moment she had chosen him as her host.
As for Salaark, she just respected their suffering.
“Let’s cut to the chase, Verhen.” Silverwing said. “I agreed to help you because Yaga says that you should be able to sense Elphyn thanks to your Dragon homing instinct.”
“Solus.” Lith corrected her with a snarl.
“Solus.” The First Magus raised her hand in apology. “Still, the problem is that none of us has any knowledge of the World Tree’s location or how to find them. Can you feel her or not?
“Because if you can’t, everything we have prepared, anything we can come up with will be worth nothing. I’m sorry for pressuring you so soon after your recovery, but I can’t wait any longer.
“I need to know if staying in the Desert holds any meaning or if I’d better go out there and start looking for Solus on my own.”
“Why should he feel Solus with his Dragon side?” Zoreth had remained silent until that moment but now curiosity pushed her to speak. “Our homing instinct works only for hatchlings and treasures and as much as I love Solus, her stone ring is worth nothing. Sentimental value doesn’t apply.”
Lith didn’t bother to hide his displeasure at Silverwing’s blunder simply because he knew that no one in his family had the poker face necessary to remain indifferent to Zoreth’s question.
Everyone either looked at the ground, cleared their throat, or stuffed their face with the tea and pastries Salaark had served. Anything to avoid the Shadow Dragon’s gaze and not give her an answer.
“The ring holds a secret everyone here knows but me?” Zoreth was flabbergasted. “Even you, Bytra?”
At those words, Lith, Baba Yaga, and Silverwing turned around, noticing that the Fourth Ruler of the Flames was the most awkward of them all.
“Yes, Zor.” Bytra cleared her throat.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” Zoreth dropped her teacup, making it clink against the plate, and jumped up from her seat. “After everything we’ve gone through together do you still not trust me?”
“Don’t be silly, of course I trust you!” Bytra’s outrage matched the Shadow Dragon’s and beat it by a good margin.
