Supreme Magus

Chapter 3925: Emerald Spark (Part 2)

"Three days are enough to assess Zoreth’s recovery speed, child. If by then her life force is stable and strong, she can do anything she wants. Otherwise, she’s going to take as much time off as needed. Also, please, stop using honorifics. Yaga is enough."

"As you wish, Yaga." Bytra gave her a dazzling smile.

"I have no problem resting." Zoreth said. "To be honest, I want to sleep for a month and then go on a vacation for another month. Can I receive visitors, Yaga?"

"I don’t see why not." The Red Mother shrugged. "Now, with your permission, I’m going to take a very long bubble bath."

"Great idea." Zoreth sniffed herself and wrinkled her nose at the stench.

"Now that you mention it..." Quylla was covered in sweat and hungry enough to eat a whole cow. "I have to take a shower, but you girls should visit the hot springs. It’s one of the few wonders even Menadion’s tower doesn’t possess."

***

The team of Healers split up, and most of them followed Quylla’s suggestion. Lith would have been among them if Kamila’s condition didn’t keep her from accompanying him.

Raldarak’s Divine Beast side was highly resistant to everything and to high temperatures in particular, but Kamila refused to take any unnecessary risk. Lith had to shower too, but the good company more than made up for it.

"Well, what’s next on the agenda now that Raum is gone and Zoreth is safe?" Lith had dried her up and dabbed Kamila’s hair, and now she was returning the favor, adding a shoulder massage on the side.

"Rest and recover." He sighed. "My body is fine, but my head is messed up. Communing with all those souls was... intense."

"What does the Healer order?" Kamila wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, pressing the softness of her chest against his back.

"It’s been too long since we’ve been to Lutia. Going back home should help." Lith’s voice became deeper and hoarser. "I don’t think I’ll practice magic much for a while. At most, I’ll give my Indech form a few test rides.

"I want to get as accustomed to my human side as I am with the other aspects of my life forces."

"Pervert." Kamila shapeshifted in her evolved human form as she kissed Lith down his neck, strengthening her hold on his chest and increasing the pressure on his back.

"That’s not what I meant by test rides, but this works too." Lith called upon his human side, surpassing his wife in size again.

Then, he pulled her into an embrace and removed her bathrobe with deliberately slow, sensual movements.

***

"Children, we need to talk." Leegaain appeared in Elina’s room, where she was teaching Aryk and Lilak basic math. "My daughter is healed, and my presence is no longer required here."

"So, this is it?" Lilax’s eyes met Elina’s and then lowered to take a last look at her desert robes. "Are you going to bring us back to Dekari?"

The pain in her voice made Elina’s stomach churn. Her maternal instinct demanded she take the two youths in, but her brain stopped her.

’This is not something I can decide on my own. I need to consult Raaz first.’ She thought. ’Also, I don’t know if this is the best choice for them. If Lilax and Aryk enter the Verhen Household, their lives will be constantly in danger.’

"Not necessarily." Leegaain threw Elina a short reproachful look. "You can stay in the Desert, if you want, or you can come back to the Empire with me. Either way, I’ll take good care of you and treat you like my honored guests.

"You’ll have a home, food, and everything you need while you complete your education. After that, I expect you to find a job and provide for yourself."

Aryk nodded and sighed in relief.

"I’m disappointed in you, Grandfather." Elina grunted, instead. "These poor kids have struggled for so long, and you already put a deadline on the little stability they got? Don’t you have a heart?"

"I’m neither pushing them away nor rushing them." Leegaain’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Giving them a good life after so many hardships is the least I can do for them, but good doesn’t mean spoiled.

"Did you and Raaz stop working only because Lith could provide for your family?"

"Of course not." Elina shook her head. "We had a farm to run and Aran to raise. We did what we needed to protect our independence and teach our son the importance of hard work."

"And that’s exactly what I want for Lilax and Aryk." Leegaain nodded. "I never said I’ll throw them back on the streets, only that I won’t let them turn into pampered brats."

"Thank you, Leegaain." Aryk gave him a polite bow. "Can I become a mage like you?"

"No, and neither can you, Lilax." The Guardian shook his head. "Your magic potential is negligible, but there are countless other jobs you can master. Still, it’s too soon to worry about that. Where do you want to live?"

"Where would we live in the Empire?" Lilax asked.

The Blood Desert was nice and the palace luxurious, but its climate and customs were weird to her. Also, once the Guardian left, she wouldn’t know who to ask for help.

"In my home." Leegaain replied. "As I said, you’d be my honored guests."

"I want to go back to the Empire!" Aryk’s eyes lit up with joy. "I could kill for a bowl of Leegaain’s Stew and a slice of Dragon Cake."

"Yes, people in the Empire are obsessed with Dragons." Leegaain answered Elina’s silent question. "Also, no, I have done nothing to push the public opinion one way or the other. You can continue your lesson."

Leegaain gave the youths two servings of the food Aryk had requested, and they devoured it with tears in their eyes. The stew and the cake were nothing fancy, but for street urchins like them, such foods were the greatest luxury they could afford on their lucky days.

The certainty of a peaceful future was the best condiment to their favorite meal, giving the delicious cooking of the Guardian an even better taste.

***

Zoreth’s long bath would have lasted much longer if her roaring stomach hadn’t demanded its due. She had absorbed plenty of life support liquid while in the Infirmary, but nutrients and potions couldn’t sate her hunger.

The Shadow Dragon’s life force was still in the process of fine-tuning the balance between its different aspects and recovering from the surgical cuts of the procedure. The boundless vitality of her troll side worked better and faster than any healing spell, but it also burned a lot of calories.

"Thank the gods for the dimensionally compressed food, or I would spend the whole day eating." Zoreth had already wolfed down an entire flock of sheep, but their savory meat had been quickly consumed to fuel her recovery.

"Can’t you sit down and take your time enjoying your meal?" Bytra said as they strolled through the green of the oasis surrounding the Heavenly Plume Tribe. "This place would be perfect for a picnic."

"I’m sorry, Byt, but I’ve spent too long sitting." Zoreth shuddered at the memory of Leegaain’s floating chair.