“Yes, I’ve asked Solus to be my partner as well in raising our daughter and she accepted.” Kamila said.
“What?” Lith was aware that he sounded like a broken record, but he was too scared and confused to care.
“Kami, without a mind link, this will take us all day. Mind if I bring him up to speed?” Solus asked.
“Sure.” This time, when Solus’ eyes turned black and Lith’s golden, Kamila didn’t seem to mind.
“I need some air.” Lith felt suffocating.
He was relieved that the fusion hadn’t caused another pregnancy and terrified by the new bond between the two women. Lith couldn’t hide anything from Solus and Kamila played him like a fiddle.
If they worked together, his stone ring was no different from a slave item.
“Okay.” A snap of Solus’ fingers created ample windows and even a balcony.
“That’s not what I m- Never mind.” While he covered his face with his hands, whining, Kamila told Solus everything up to the Warp Steps.
“So he made a nursery and even practiced changing diapers! That’s so romantic.” Solus sighed as if she had just watched a rom-com.
“Then we moved here and you can imagine the rest.” Kamila said, blushing a little while Solus blushed as well.
She had the memories of her own past deeds plus Lith’s from the fusion so her imagination ran wild.
While Lith was still shocked by Kamila sharing such unnecessary details and by the words the two women had exchanged in the tower acquiring a new whole meaning, Kamila told Solus about their plans for the immediate future.
“Thanks for involving me in the decision, Kami. It means the world to me.” Solus hugged Kamila gently, holding her like the most precious crystal on Mogar.
“No need to thank me. As I had to repeat multiple times to Lith to hammer it through that thick skull of his, this is our life. We are going to take this kind of decision together.” Kamila said.
Never before “we” had had such a terrifying ring to it. Lith wanted to cry but no one seemed to notice his distress.
‘I bet they do. They just don’t care.’ He inwardly sighed.
“I agree with naming the child after Elina. Mom deserves all the happiness on Mogar. As for the visits, I’d like to start from Inxialot.” Solus said.
“Meeting Aunt Loka might be unpleasant. Either I recover new sad memories or she acts up, it would be very depressing. On top of that, Malyshka will be there as well for our protection and she’s pissed off at you.
“Liches instead are funny and I’m really curious about Inxialot’s country house.”
“Liches are funny?” Lith echoed. “Have you hit your head or what?”
“They are when you are certain that they can’t do you any harm.” Solus shrugged. “Also, I really hope we get to meet Zolgrish and Ratpack again since our Lich associate is Inxialot’s apprentice.”
Kamila furrowed her brows at Solus, sharing Lith’s concerns. At least until Solus showed her all their previous encounters via a mind link. After that, Kamila had a fit of a belly laugh, crying in hilarity.
“I’m with Solus. They do seem funny, Scrooge. Can you show me the secret Lich handshake, please?”
“No. It’s embarrassing!” Lith said.
“Pretty please? I can use a good laugh after worrying so much.” Kamila looked at him with loving eyes, her hand instinctively moving on her womb.
“Fine!” Lith’s determination shattered and he conjured a hard-light construct of Zolgrish.
‘I wonder if this is how my life is going to be from now on.’ He inwardly griped. ‘Fuck me sideways! Once the baby is born, I’ll have three girls looking at me like that. I’m screwed.’
His grimace made everything funnier, making Kamila laugh the whole time and giving him applause once the performance was over.
“Now that everything is settled, let’s go visit the little Shargein.” Solus stood up from the bed. “You still have to introduce yourself to your little uncle and this is the perfect occasion to bond with Grampa.
“After that, we have to reassure the rest family that you are alright. Dad and the kids need you more than ever.”
“Agreed.” Kamila held Lith by his left arm and Solus by the right.
They dragged him away without bothering to ask for his opinion on the matter.
***
Blood Desert, Heavenly Plume Tribe, Salaark’s dining room, a few days later.
Setting up the appointment with Inxialot had taken longer than Lith had expected. The Lich King had answered the call immediately but for some reason, he kept postponing the meeting to the next day.
“Usually, reaching Inxialot’s country house is a hassle but lucky for you, you have me.” Leegaain wasn’t scheduled as the Guardian of the day but he had switched with Tyris for the occasion.
He held the little Shargein wrapped in a thick cloth made of Phoenix feathers woven together and the baby was in his hybrid form, cooing. Splitting the Father of All Dragons from his latest newborn was a hard task.
Salaark had to battle fiercely against him even to get to hold her baby.
“Do you really think that the secret lab of a mad Lich is a place suitable for a baby?” Kamila said while pointing at the whelp.
“I could ask you the same thing.” Leegaain pointed at her womb in return. “Besides, I’m not bringing him there. I’m going to leave Shargein in my secret lab!”
“Exactly.” Salaark said with a snarl as she walked through the door.
“Are you coming along, Grandma?” Lith asked.
“Yes. Your Grandfather insisted to share this moment with me and I couldn’t refuse since he also offered to let me spend some time with my son without having to fight for it for once.” The Overlord had regained her figure the day after giving birth but her temper had become much worse.
“Women. Am I right?” Leegaain held Shargein tighter as if Salaark was a thief and winked at Lith.
“Help.” Was all he could say since he had Kamila at his right, Solus at his left, and Salaark in front of him. All of them glaring.
“Don’t worry, relationships get better with time. Or so I’m told since my experience begs to differ.” Leegaain said.
“Help.” Lith replied.
“Here is our cue.” A snap of the Guardian’s fingers combined his powers with the mana geyser under Salaark’s palace to open a Warp Gate straight to their destination.
They found themselves inside a Forgemastery lab equipped with a mix of magic and technology. Lith was flabbergasted seeing several computers working to solve complex equations meant to find new runes of power or to devise perfect magical circles.
The Forge in the middle of the lab was made of Davross and so was the enchanted hammer resting on it that closely resembled Salaark’s. A fiery pit filled with magma and cosmic radiations fueled the smithy where Leegaain gave shape to his creations.
“By the Great Mother.” He and Solus said in amazement.
The terminals were comprised each of a single memory crystal the size of an apple that generated a holographic screen and keyboard. Along the side walls, were lined multiple levels of shelves.
