Aside from the kids and Raaz, everyone had just rested their eyes for a second before alcohol and tiredness knocked them out.
“Gods, my back is killing me.” Elina had spent the night with her face on the table while sitting on one of the wooden chairs and was now paying the price.
“Why didn’t you go to bed, Mom?” Tista asked.
“That was my intention. The last thing I remember is that I was about to wake you up. I must have fallen asleep without even noticing.” Elina replied.
“Five more minutes.” Solus grumbled, mistaking those words for the morning call while she curled up and hid under the blankets to shield herself from sunlight.
Tista checked Rena’s room, discovering that Senton had slept there alone while his wife had spent the night in Tista’s room. Tista sighed, hoping that a good night’s sleep and breakfast would defuse the quarrel of the previous night.
Seeing his whole family stepping up the social ladder while he remained a blacksmith had gotten under Senton’s skin. As far as Tista remembered, she had heard them arguing through the door until she had lost consciousness.
Senton wasn’t angry with his wife or with her family. He was just pissed off for the treatment he had received at the Royal Court and afraid that his daughter might grow distant as her magic powers developed.
‘Poor Senton. Yesterday must have been a huge blow to his pride. Everyone knows Rena, Leria, and even the triplets whereas no one bothers remembering his name.’ Tista took her Great Mage robe off and walked out of the door in the still-chilly air of the night.
It was a habit she had picked up right after Lith had cured her from the symptoms of the Strangler for good. Back then, the cold bit at her skin whereas now her Awakened body barely registered it.
She took long and deep breaths, appreciating how her lungs effortlessly filled with air. The freshness of the air and the lack of coughing still gave her euphoria, no matter how many years had passed since the last fit.
‘I am free now. My body is no longer my prison.’ Tista spread her arms, waiting for the sun to dawn on the horizon.
At the thin border between light and darkness where every Phoenix lived, while it was still neither day nor night, she shapeshifted into her Red Demon form. Her whole body turned from flesh and blood into a mass of deep-red living flames.
Their temperature rose with the sun, turning orange first and then all the way up to a faint deep violet. The moment the indigo of the sky turned red, light overcame darkness and the flames went out, leaving Tista in her human form.
‘Dammit! I failed once again to keep whatever the Ethereal Aegis bloodline ability is under control.’ She inwardly cursed.
Immediately before sunrise and after sundown were the only moments when Tista could exploit the natural balance of the elements to safely conjure her powers. It was an exercise that she had learned in the Desert from the Phoenixes of Salaark’s nest.
It was a trick that all Featherlings used to get a feel of their bloodline abilities without endangering their life force. Luckily, it worked for Tista as well. Unluckily, it didn’t last long nor did it work for Lith due to his dominant Dragon blood.
She looked around to make sure that no one had witnessed her training and went back inside the home. The farmhands would be there any moment now and Tista had no desire to scare them or have them start a cult of her own.
“Be a dear and fix me up.” Elina had just come out of the bathroom where she had removed the make-up and jewels after shapeshifting the gala dress into her working clothes. “I can’t stop yawning and someone has to prepare breakfast.”
They had all slept too little and Elina was just human.
She was aching from the uncomfortable sleeping position in places she had no idea could hurt and she could barely keep her eyes open.
“Do you want me to call Lith?” Tista asked while using Invigoration to make the pain go away and fill Elina with energy.
“Let him sleep. He needs some peace.” Elina looked at the bundle of blankets under which Solus was hidden and sighed. “Today is their last day together after being joined to the hip for sixteen years. It’s going to be hard on both of them.”
“Don’t talk like that, Mom. It’s not like Solus is going to disappear. We’ll have to come back at least once a day if the city where we stay has no geyser. Worst case scenario, they won’t see each other for a few days at a time.” Tista replied.
“Still, it’s going to be painful and you know it.” Elina said.
Solus’ peaceful sleep lasted only until Aran and Leria were woken up by the delicious smell of breakfast.
“Aunt Solus, it’s too soon for hibernating. Are you a Hydra as well?” Aran dug her out to check on her condition.
“Let her sleep, you peasant. More biscuits for us.” Leria walked out of her room still wearing her full Gala attire and acting like a princess.
“Take that off or you are going to dirt it.” Elina said.
“Don’t be silly, Grandma. It can self-clean.” Leria giggled.
“Biscuits!” Aran and Solus said in unison as the sweet smell of freshly baked goods reached their nostrils.
“Dammit, you woke her up!” Leria chided Aran. “Well done, runt.”
“Isn’t it too early for your daily quarrels?” Solus yawned while taking her place at the table. “Also, don’t you feel ridiculous dressing like that at home?”
“Hello, pot. My name is kettle and you are black.” Leria pointed at Solus’ gala dress and jewelry.
“Thank you! That’s why I felt so weird.” A wave of her hand and the parure disappeared in the pocket dimension.
Darkness magic wiped every foreign substance off her face and the dress shapeshifted into regular clothes. Leria pouted and kept her sophisticated attire.
At least until everyone sat down for breakfast dressed normally.
“Your majesty, do you mind passing me the butter?” Lith gave her a small bow that made everyone laugh.
“Uncle Lith!” Leria glared at him, pouting as she handed him the butter.
Between the jokes and the stark contrast with the rest of the family, she went from feeling like a princess to just ridiculous very quickly. Leria changed as well when even Abominus gave her a small bow.
“When are you two leaving?” Lith asked, making it sound as casual as he could.
“Tomorrow first thing in the morning.” Solus replied. “Today I’d like to spend it with everyone while we stay at Grandma’s. I want to be at the top of my game and make sure we aren’t forgetting anything.”
Sleeping outside the tower didn’t restore much of her strength and Solus felt her energy dwindling already despite being close to Lith and wearing the Sage Staff at her neck.
‘No matter how uncomfortable being away from Lith is, I need to get used to it. Otherwise I’ll end up spending more time home than traveling.’
