1866Picking Up the Pieces (Part 2)

Vastor, Xenagrosh, Athung, and Aalejah called him often to receive status updates on the situation of his family and to offer him their help. The Abomination in particular was worried for him and Solus, fearing that distance and Salaark would destroy their relationship forever.

Xenagrosh wanted Solus to meet Bytra again above everything else, to let the two women talk instead of fighting and set aside their differences. The Fourth Ruler of the Flames' joy after being forgiven for her crimes had lasted shortly.

After a while, she had realized that she actually had no idea how Elphyn had spent the last 700 years, of what had happened to Menadion's tower, and what the reason for her amnesia was.

Bytra suspected that everything came down to her again, more crimes and senseless cruelty that her old self had inflicted upon the heir of Menadion without even knowing it.

She needed closure, real closure, and the uncertainty ate at her from inside, making it impossible for her to enjoy her life anymore. Lith reassured everyone but made no promises.

He was too depressed, too broken, and too tired to care about anything but his family.

Much to his surprise, even Feela the Behemoth called him.

"Why so surprised? I'm the Council representative of the Beast faction and you are one of our own." She said with a warm smile that would have raised the temperature of the room by several degrees if not for his sour mood.

"On top of that, you had also been designated as our liaison with the Royals. Those bastards knew it and dared to mess with you anyway." She said with a snarl, slamming her fit arms on her chair and making the long tress her hair was fixed into bounce on her perky bosom.

"I can't break the treaty, mind you. We are at war and in the big scheme of things, differences must be set aside. However, this doesn't mean that I can't raise the price for our help or use my influence to try and smooth things over for you."

She rose from her chair, pacing around nervously in quick strides that emphasized her long and shapely legs. She wore training clothes, not a cocktail dress, but they were tight enough to bring out her soft curves.

"Thanks, Feela, but right now I don't feel like coming back to the Kingdom. I'm still too angry and if I'm in the same room with a soldier or a noble, my fangs are the last things they are going to see." Lith said, completely oblivious of what was happening.

"Understandable." She swept her tress back, making it seductively slither around her hips. "If there's anything you need that doesn't involve materials and legacy secrets, you can count on me."

Feela wasn't really interested in someone so young for Awakened standards, but after hearing from Faluel about Lith's crippled life force and how it had been further reduced, she knew that there wasn't much time left.

She had even retained her youthful looks of a woman barely thirty years old, knowing Lith's weak spot for partners of that age.

'He's down and vulnerable. All I need is to remain alone with him during one training session. Then, I'm going to make things heat up by moving to a close-up and physical approach.' She thought.

'At that point, I should be settled and the Behemoth bloodline will finally have its chance. His Tiamat form already merged perfectly the Phoenix and Dragon bloodline so the chances that he can do the same for the Griffon bloodline are high.

'Worst case scenario, we could always give birth to a new species that possesses the traits of the Griffons and those of either a Dragon or a Phoenix.'

"Thanks for the offer, Feela. I could use both some company and distraction, but now I need to recover. We'll talk about this later." Usually Lith would have seen past her words, but too many things weighed on his mind already, slowing it down.

"Perfect! Let me know when you are feeling better. Feela out."

On the second day of their arrival in the Desert, the Verhens received a pleasant surprise. Nalrond, Protector, Selia, and their kids had come there to stay.

"Selia!" Elina said while embracing her friend who she had thought lost.

"Elina, don't you think that you can get rid of me so easily. Not with another bun in the oven." The huntress chuckled.

"Wow, you look like crap." The Rezar said, patting Lith's arm.

"Thanks. What are you guys doing here?" He asked.

"Things in Lutia are not going well for Zekell due to his relationship with you, but thanks to Count Lark and Marchioness Distar, he'll manage. We, however, are known to be close friends of your family and have no noble ally." Protector replied.

"People were getting suspicious of us. Suddenly my mysterious appearance and that of Nalrond were raising too many questions. That along with the risk of Meln making us his targets pushed us to leave."

"I'm sorry for your houses. I know how much money and work you had poured into them." Lith sighed, feeling guilty for dragging them in his misery.

"Don't worry, we'll manage." The Ry shrugged, squeezing Lith in a bear hug. "Besides, I couldn't leave you alone, Scourge. Now more than ever, you need friends.

"I've already arranged lodges for us with Salaark and enrolled my kids in the local school. Here their nature of hybrids is hardly a novelty. There are plenty of Phoenix hybrids and lesser hybrids born from the members of the nest.

"Here, Lilia and Leran will be able to learn magic, control their strength, and socialize with people of their age. This is actually a blessing in disguise for us. Also, I can always go back to the Kingdom with a Warp Array if Faluel needs me."

"What about you, Nalrond?" Lith asked.

"After talking a lot with Friya, I decided that it was time to stop running away from my past." He replied. "I'm just like the kids, I need to get comfortable around humans even in my second skin.

"On top of that, I was thinking to go back to the Fringe and see if I can learn something new after pulling my head out of my ass. Would you like to join me?"

"It would be my pleasure." Lith nodded. "I have many things that I need to ask Mogar as well."

"Good! Friya will be happy to know it."

"What does she have to do with this?" Lith asked.

"It was her pushing me to get back home and keep you company. Also, this way she has a good reason to visit often since the both of us live here. When we go to the Fringe, she'll come with us." Nalrond replied.

Every time that he mentioned Friya or talked about her, his eyes lit up with joy, making Lith understand that their second date must have gone well and that many others had followed.

It filled him with joy for his friend and made him green with envy. Nalrond had found a loving companion and put his life back on track whereas Lith's was in shambles and he felt more alone than ever.