2026 Domestic Affairs (Part 2)

After a few tries, Lith tried switching with Solus who discovered not only how hard it was for her core to deal with that kind of power but also that she was still attuned to light and earth better.

The other elements resisted their control and there was no time to use Domination.

The exercise went on for hours until even the elder Awakened were tired. Casting the spells without conjuring their effects didn't burden their cores but it still required a lot of focus.

"That's enough for now, kid." Hala said. "We have no idea when the enemy will attack and we can't have you get exhausted before the battle even starts. Go take a stroll, drink some tea, do whatever helps you to recover your mental strength."

Lith waved them goodbye and left the room, knowing exactly what to do. He took one of the small Warp Gates that were the core of Belius' public transportation system and went to his home.

'Actually, it's Kamila's apartment, but I considered it mine as well ever since she gave me the keys.' Lith noticed that there were no seals on the door, either magical or physical in nature.

He had expected some sort of security measure to have been set in place after Kamila had defected the army, in the case she ever came back.

Yet he didn't stop wondering if the Royals had the seals removed after agreeing with the deal or if the apartment had simply been reassigned. All Lith could think about was the relief he felt when the key matched the lock.

Once the door opened, he noticed that aside from the layer of dust and the stuffy air, everything was exactly as he remembered it.

'Gods, I can't believe Kami didn't change the lock even after we broke up. The last time I came here was right after Manohar's death, but back then I was barely holding my shit together to give my key a try.' He opened the windows to let the fresh air in as he used water magic to wash the dust away from every surface.

Cleaning wasn't just out of habit. Lith loved that apartment and seeing it in such a neglected state just felt wrong.

'What's that? I don't remember ever seeing it here before.' Solus telepathically pointed at a wooden trunk near the entrance.

It was covered in a thicker layer of dust than the rest of the furniture so Kamila must have left it here even before she moved to the Desert. Lith opened it, discovering that it contained every single gift he had ever given her.

"What the fuck?" Without thinking about the time or that she might be busy with Jirni, Lith took his communicator out and called her.

"I was about to call you. I just heard that you have been assigned to Belius' defense forces. Where are you?"

"At our apartment, I mean yours-"

"Got it." Kamila hung up the call walking through the door just a few seconds later.

"How did you get here so quickly?" Lith asked in surprise.

"The Gate right outside our door, remember?" She ran into his arms, holding him tight. "One of the privileges of dating an Archmage."

Then, noticing that he didn't return the embrace, she took a step back to look him in the eyes.

"What's wrong, babe?"

"What does that mean?" He pointed at the trunk. "Why didn't you change the locks if you were about to throw away all of my stuff?"

Kamila opened her eyes wide, she had almost forgotten about it.

"That has been sitting there since we broke up. I couldn't move on with my life if every time I opened a drawer or looked into my closet, I saw something that reminded me of you." She replied.

"I know that. I mean why didn't you bring it to the Desert?"

"Because I didn't know if you would have said yes and I couldn't risk the army noticing it had gone missing. If they did and you rejected me, I wouldn't have had a place where to return." She lowered her gaze.

"But I kept the locks, the chest, and imprinting the Camellia because I never stopped believing in us. I just… needed to be a Lith and have a contingency plan."

"You're right. Sorry for being a jerk." He wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace. "Still, what are you doing here? I thought you were at work."

"I was at work. Didn't you notice that I pulled an all-nighter?"

Only then did Lith realize that the sun was rising above the horizon, spreading a reddish light that barely filtered through Belius' tall walls and buildings.

"Wow. Insensitive much."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I rushed here right after the Royals summoned me and then I've been busy practicing spells with Faluel. I lost track of time." He said.

"I'll forgive you only because you've cleaned the place." Kamila passed her white glove over several surfaces, finding it immaculate. "As I was saying, after working a double shift, Jirni gave me permission to have breakfast with you."

She shapeshifted his uniform into a loose shirt and pants that left only her head and hands exposed. Then, she opened her briefcase revealing that it contained groceries instead of documents.

Lith forgot about the chest and the incoming battle, feeling at home again. Sitting in the dining room while Kamila worked at the stove made it seem just like a regular day back when he was a Ranger.

"I'm the one who's up for over 16 hours. Do I have to cook and set the table as well?" She turned her head at him, pouting in mock outrage.

"Sorry, babe." A snap of his fingers and a spark of Spirit Magic arranged two sets of plates and cutleries in front of their chairs.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"My part?" He asked in confusion.

"Did you leave Solus in the Desert?" Kamila furrowed her brows, refusing to believe he could be that stupid.

"No, she's right here." Lith showed her the stone ring at his finger.

"Then why set up the table for two if there's three of us?" She stepped to the side, showing that she was cooking an extra serving of eggs and sausages. "Solus will need her strength in battle. She can't fight on an empty stomach."

"I didn't want to bother you two." A feminine voice came out of the stone ring. "This is your home, not mine. The only times I've been here is when Lith brought me with him during your first dates.

Solus still remembered how angry Kamila had been when she had learned about her existence and how Solus' intruding in the most intimate moments of their life had been the reason for their break up.

She was afraid that her presence would stir those bade memories and make them argue, spoiling that moment of peace right before the storm.

"What the heck are you talking about? How can my wife's presence bother me?" Kamila chuckled. "I even brought pastries from your favorite bakery."

She took a small bag out of her briefcase, spreading the sweet scent of still hot cream puffs.

"Are you sure?" Solus' sweet tooth fought hard against her insecurities but lost miserably.