2074 Past Grudge (Part 2)

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Jirni smiled and stepped forward, taking Nalrond by the arm. "Let's take things slowly. Start by telling me how you two met."

The Rezar looked at Friya and whimpered, having no idea how much he was allowed to say. He lived in a sheltered environment where everyone knew everything about each other whereas Lith's world was utterly confusing.

There were people who knew only a part of his secrets and were entitled to learn a few more, others who had to be kept completely in the dark, and just a few he could completely trust.

And that was just about Lith. Once Nalrond had to factor in for Solus' share of secrets he would get completely lost.

"It's actually an interesting story, Mom." Friya took her mother's other arm feigning enthusiasm in recounting a heavily doctored version of the events of the Feymar mines in order to make no mention of the tower and Solus.

"Ah." Jirni said noticing the nervousness of her daughter and the relief of the man from the Desert. "The garden is magnificent this time of the year. If I have to bear with a load of crap, I could use a pleasant smell to cover it."

She steered them toward the double doors that led outside, inwardly taking notes of all the inconsistencies in Friya's story to find a reasonable explanation for them later.

Tista had come as well and had brought Bodya the Nidhogg as her date. Unlike during the ascension ceremony, she enjoyed herself a lot a smiled much more often.

She still had her feathered wings out, but now that her expression had softened, between her figure and her delicate features, the wings only added to her charms.

"Girl, you really are taking seriously that Fairy Queen moniker that Nana gave you on her deathbed." Selia said while touching the silver-veined red feathers and enjoying how fluffy they were.

"Not really." Tista shrugged. "I just want to get used to both my bodies and not hide my second nature anymore. I'm not like my little brother, I can't conjure anything and I have no servant. So much for a Queen."

"Give yourself time. Nana nailed it big time dubbing Lith 'King of the Spirits' so she was probably right about you as well." Protector pointed at Trion, Valia, Locrias, and Varegrave who were mingling with the other guests and enjoying the company of their respective families.

"Yeah. I wonder if in her final moments she had developed something akin to Lith's Death Vision." Tista pondered. "By the way, I had hoped that the wings would keep the creeps away instead they attract them like flies to honey."

Selia wasn't the only one who had failed to resist the temptation to touch Tista's feathers without even asking. Bodya kept most men at bay, but he was useless against children who considered them soft toys.

"I see that you are still determined to take the beasts' path." Jiza Gernoff moved her gaze from the wings to the ashen skin of the Nidhogg human form. "I hoped that you would side with the human Council or at least you would take a human companion, like your brother."

"What I do with my life is none of your business." Tista snarled and her teeth shapeshifted into fangs for a split second.

"It's my business indeed. You are the only other living Demon on Mogar and your existence is bound to draw a lot of attention. Especially if one day the Council will need someone capable of countering Verhen." Lady Gernoff replied, finding the Red Demon as intimidating as an angry puppy.

"I'm never going to fight against my brother and I have no reason to listen to one more word you say." Tista turned around to leave but the much smaller human woman held her in place with a grip of steel.

Bodya tried to step in to help her, but Jiza's bright violet aura was enough to paralyze him.

"Never is a long time and you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. Also, I think I have something that might interest you." Jiza let Tista go the moment she had her attention and showed her a recording on the Council amulet.

It was one of the battles against Thrud's army Jiza had taken part into on behalf of the Council. The fight was a chaotic mess where people and spells often blocked the camera.

Jiza blocked the recording on a specific frame, zooming in to a humanoid figure.

"Isn't that Headmistress Anela Linnea?" Tista needed but a glance to recognize the woman who had denied Lith the attendance to the Lightning Griffon due to her grudge with Nana.

"Yes, it's her." Jiza nodded. "Our liaison with the Crown confirmed it. There's not much intel on her since we have no spies among Thrud's forces, but according to the rumors we have collected by scouting the Mad Queen's territories, Linnea is in charge of the Golden Griffon."

"I thought that Sevenus Hystar was the Headmaster." Tista said in confusion as she remembered how bitterly her mentor had lived after being betrayed by the people who were supposed to watch her back.

Linnea wasn't the only person responsible for Nana's decades of misery, but she had played a huge role in it.

"And so did I." Jiza shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe Thrud wants two Headmasters to better train her soldiers or maybe she keeps Hystar a secret even to her own troops. What really matters is this."

A quick change of the resolution gave the hologram colors, painting Linnea's aura violet.

"You are strong for your age, Tista, but you are no match for a violet-cored Awakened." Jiza said. "Now, I know that your brother has refused to share that part of his legacy with you, but it's never too late to ask to change your mentor."

She had no idea that Lith hadn't refused. It had been Tista's decision in order to find a way to tap into her own full potential without using a method unsuitable for her that might compromise her growth.

"And be at your mercy for 100 years? Thanks, but no thanks. Let's go, Bodya." Tista turned around again but this time Jiza did nothing to stop her.

"If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

"Are you really that angry at a person you have never met before?" The Nidhogg could see the fury seething inside of Tista turning her skin into scales with the rhythm of her heart.

"Of course not. That was back when I was young and stupid. I'm angry at Jiza for her attempt to manipulate me and at myself for allowing her to rile me up like this." Tista shook her head, taking deep breaths to calm down.

"Yet I've never forgiven Linnea for trying to destroy Lith just like she had done to Nana. I'm not going to put my life at risk for a decades old revenge but Linnea was a convicted traitor even before joining Thrud.

"If I meet her on the battlefield, I'll make sure to give her Nana's regards and return to Linnea all the suffering she inflicted upon my mentor."

Meanwhile, Lith, Solus, and Kamila were enjoying their evening, getting to know Faluel outside of her grueling training sessions.