Chapter 4236: Wild Rumors (Part 1)

"Nowhere close, but if you need help, I can ask Urhen and Garrik to let you study their life forces." Solus replied while dispelling the Hush field that had kept the honor guards from overhearing them until that moment.

"They are the most stable Balor and Fomor that Glemos’ research ever produced. Yet there’s something you must do for me first."

"Which is?" Silverwing asked in confusion.

She had waited for a long time for the opportunity to help Lith and Solus, hoping to prove her worth and mend fences with them.

"Put down the baby." The honor guards at the entrance crossed their spears, blocking Silverwing’s way and answering her question.

"What are you talking a- Good gods, I was certain to have put Ral back into the crib!" Only then did Silverwing notice that she was keeping the baby boy tight to her bosom as she walked towards the exit. "I don’t know how this could have happened."

"You and half the women who came here tonight." The Ice Dragon growled. "Now put down the baby. I won’t repeat myself a third time."

"Mama?" Raldarak asked, and dozens of icy knives seemed to pierce the First Magus’ heart.

Her whole body screamed in denial at the idea of parting herself from the baby boy, but she did it anyway. Silverwing handed Raldarak to Solus, ensuring that her hands wouldn’t betray her again.

The moment the baby boy was safe between Solus’ arms, Silverwing ran away, unable to deal with the mix of humiliation and sadness that plagued her heart.

"That was weird of Aunt Loka." Solus crooned to reassure Raldarak and Elysia that everything was alright. "Or rather, it would have been weird if not for all the people who did the exact same thing."

"I’ll go after her." Baba Yaga said. "Please, send Lochra a message if your offer is still valid. We’ll contact you later to arrange the details. See you soon, Solus."

The rest of the evening proceeded quietly. Raldarak received lots of compliments from the Wyalons, the Larks, and the Marths. Vastor didn’t attend the Gala with the excuse of being busy, but Zinya came in his stead.

"Dad would have gone crazy about your children, Lith." Jadon Lark said. "I bet that his monocle would have popped out of his eye socket so often that the silk string would have snapped once when he met Ral, and only the gods know how many more times while sharing his thoughts with the other guests."

"Yeah." A sad smile formed on Lith’s face. "I bet that Count Lark would have spent so much time doting on the babies that Elysia would have mistaken him for a member of the family and called him grandpa."

"And Dad would have loved every moment of it." Keyla sighed, bidding farewell.

"Thanks for the beautiful evening." Baron Eiros Wyalon shook Lith’s hand vigorously. "I’m sure your boy will grow up into a fierce warrior, just like you."

"Thanks, Baron, but I really hope Ral won’t need to fight as much as me." Lith replied.

The Divine Beasts were the second last to leave the Verhen Mansion, followed solely by the members of the honor guard.

"Thank you for everything you did." Lith gave the Divine Beasts a bow. "The Guardians may protect my children’s lives, but tonight you ensured that no one slipped inside the nursery in the middle of the confusion and studied the babies or took samples of their tissues."

"Don’t mention it." Legato, the Ice Dragon, said. "It was an honor to serve on this auspicious evening. You’ve received the Davros ingots we sent you for the babies, right?"

"Of course." Lith nodded. "They are safely stored and ready to be crafted into a masterpiece."

"If you need help with that, don’t hesitate to ask." Kanera, the Molten Phoenix, said. "Every member of the Nest would spare no effort to Forgemaster life-saving equipment for a new member of our family."

"Thank you for your offer, Kanera, but we might have a problem with that." Lith groaned.

"What problem?" She asked in confusion.

"I think he’s referring to your attempt to spirit away Ral, daughter." Salaark pointed at the baby boy sleeping on Kanera’s chest.

"Oh, gods! I can’t believe I did it as well." The Molten Phoenix looked honestly mortified. "I’d better go before I make a fool of myself even more. I’ll spare you the usual excuses."

"Fret not, Hatchling." Salaark said, taking Raldarak from her daughter. "Holding a baby so small and cute who calls you ’mom’ is bound to arouse the maternal instinct of most women. Especially the childless ones like you."

"Mama?" Ral yawned, confirming her words as the wings of every female Dragon and Phoenix present fluttered.

"Now, if you excuse us, Featherling, we’ll take our leave."

"No, I don’t excuse you, Grandma." Lith snorted.

"And why is that?" Salaark asked in mild amusement.

"Are you kidding me?" Kamila was second away from choking someone to death. "You just moved Ral into your arms and are trying to leave with him! That’s *my* child for the gods’ sake!"

"But... he calls me mama, and he’s clinging to me." Salaark wrapped her wings around the baby, as if to protect him from the cruel world. "He wants to come home with me."

"Grandma, that’s not a puppy or an orphan you found abandoned on the side of the road." Lith grunted. "That’s my son, and this is my house. What you are doing is daylight kidnapping!"

"You’re so mean!" Salaark gave the baby boy to Kamila before running away into the night, sobbing. "I hate you!"

"Please, excuse my mother." Kanera said. "She didn’t mean that. She just likes Hatchlings with all her heart."

The Dragons left next, making sure that the females gave the baby boy a wide berth to avoid further embarrassment.

Only when three consecutive scans of the tower’s arrays confirmed to Kamila that there was no one outside the family left in the Mansion did she allow herself to lower her guard.

She plopped on the nearest sofa with Raldarak still held tight to her chest.

"Gods, I really have to be careful about what I wish." She sighed. "I never thought that Ral saying mom as his first word would cause so much trouble."

"Mama?" The baby boy lowered his eyes, feeling somewhat responsible.

"No, my love!" Kamila pinched his little cheeks and peppered his face with kisses. "You did nothing wrong. It’s all those weird women that made mommy sad."

"Meanie!" Salaark’s voice echoed with a sob.

"Oh, shut up!" Kamila snarled at the ceiling.

"Here you go." Lith carried Elysia and Valeron, letting the babies meet again without any meddlers intruding in the moment.

The three toddlers shared a long hug and some babble before falling asleep as one.

"I think we should follow their example." Solus said with a big yawn. "This Gala was exhausting."

"See? That’s why I always teach dya first." Leegaain’s voice resounded throughout the room. "This would have never happened if Ral only knew how to say, ’Dad’."

"You shut up, too!" Kamila hadn’t enjoyed the night, but she hated the thought of not hearing the word mom much more.

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