"True, but there's no telling how long Zoreth has left before her condition worsens and everything that we've done today becos useless." Lith replied as the level of the erald liquid had beco high enough to turn the plop into a plink.
"I know, but what if sothing happens and you are too weak to fight?" Solus wrung her hands in worry.
"We are in the Desert, and Dad and Senton have already brought the kids back." Lith used Invigoration again. "There's nothing to worry about. I'll be fine after a good night's rest."
"If you can afford a good night's rest." Solus sighed and dropped the argunt. "By the way, how do you feel?"
"I'm always the sa, but at least work is a pleasant distraction. It keeps my mind clear of what I've experienced when I bonded with Raum's victims." Lith replied. "The problem is that's just that. A distraction.
"Leegaain shouldered the burden with and shielded from most of the pain, but I can't stop thinking about them. Also, I can't stand this. Not again." He spread his arms to encompass everything around him.
"Spending so much ti inside the tower?" Solus' heart tightened at those words.
"No, silly." Lith gave her a small smile to reassure her. "I an running away from an enemy we can't defeat. We downplayed Raum's threat and convinced our family that this is a vacation in the Desert, but we know the truth.
"We are hiding here just like after ln exposed my nature as a Divine Beast. If not for Grandpa's intervention, we would have to stay here until soone killed Raum or we ca up with a decent plan to deal with him ourselves.
"If not for Grandma, we would be forced to spend the rest of our lives on the run like criminals. I don't like this, Solus. Not one bit."
"I'm sorry." Solus lowered her head, her hands tornting the hems of her dress. "This is all my fault."
"What are you talking about?" Lith asked in confusion while using Abyssal Gaze for the third ti.
"Raum ca after you because he wanted to force my mother to help him. We have managed to keep the secret of the tower's existence from the rest of Mogar, but we couldn't hide Mom's return after she rescued from the clutches of the World Tree.
"I'm the reason you've beco a target for ancient nutjobs who demand the services of the First Ruler of the Flas."
"Nonsense." Lith snorted, dismissing her argunt with a sweep of his hand. "I've beco a target for nutjobs ever since I revealed my nature as a perfect hybrid. Everyone wanted to know how to rge two Guardian bloodlines and what my abilities were."
"That's true." Solus pondered.
"Then there was the issue with Verendi, ln, and Void Magic." Lith continued. "Don't forget that there are plenty of Awakened who resent us for sharing our legacy with fake mages and would give an arm and a leg to get their hands on it.
"Ripha is just the latest item on the list of grievances the rest of Mogar has with us, and I an it. This is our problem, Solus, not just yours. I conjured Ripha, I asked her to stay, and I'll be damned before I let soone take her away from you."
Lith snarled, the thought of Solus losing her mother was as painful as that of losing one of his parents.
"You are not the problem, Solus. You never were and never will be. You are the reason I'm still alive and my family is safe. You don't have anything to apologize for. Especially now." Lith leaned back against the throne as his mana bled out of him.
"What do you an?" Solus asked.
"Solus, don't play coy with . That's my job." He extended his hand, and she took it. "I don't need our bond to know how violated you feel from Bytra's runes becoming a part of your body."
Solus tried to act aloof, but her face twisted in disgust before she could control herself.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Lith looked her in the eyes, keeping his thoughts past the edge of their bond to ensure her privacy.
"It's no big deal." Solus replied, yet her tone lacked conviction. "I can manage having a piece of my murderer forever stuck in the tower. I can get used to having a constant reminder of the person who took everything away from ."
With each word she spoke, her voice beca louder and filled with rage.
"I'm okay with Bytra stealing my mother's work and using it to invade my ho. I'm not upset that bitch forced her way into my safe place again and tainted it with her fucking touch forever!"
Solus stomped her foot in outrage and then again, and again as she paced furiously around the Storage. Her hatred painted the lights of the tower a deep hue of red, making it look like a slaughterhouse whose walls had been splashed with fresh blood.
"Mom already forgave Bytra. I have no reason to resent her anymore. If we manage to save Zor, it will be in part thanks to Bytra." Solus' words and actions couldn't be more at odds.
Her hands opened and closed nonstop in frustration, and she bared her teeth like an angry beast thirsty for blood.
"Do you want a hug?" Lith asked without standing up from the extraction throne.
Not because he didn't want to console and reassure Solus, but because he knew their bond was a double-edged blade. His touch would have eased her anger towards Bytra and cald her down, but her unresolved feelings would smolder under the surface.
Unless Solus dealt with her inner demons, sooner or later they would drive her mad again. Lith could help her carry her burden, but only she could let go of it and move on. He wanted to be there for her, but not if that ant becoming an addiction.
On top of that, he was afraid to pass part of his recent trauma on to her and make things even worse.
"I…" Solus hesitated, torn about doing the right or the easy thing. "Yes, please."
She ran into Lith the mont he straightened up, wrapping her arms around his chest.
"By my Mom, I can't believe so many years have passed and we're still so ssed up." Her rage crashed against Lith's calm, and his pain broke against Solus' warmth until their respective negative emotions faded into white noise.
"To our defense, we've overco a lot of our issues." Lith returned the embrace. "It's not our fault if life doesn't give us a break."
"True." Solus listened to his heartbeat and let it soothe her restless spirit. "I'm proud of you. You knew the dangers of helping so many tornted souls and did it nonetheless. It's a great improvent for a guy who until a few years ago cared only about himself."
"Progress, not perfection, rember?" Lith replied. "And I'm proud of you for allowing Bytra to stay in the tower with Zor and going so far to help them despite your grudge. It's a great improvent from the first ti you two t."
"Progress, not perfection." Solus said.
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