"By the gods, Mom, shut up and let me do the talking!" Nok rolled over his back, exposing the soft fur of his belly to look as harmless as he could before explaining the whole story from the beginning.
"So you adopted Nyka once you understood that she had been reborn as an entirely new person." Elina said.
"Correct." Kalla nodded. "Do you mind offering me something to eat? Nurturing the crystal on my neck takes a lot of energy and being clobbered doesn't help. Also, the kids have a lot of things to say to each other and I don't want to embarrass them further with my presence."
"Sure. Follow me to the kitchen. I'm sure we have many things to talk about." Elina said while making way to the pantry.
"Food? Kitchen?" Nok's stomach rumbled from all those emotions and the strict diet. "I think I'll join you. I'm not interested in girls' talk."
The three of them walked away while the girls went to Solus's room, taking a bath in the hot springs that Salaark had given to each one of her guests in the place of a bathtub.
Tista told Nyka about how after reaching the blue core she had become a Wyrmling as well and how she had been struggling with her newfound double nature. Then, it was Solus's turn to share with her friend everything that had happened since the events in Lightkeep.
"Wow!" The Vampire said with a face that didn't match her words. "You girls are boring. After all this time, all you have to talk about is work? I wonder who among us is really dead and who is alive!"
Nyka then told them about how after moving to Lightkeep she had met lots of people, both living and undead, spending most of her free time at social events.
"I have a boyfriend now." She said, puffing her chest out with pride.
"Is he nice?" Tista was sick and tired of the handsome yet obnoxious men she had met in the Awakened community.
"Is it serious?" Solus asked.
"Respectively yes and no." Nyka replied, conjuring a life-sized image of her boyfriend from the gurgling water.
It took the semblance of a man with the features typical of the Griffon Kingdom. He was as tall as Nyka and had a kind yet sad look in his eyes.
"Ikaros is a nice guy, but I don't think our relationship will last." Nyka shrugged. "He's a thrall waiting to be turned into a Banshee and I bet that once it happens, he will be too busy learning how to control his powers and hunger to care about me.
"On top of that, I don't mind a Banshee's flirty attitude in a friend, but if it was my boyfriend, I'd kick his ass before dumping him."
"Then why are you dating him?" Solus asked.
"Because I have to start from somewhere and I'm tired of being alone. What about you two? Did you meet someone interesting?" Nyka said.
"No." Solus replied.
"I wish." Tista groaned.
"How is it even possible? Tista, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met and you, Solus, finally have your body back while Lith is single. Why didn't you ask him already to get his magical sword inside your enchanted cave and drive out the evil Dragon?" Nyka asked, making Solus turn to a bright shade of purple.
"What the heck is the Dragon supposed to be in this metaphor?" Tista laughed at Solus's expense while she plunged into the water to hide her face.
"I have no idea. It just sounded fitting." Nyka replied and Tista laughed harder.
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