"Right here." Solus stepped out of the Gate second and was quickly drowned in a family embrace.
"My baby!" Elina said while kissing Solus' forehead and irking Menadion to no end.
'Watch what you say.' Kamila said through a mind link. 'Jirni is still here.'
"Welcome back, Lith. Welcome back, Solus." Lady Ernas wobbled through the crowd that opened up for her. "I'm glad to see everything went fine. Don't worry, I'm not going to intrude this moment.
"I've remained in the Desert to offer your mother emotional support but now that you are back, my husband needs me and I him." Jini saved Lith the effort to find an excuse to dismiss her. "Friya, Quylla, I suppose you'll join me in a while, correct?"
"Yes, Mother." The two women gave her a respectful bow as a thank you.
"Don't make your father wait too long. He has a good heart but would hate to think you treasure a friend more than you do him." Jirni said and her daughters nodded. "Remember our deal, Lith. One life for another."
"I could never forget." Lith took her hands in his and gave her a small bow.
"Give me a call when you are done. I want all the details you can share with me. Save your acting for the Royals." Jirni reached the Warp Gate and turned around, giving her guests the best curtsy her state allowed.
Then she disappeared through the dimensional corridor which closed behind her, ensuring the privacy of the Verhens.
"Did our plan work?" Lith asked the moment they were alone.
Judging from the partly angry glares and mostly happy expressions of his family, it was clear that they knew about Kamila's pregnancy. They understood Lith's reasoning for secrecy but still resented him for keeping them in the dark.
"Like a curse." She sighed, using a mind link to share the details with him. "The moment I stepped out of the palace I was attacked and Kigan almost killed."
"What?" Both Bytra and Zoreth were flabbergasted.
They knew how strong their brother was and it was impossible for a mere human to survive something capable of threatening the Dark Phoenix's life.
"Are you alright? Did you get hurt?" Lith asked.
"I resent that!" Leegaain snorted. "I was with her the entire time and you know it, Hatchling. I should be angry at you for your shameless manipulations."
Menadion and Solus already knew about the pregnancy due to the bond with Lith, leaving the Eldritch-hybrids the only ones to be utterly confused by the Guardian's words.
"It's fine." Lith shrugged. "Kigan and Zinya know already. I bet Vastor too knows about it by now."
"Knows what?" The Shadow Dragon asked in frustration.
"Kami!" Solus took it as her cue, breaking free of Elina's embrace and rushing to her friend. "Is it true? A baby boy?"
"You tell me." Kamila hugged Solus while shapeshifting her hands into black-scaled Dragon claws.
"A what?" Bytra said, expressing the stupor of the speechless Zoreth as well while Solus and Kamila jumped and squealed.
The members of the Verhen family and the Nest took turns to congratulate Lith with a handshake and welcome Solus back with a hug and a few words.
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