Supreme Magus

What I meant was, why did you do that?" It was too early for roasted lamb and potatoes so Lith only took a cup of tea.

"Did you really think that I would officiate your wedding, give your wife the Desert's citizenship, and yet make the two of you no gift?" Salaark said with a scoff, her voice oozing sarcasm.

"I thought that letting us stay in your beach house for the honeymoon was the gift. That and the communication amulets you made for us." Lith replied.

"Please, I just lent you my house, I didn't give it away. As for the amulets, those were the bare necessary to allow you guys to keep in contact between yourselves and with your friends." The Guardian said.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because back then you already had too much on your mind." She shrugged. "I wanted you to enjoy our stay as my guest, not to worry about how you could repay me or spend your time studying a trinket.

"That's why I poured my entire gift into Kamila's armor. This way, even on the off chance something happened, she would have been safe until my arrival and you would have been able to focus on the threat at hand.

"I knew how much you care for her and that sooner or later Kamila would have to leave your side. I gave her the Voidfeather armor because I know that by protecting her, I'm also protecting you."

"Thank you, Grandma." Lith stood up just to give her a deep bow. "If there's anything I can do for you, just ask."

"Silly child." Salaark interrupted her meal to Warp in front of him and force Lith to stand tall. "That's exactly what I wanted to avoid. You have already blessed me with your trust and your family.

"Even if that weren't already enough, you have also allowed me to study Menadion's tower and to use its Library to fight my most dreaded enemy. Paperwork. We are more than even."

"Bullshit." Lith embraced her, being careful about her swollen belly. "We are not even. If you told me earlier, Kami and I wouldn't have gotten this close to getting divorced. You owe me."

"Cheeky brat." She chuckled. "It's not my fault if you are a control freak. Try to enjoy these two days instead of working yourself to the bone. Once you go back to the Kingdom as well, there's no telling when you two will have to opportunity to spend some time together again."

***

Lith followed Salaark's advice and returned to the beach house. Kamila and he could use some privacy to give each other a proper goodbye. Unlike during the honeymoon, however, he used Invigoration to keep working whenever she was asleep.

It was also the only time he and Solus had to study the Voidfeather armor with the Eyes.

"This is odd. I don't remember Kami having the habit to sleep naked." Solus pondered.

"She doesn't. She only takes it off because she knows that the more I learn about it, the less I worry about her safety. It's part of our deal. She lets me arm her to the teeth and I don't nag at her." Lith replied.

Solus could feel that he was quite on edge. The armor was great, but just like the Fury, it was a Guardian crafted artifact, not a Guardian Tier artifact. Salaark had simply improved the Scalewalker design and upgraded its materials.

It would do wonders against non-mages but it would only buy Kamila time against a truly powerful opponent.

***

"The day has finally come. Are you ready?" Kamila asked.

"No." Lith replied.

"You don't say." She laughed at how tense he was about her departure. "I understood you were nervous when you started to sort your socks drawer in chromatic order."

"There's anything I can say to change your mind?" He said, blushing in embarrassment.

"No. You can only wish me good luck." She was now wearing her brand-new Constable uniform, standing on her tiptoes to give him a goodbye kiss.

"Good luck and call me at the first break you get."

"Do you realize that because of the time difference it's probably going to be in the middle of the night?" Kamila asked.

"Do you realize that I'm not going to sleep until you get back?" Lith replied. "I don't care if I have to screw up my sleep schedule, I'm willing to live as if I was in the Kingdom as well if it means I get to hear from you and welcome you back every day."

"Thank you." She gave him a dazzling smile and stepped through the Warp Gate of the Heavenly Plume palace.

In a single step, she crossed the thousands of kilometers that separated the capitol of the Desert from that of the Kingdom.

Archon Jirni Ernas was on the other side, wearing the deep violet uniform that identified her as the highest officer in the room.

"Constable Yehval, it's nice to have you back." Her tone was friendly and her smile warm whereas the cold glare of the Royal Guards who stood by either side of the Gate seemed to bore holes through Kamila's back.

"By the way, is it Constable Verhen now, Yehval-Verhen or what? I never asked you if you decided to take Lith's family name, keep your own, or use them both."

"Actually, I decided to use them both." Kamila looked around, noticing that from the valets passing through the corridors to her fellow Constables, no one seemed happy to have her back.

"The name Yehval might be just something I bought, but it means a lot to me. I'm not going to be just Lith's wife, but also my own person."

Those with a high degree of self-control grimaced at her words.

"Bullshit." One of the assistants tried and failed to cover her remark with a coughing fit.

Kamila and Jirni stiffened at the lack of respect from a subordinate while the others seemed to find it hilarious. Even the edges of the Royal Fortress armors were curled up in a smile.

"Is anything wrong, Constable Vylka?" Jirni turned around to look the woman in the eyes, her tone still friendly and her smile warm.

"No, ma'am." She stood on attention. "Thanks for your concern. It must be the cold that's been going around. I'll see a Healer at the end of the shift."

Vylka kept a straight face but the other Constables had a hard time suppressing a peal of laughter, sounding like they were choking on something.

"It seems it's spreading." Jirni nodded. "You better get rid of that cough by today because if it happens again tomorrow, I'll have to reassign you all to the frontlines."

The hilarity disappeared, only to be replaced by renewed spite. Vylka and the other Constables glared at Kamila, inwardly cursing her for the unfair treatment that had been bestowed upon her.

"My eyes are down here." Jirni snapped her fingers to draw their attention. "I understand that some of you might not be pleased with their current situation, but I have to remind you that Constable Yehval has received a full pardon.

"She has the right to be here as much as anybody else."