Supreme Magus

"In the main tea room with your husband and Lady Friya's…" Deiter was still talking when the two women disappeared through a Spirit Step.

The arrays of House Ernas blocked regular dimensional spells but were ineffective against Spirit Magic. In truth, Jirni had already entrusted Orion to add a Space Compressing array to the custom dimensional sealing array that all the powerful noble households employed.

The renovation works had started right after Jiza Gernoff made her threat and the private quarters of the family were already shielded. Yet until the baby was born, Jirni couldn't afford to show her hand.

To fool her enemies and make them think she was helpless, she first had to fool her allies.

The two women reached their destination in one step, but none of the healing spells they kept at the ready could prepare them for the scene they found upon their arrival.

Jirni was sitting on a comfortable sofa with her legs distended to give relief to her swollen feet. Her pristine day dress was a few sizes bigger than usual and loose to accommodate her swollen belly.

She was sipping a cup of warm tea while caressing the head of Lucky the Ry. The magical beast was sitting in front of the sofa, his head on the sofa and leaned onto Jirni's side.

It made it easy for her to find the comfort of his warm fur and for him to listen to the heartbeat of mother and child. Sitting around the tea table, there were Nalrond, Morok, Gunyin, and Tulion.

The four men took turns refilling Jirni's cup and handing her sweet or salty snacks based on what she craved. Instead of the blazing bloodbath Quylla had been dreading, a polite conversation about the state of Jiera's colonization was taking place.

"Mom? Are you alright?" Friya asked in disbelief, thinking that only a severe medical condition could explain the odd situation.

"I'm perfectly fine, dear. We both are." Jirni caressed her own stomach, her voice filled with warmth. At least until she took a good look at her daughters.

"What's with those pants and why are you casting spells inside the house?" The only silver lining of their appearance was that their clothes were pristine, but Jirni knew it was only thanks to the self-cleaning properties of the enchanted armor.

Quylla was glad to see that everything was fine but she couldn't tell her mother that she had prepared everything she needed to save Morok and safely restrain Jirni.

"We are just triple-checking that we haven't carried any bug from Jiera. You know, to keep you and the baby safe." Friya lied through her teeth and let the spells fade away.

Jirni easily saw through her daughter's façade but pretended not to as a reward for her ability to adapt and come out with a believable cover story on the spot.

"Same here." Quylla awkwardly said, making Jirni click her tongue in reply. "Is Morok disturbing you?"

"Hey!" The Tyrant said in outrage.

"Not at all." Jirni gestured for him to sit and calm down. "During your absence, your brothers and I had the opportunity to know your husbands better. I must say that they are a couple of fine young men."

Friya and Nalrond were just betrothed. Hearing Jirni referring to the Rezar as Friya's husband made the former choke on his tea and the latter fiddle with her hair in nervousness.

Despite that, Friya didn't miss how weird the situation was. Obtaining Jirni's approval was supposed to be a difficult feat and she wasn't the type to give compliments out of politeness.

"Really? Since when?" Quylla said, her voice expressing her disbelief in full.

"Hey! I'm right here, you know?" Morok grunted in annoyance.

"I mean, I know you are a good man. That's why I married you." Quylla raised her hands in apology. "I'm just surprised my mother has changed her mind about you so quickly."

"I wouldn't call weeks of interrogation 'quickly'." Morok replied, leaving Quylla flabbergasted.

"It was no interrogation. I just wanted to know my sons-in-law better since you girls always play your cards so close to the vest." Jirni replied with an amiable voice.

"No, I'm pretty sure it was an interrogation." The Tyrant shook his head. "Way more polite and subtle than those I underwent back when I was a Ranger in the army but still an interrogation.

"If it was a conversation, I'm pretty sure I would have been allowed to leave or not answer your questions."

"Mom, what did you ask him?" Quylla asked.

"Them." Morok pointed at himself and Nalrond.

"A few things here and there." Jirni brushed off her daughter's concerns with a wave of her hand.

"Everything." Morok corrected her.

"Everything?" Quylla echoed.

"Everything." Nalrond confirmed, making Friya go from nervous, to embarrassed, and then angry in less than two seconds. "Except for intimate details, of course."

Jirni chuckled at his need to clarify that point whereas her sons shuddered in horror at the thought.

"Mom, how could you do that?" Friya asked.

"How couldn't I, you mean." Jirni replied. "I was bored and tired of being left out of your lives. After what happened to your sister, and after you've left the house, I've been so lonely."

She cried on cue, going from the bad guy to the victim in a single move.

Jirni couldn't hide her actions, but at least she could cover her motives. As any good strategist, Jirni was preparing the field for victory and settling her business in case of defeat.

The clock was ticking and she needed to make sure that if something happened to her, her children would be cared for. It was the reason she had brought her family together, Lucky included.

Jirni had never liked the mastiff much, but he loved Phloria and missed her almost as much as Jirni did. They had bonded over the grief they shared and the care the Ry showed for the unborn child.

Lucky was now part of her contingency plans. He couldn't fight Awakened but, with the proper equipment, he could ensure that the baby wouldn't fall in the Myrok's hands were Jirni and Orion to die.

"As for you, Quylla, are you even taking your marriage seriously? Are you neglecting your conjugal duties because of your research? How can you not be pregnant yet?"

"Mom!" Quylla cried in embarrassment.

"Not for a lack of trying on my part!" Morok stood up, putting his hand on his secondary heart, located near the right lung. "She's the one who's always busy. It's only thanks to me that we have explored every room of our house. If you know what I mean."

"Morok!" Just looking at the grimaces twisting her brothers' faces made Quylla want to die.

"I would have rather not known this, but thank you." Jirni nodded. "You don't have to be angry with him, dear. After everything Morok went through with his parents, he has lost any filter but there's no malice in his words.

"He just wants to be sure to be accepted for who he is. His words may sound rude and crass to you, but it's just his way to be open with you."

It was also the reason Jirni had been forced to write him off her battle plans.