Chapter 3218 Open Secret (Part 1)

Chapter 3218 Open Secret (Part 1)

"Zoreth and Bytra are already here. They were worried for you as anyone else and I granted them hospitality as a thank you for the help they provided in taking you back home safely. As for the food, that's easily arranged." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Salaark clapped her hands, moving everyone to her dining hall. "Besides, we can all use a warm meal after so many days of heartache."

The people involved in the rescue mission were already sitting at the table. Quylla, Nalrond, and everyone else stood up and welcomed Lith back, inquiring about his health

Lith spent the minutes before the food was served reassuring his friends of his well-being. He also thanked those who had helped to stop him and apologized for his own attempts to kill them via a mind link not to scare the children.

"Out of curiosity, why are we in the Desert? What's wrong with Lutia?" Lith asked, obtaining a series of embarrassed coughs from his family's side of the table.

"Because your mother doesn't trust 'just' a white core to take care of her 'baby boy'." It was the first time that Lith saw Baba Yaga look offended. "She dragged us all here to put you under Salaark's care and protection.

"Elina wanted to make sure nothing and no one might disturb your recovery."

"Thanks, Mom."

"You are welcome, dear." Seeing her son already up and in good health was more than enough to convince Elina she had made the right choice.

"How long was I out exactly?" Lith asked.

"Just a few hours." Salaark replied. "You have to thank your wife for that. First, she had Yaga take care of you until Elina brought you to the Desert. Then, after I was done checking up on your condition, she insisted Yaga and I combined our efforts to speed up your recovery."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Grandma." Kamila said. "It's just that I know this bonehead. He's not going to rest until we have a concrete plan to bring Solus back. Rather than struggle to keep him in his bed, I wanted him to regain his full strength.

"Delaying his departure would only make things harder for everyone."

"I know." The Overlord nodded. "Did he at least apologize for all the mean things he said to you and for trying to kill you?"

As for Salaark, she just respected their suffering.

"Let's cut to the chase, Verhen." Silverwing said. "I agreed to help you because Yaga says that you should be able to sense Elphyn thanks to your Dragon homing instinct."

"Solus." Lith corrected her with a snarl.

"Solus." The First Magus raised her hand in apology. "Still, the problem is that none of us has any knowledge of the World Tree's location or how to find them. Can you feel her or not?

"Because if you can't, everything we have prepared, anything we can come up with will be worth nothing. I'm sorry for pressuring you so soon after your recovery, but I can't wait any longer.

"I need to know if staying in the Desert holds any meaning or if I'd better go out there and start looking for Solus on my own."

"Why should he feel Solus with his Dragon side?" Zoreth had remained silent until that moment but now curiosity pushed her to speak. "Our homing instinct works only for hatchlings and treasures and as much as I love Solus, her stone ring is worth nothing. Sentimental value doesn't apply."

Lith didn't bother to hide his displeasure at Silverwing's blunder simply because he knew that no one in his family had the poker face necessary to remain indifferent to Zoreth's question.

Everyone either looked at the ground, cleared their throat, or stuffed their face with the tea and pastries Salaark had served. Anything to avoid the Shadow Dragon's gaze and not give her an answer.

"The ring holds a secret everyone here knows but me?" Zoreth was flabbergasted. "Even you, Bytra?"

At those words, Lith, Baba Yaga, and Silverwing turned around, noticing that the Fourth Ruler of the Flames was the most awkward of them all.

"Yes, Zor." Bytra cleared her throat.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Zoreth dropped her teacup, making it clink against the plate, and jumped up from her seat. "After everything we've gone through together do you still not trust me?"

"Don't be silly, of course I trust you!" Bytra's outrage matched the Shadow Dragon's and beat it by a good margin.