"Thanks to these fountains located in every city block, our people can easily and quickly draw water during winter and refresh themselves during summer. We have built public bathhouses to allow everyone to enjoy a hot bath all year long, improving general hygiene. "Also, our soldiers now have better equipment, and the arrays protecting the city are in the process of being reinforced." "That’s wonderful, Mirias, but please, call me Kamila." She was already receiving enough looks for the stroller. Just the mention of the name Verhen made people stop talking and start listening. "I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m so grateful to you and your husband and calling you by your first name feels disrespectful." The Baroness said. "No, it isn’t." Kamila replied. "Can we go to a bakery? I have a fond memory of Jambel’s pastries and all this walking gave me an appetite." "Seconded." Solus nodded. "I must say, your babies are a bit too quiet. Did they fall asleep?" Mirias asked while leading the way. "No. They feel embarrassed from earlier and are trying to make a good impression on you." Kamila chuckled, shocking the Baroness to the bone. "Embarrassed? At that age?" "They are very smart." Kamila nodded. "Maybe, if you forgive them…" "I’m not angry with you." Mirias bent down, meeting the doubtful eyes of Elysia and Valeron. "Everything is forgiven. Please, relax." The two babies smiled and cooed at the Baroness who melted like every mother in front of a happy child. She started making so many baby noises and praising them so much that the passersby thought she was the mother of the babies. ’By the way, where’s Ripha?’ Kamila asked via a mind link. ’With Lith.’ Solus replied. ’You mean inside the Void Sigil?’ ’No, inside his shadow.’ Solus said. ’She can’t get far away from him anyway and I thought they could use spending some time together.’ ’Doesn’t she practice with you two every morning?’ Kamila asked. ’That’s different.’ Solus shook her head. ’My mother has spent years watching Lith lying and manipulating the people around him, even his parents. She knows he can act nice when it suits him. ’Like when he can earn the opportunity to learn Forgemastery from a Ruler of the Flames and maybe inherit her legacy. What my mother missed are all the times he was good with me, you, and his family.’ ’How could she possibly have missed that?’ Kamila was flabbergasted. ’Didn’t Ripha always stay by your side?’ ’She did, but back then she looked at everything through the distorted lens of her obsession and regret.’ Solus replied. ’My first interaction with Lith was cold at best and by then Mom already had a bad opinion of him. ’Now that she’s in her right mind again, she needs to observe how he acts when he has nothing to gain or lose. No matter what I say to her, words are cheap. Actions are expensive.’ *** The three groups met at the arrival spot at noon when the summer sun was high and lighted the woods from above, robbing the hunters from the cover of the shadows and making them sweat bullets On top of the game caught by Lith, Raaz and the others brought back a stag and a small boar. Leria and Senton returned with three brown bunnies and a flying bird the size of a turkey. "Nice catch!" The Baron said. "Tricksters are really hard to spot. How did you do it?" "You should have seen my Dad." Leria puffed her chest out with pride. "He moved and struck like a professional hunter. That… Trickster never saw us coming." "Only because my magical daughter silenced our movements and her partner pointed me at the prey." Senton caressed her head and Abominus’. "Not your movements, Dad. Mine." Leria fiddled with her hair. "I kept stepping on every twig and dry leaf along the way. I made so much noise we wouldn’t have caught anything if I didn’t use the Hush spell." "Why are these birds called Trickster?" Lith asked. "Look." The Baron unfolded one of the wings, revealing that the feathers were mottled green and brown. "Because of this, this delicious scoundrel is hard to spot, let alone to catch. Tricksters can fly so they don’t leave much of a scent on the ground. "They also have keen senses and the moment they perceive a predator approaching, they freeze in place and blend with their surroundings. They are nigh-invisible and if you turn around for a second, they are gone." "Isn’t it easier to hunt them if they fly?" Aran asked. "No, because they fly on a tree and camouflage again." The Baron shook his head. "And while you turn around like an idiot looking for them, they glide to another tree. During winter it’s even worse. Their feathers turn white and waterproof. "They can hide under the snow for hours or use it to spread their smell around and confuse even the best hunting dogs. How did you spot it?" "Thanks to him." Senton and Leria pointed at Abominus who raised his paw. "Abominus found it and Dad killed it with one arrow. They make a perfect team!" Leria said. "Thanks, sweetheart." Senton replied. "You’d better enjoy these moments while they last, young man." The Baron sniffled. "Soon your daughter will grow into a young woman and won’t care about spending time with her boring father. It’s disheartening." "Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll always be with you." Leria hugged Senton’s leg, refusing to believe a girl could grow distant from her father. "Dad, you know that’s not true!" Kotu said. "You and Mom pestered Irie to find a husband for years now. You can’t blame her for spending one day with her fiancé now that she finally has one." "You are right, son." The Baron nodded. "This is your fault." "Me? What did I do?" The young Baron was flabbergasted. "Why are you still single?" Eiros pointed the finger at his son. "Your mother and I wouldn’t be so worried if you had given us a grandchild or two. We need an heir for the Waylon household or my hard work will be squandered the moment something were to happen to the two of you. Answer me!" Kotu looked around like a cornered rat until his eyes locked with Lith’s. "Help!" "Sorry, no magic on Mogar can save you." Lith shrugged. "I speak from experience." "What about you, Baron? Did you catch something good." Trion asked. On the one hand, he felt sorry for the young man. On the other hand, Trion would have given anything to trade place with Kotu. "Nothing much." The Baron grunted. "Two boars, one stag, three Tricksters." "And you call that nothing much?" Lith furrowed his brows. "Well, yeah." Kotu scratched his head. "We hunt in the Stornash woods multiple times a year since I was younger than Aran. We know all the spots where the animals gather during each season. What’s weird is that we caught less than you, Lith." "I don’t count. I cheated with magic." Lith replied. "Enough with the blabbering." Eiros said. "Aran, Leria, do you want to learn how to field dress your game?" "Sure." The kids nodded. "Are you sure? It’s going to get bloody." Lith said.