"What's next?" Solus asked after the tower had taken form and they had walked in.
"To our spot, please."
Kamila referred to the mana geyser nearest to Lochra Mountain and the Flying Griffon resort, where they had brought Lith after his Abomination side had gone wild.
It was a quiet place in the middle of nowhere that only the three of them knew.
It was surrounded by luscious green and there was a mountain lake nearby. Several wild animals lived there and having no contact with humans, they weren't scared of newcomers.
"Wow. I had almost forgotten how beautiful this place is." Solus had just opened one of the tower's windows when a blue songbird landed on the windowsill to investigate the building.
"Yeah, that's why I was thinking about giving up on building our dream house and just moving the tower here whenever we want." Kamila nodded. "Bringing builders means that other people would know about this place and sooner or later we might lose our haven."
The shining sun, the noise from the woods, and the natural beauty of the mountain relieved Lith from his burden. For a moment, he dreamed about defecting from the Kingdom and spending the rest of his life there.
Then, the moment passed and he remembered his promise to Phloria and how much Lutia meant to his family. The grey clouds covering his mind returned as fast as they had gone.
"Yeah, this place is amazing, but I don't see the difference with Lutia. If you wanted to avoid people, we might have just stayed in the Trawn woods." Lith replied.
"There's a big difference." Kamila replied. "Lutia holds lots of good memories but also a lot of bad ones. Also, the Trawn woods is the place where you hole up when you need to work so it's no good either.
"This mountain, instead, only holds good memories. Here you opened up about your past life to me. Even though things got messy for it, we came out of it stronger than ever.
"It's the place where we fought and won a tough battle so it's auspicious for the next one as well."
"What are you talking about?" Solus tilted her head in confusion.
"It's easier to show than to tell." Kamila offered one hand to each of them and established a mind link when they took it.
She shared with them the discussion between Baba Yaga and Tyris about the consequences that the change of pace in the War of the Griffons might have on Lith.
Solus swallowed a lump of saliva, finally understanding why Malyshka had been so worried about her the previous day.
'I've got something to add to this conversation.' Solus shared her private exchange with Baba Yaga, making Lith furrow his brows in concern and steeling Kamila's determination.
"Thanks, Solus." She said. "I needed to hear that."
"I agree with both Baba Yaga and Tyris, but I still don't have a clue about the reason you brought us here." Lith said.
"Yesterday I had a lot of time to think while I waited for your return from the battlefield first and while you kept turning in bed later." Kamila replied. "I can see from your faces that Baba Yaga's worries are well-founded.
"You have fought for half a day yet I feel like you are about to lose a part of yourselves. If we go on pretending there's nothing wrong, sooner or later that part of you will be lost for good and another will be chipped away.
"And then another and one more until this damn war isn't over."
"You may be right but I doubt that two days of vacation in the mountains can make it any better." Lith shrugged, remembering how Solus had trembled and his heart had withered while they rested in the tower after the battle.
"This isn't a vacation, silly man. I brought you here to give all of us peace of mind. We'll need it when you share yesterday's events with me with a mind link." Kamila never let go of their hands even when they tried to pull them away.
"Are you insane, Kami?" Lith said. "Witnessing those horrors already scarred me. I have no desire to relive them nor to drag you in the mud with me."
"I'm with Lith, Kami." Solus nodded. "We are fighting so that people like you don't have to. We are dirtying our hands to keep our family safe. I am your wall against the war, not your window on it."
"Thanks to both of you, but that's exactly the reason you have to use the mind link." Kamila replied. "Lith, Solus, I know how strong you are but as you have just said, you are deep in the mud and your hands are dirty with blood.
"I can't leave you there alone and hope for the best. Baba Yaga is right. If you just keep taking lives, no matter how good your reasons are, sooner or later you'll become desensitized to it.
"In order to survive, you'll change and I'll lose two people I love. Maybe for a while, maybe forever. I don't know and I'm not willing to find out. Lith, as Baba Yaga said, Thrud is pushing you on a difficult path.
"If you keep walking on it alone, that path will lead you away from me. As Orion said, Solus, I can't understand your feelings because I've never been on the battlefield.
"Both those things are going to create a divide between us that will grow larger with time. Even though I'm too weak to fight by your side, I can still walk by your side and share your burden, but only if you allow me to."
Kamila took a pause to let her words sink.
"Please, I don't want to lose you. What I ask of you is no big deal. All I have to do is shoulder the images of the things you force yourselves to do. You are willing to scar yourselves for me and I'm not afraid of second-hand blood.
"I won't stand idly while you fight the enemy on the battlefield and your inner demons once you get back home. I want to be there for you. To be able to understand your pain. If we are all dirty, you don't have to be ashamed of whatever stains you carry."
From so up close, Lith and Solus could feel Kamila's heartbeat, notice the smallest movement of her eyes, and even detect the changes of smell in her perspiration. She was terrified but every single one of her words was true.
Kamila was determined to share their burden, not just throwing empty words to feel better about herself and hope that they would refuse her request. Her fear was born out of sanity, not cowardice.
Only a fool wouldn't be scared knowing what she was signing up for.
"By my Mom, we don't deserve you, Kami." Solus said amid hiccups.
"Indeed. Are you ready?" Lith had believed that after accepting his past as Derek, Kamila couldn't give him bigger proof of her love. She had proven him wrong and he was happy about it.
"No, and I'll never be so let's get this over with." Kamila clenched their hands and gritted her teeth as the memories started to flow.
