Kai waited until after breakfast to bring it up.
Mostly because Ember was less likely to argue when she was eating.
That turned out to be wrong.
“No,” Ember said.
Kai stared at her from across the cabin table.
“I haven’t even said it yet.”
“You looked at me like you were about to say Mother.”
“That is not a look.”
“It is when you make it.”
The phoenix egg pulsed softly inside the cloth sling tied against Kai’s chest. Since returning from Blackroot Hollow, Kai had learned that the egg did not like baskets, pillows, blankets, tables, shelves, or being more than a few inches away from him.
It tolerated the sling.
Barely.
Ember tolerated the sling less.
Kai sighed. “Ember, we already agreed.”
Her wings folded tighter behind her.
“I agreed to visit Mother once I could return to dragon form.”
“Right.”
“I can return to dragon form.”
“Exactly.”
“So I should stay.”
Kai blinked.
“That is the opposite of what we agreed.”
“No. I can transform now, which means I can protect you better now. Therefore, I stay.”
Kai opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
That was the worst part about arguing with Ember. Sometimes her logic was wrong, but it sounded sturdy enough to trip over.
The system appeared.
[Agreement avoidance detected.]
Kai pointed at the screen.
“See? Even the system noticed.”
Ember glared at the air.
“The system is biased.”
“It’s usually biased against me.”
“It is still annoying.”
“Also true.”
The egg pulsed once.
Ember’s eyes dropped to it immediately.
Kai placed one hand over the sling.
“Don’t start.”
“I have not started.”
“You stared at it like you were considering violence.”
“I was considering hierarchy.”
“That sounds worse.”
Ember leaned closer, her tail curling around his ankle under the table.
“Kai, you are weak.”
Kai froze.
The egg pulsed again, almost like it had noticed the insult.
Kai frowned. “That felt unnecessary.”
“It is the reason.”
“For what?”
“For why I cannot visit Mother yet.”
Kai sat back.
“You can fly there as a dragon. You can tell her you’re alive. You can come back. We agreed.”
“And while I am gone, you will be here.”
“Yes.”
“Alone.”
“I’ll have the egg.”
“The egg cannot fight.”
“It can glow aggressively.”
“That is not fighting.”
“I’ll have the system.”
“The system gave you the egg.”
Kai paused.
“That is a fair criticism.”
Ember crossed her arms, looking satisfied.
Kai tried again.
“Your mother thinks you might be dead.”
“She may.”
“And you said she might burn half a mountain range looking for what killed you.”
“She would.”
“So shouldn’t you tell her you’re alive before she burns the wrong mountain?”
Ember hesitated.
There.
That worked.
Kai leaned forward, careful not to squish the egg.
“You promised you’d visit once you could transform.”
Her jaw tightened.
“I said I would visit Mother.”
“Yes.”
“I did not say when.”
Kai stared.
“You knew what I meant.”
“You should have been more specific.”
The system chimed.
[Technicality abuse detected.]
Kai pointed at Ember. “Exactly.”
Ember’s tail tightened around his ankle.
“Kai.”
He looked at her.
Her expression was serious now. Not stubborn. Not teasing. Serious.
“If I leave, even for a short time, and something finds you, you will die.”
“I probably won’t.”
“You almost died yesterday.”
“In a dungeon.”
“You almost died the day before.”
“That was also kind of dungeon-related.”
“You trip on roots.”
“A lot of people trip on roots.”
“I do not.”
“You have wings.”
“I also have feet.”
Kai rubbed his face.
“I’m not asking you to abandon me. I’m asking you to visit your mother like we agreed.”
Ember looked away.
The cabin went quiet except for the fire.
Then she said, “Mother can wait.”
Kai softened.
“Can she?”
Ember’s claws curled against her sleeve.
“She has waited through wars. Storms. Territory challenges. She can wait longer.”
“That’s not the same as thinking your daughter is dead.”
Ember didn’t answer.
The egg suddenly pulsed sharply.
Both of them looked down.
Another pulse followed.
Brighter.
Ember stood instantly, wings spreading.
Kai grabbed his weapon from beside the table.
“What is it?”
Ember’s eyes turned toward the door.
“Monsters.”
A howl rose from the forest.
Then another.
The cabin wall shook as something slammed into it.
Kai jumped.
The egg flashed under the cloth, gold light spilling through the fabric.
The system appeared.
[Hostile entities detected.]
[Species: Hollow Fenwolves.]
[Count: 9.]
[Threat Level: Moderate.]
Kai swallowed.
“Nine.”
Ember stepped in front of him.
“Behind me.”
This time, Kai did not argue.
The door burst inward.
Three fenwolves rushed inside, lean and black, their jaws too wide and their eyes glowing sickly green. Moss hung from their spines, and dark saliva dripped from their teeth.
Ember moved first.
Her tail swept one into the wall. Her claws ripped through the second. The third lunged toward Kai.
Then it stopped.
Its claws scraped against the floorboards as it skidded to a halt several feet away from him.
Kai froze.
The fenwolf stared at his chest.
The egg pulsed.
The monster whimpered.
Then it backed away.
Ember noticed.
Her eyes narrowed.
The fenwolf turned to flee.
Ember killed it before it reached the broken door.
Outside, the others circled the cabin.
Kai stepped forward carefully.
The egg glowed brighter.
The remaining fenwolves all froze.
Not at Ember.
At him.
No, not him.
The egg.
One monster snarled, but the sound broke halfway through. Another lowered itself to the ground and backed into the shadows. A third tried to rush forward, only to stop like it had hit an invisible wall.
The system window flashed.
[Phoenix Egg aura detected.]
[Effect: Lesser corrupted beasts avoid direct contact.]
Kai blinked.
“They’re scared of the egg.”
[Correct.]
Ember looked at the sling.
Her face twisted like she hated that this was useful.
Kai noticed.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Because the egg is helping?”
“Yes.”
“That’s honest.”
“I dislike it.”
The fenwolves spread out, trying to circle around Kai. Ember attacked instantly, using their hesitation against them. She tore through one, then another.
Kai moved too.
Not charging wildly. Not exactly.
He simply stepped toward a fenwolf that was trying to get around Ember’s side.
The creature recoiled.
Kai stopped.
It stopped.
He stepped again.
It backed away.
“Oh,” Kai said.
Ember turned sharply.
“Kai.”
“I’m not fighting.”
“You are approaching a monster.”
“With the egg.”
“That is not better!”
The system chimed.
[Correction: It is situationally better.]
Kai pointed at it. “See?”
Ember growled. “Do not agree with him.”
The system went silent.
“Coward,” Kai muttered.
The last few fenwolves broke formation. One fled into the trees. Ember took down another. The final one tried to leap toward her blind side, but Kai stepped between them.
The fenwolf crashed to a stop, trembling.
Ember’s eyes widened.
“Kai!”
“It won’t come near me!”
“You did not know that strongly enough!”
“I knew it medium strongly!”
“That is not a real amount!”
The fenwolf turned and ran.
Ember landed beside Kai a second later, grabbed his shoulders, and turned him toward her.
“Never do that again.”
“It worked.”
“That does not make it smart.”
“It kind of does.”
“No.”
The egg pulsed softly, calm against his chest.
Kai looked down at it.
Then at Ember.
A thought formed.
It took a little while, but it got there.
“Ember.”
“No.”
“You don’t know what I’m going to say.”
“You are going to use this.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Ember, listen.”
She crossed her arms.
Kai gestured to the dead monsters fading into black mist.
“They avoided me.”
“They avoided the egg.”
“The egg needs to stay touching me.”
“That is still irritating.”
“But it means while you’re visiting your mother, lesser monsters won’t come near me.”
Ember’s jaw tightened.
He continued quickly.
“I’m not saying I’m invincible. I’m not. I know I’m weak.”
Her expression shifted slightly.
That admission surprised her.
Kai stepped closer.
“I trip on roots. I get dragged into dungeon nonsense. I accidentally bond with eggs.”
The egg pulsed.
“Sorry. Accidentally bond with phoenix eggs.”
The system flashed.
[Correction accepted.]
Kai ignored it.
“But I’m not completely defenseless anymore. The egg protects me just by being here. So you can visit your mother without worrying every second that something will eat me.”
Ember looked away toward the forest.
Her wings shifted.
Kai softened his voice.
“You promised.”
Her eyes flicked back to him.
“I promised I would visit.”
“And now you can.”
“I can.”
“So?”
Silence.
The broken door creaked behind them.
Finally, Ember said, “You will stay inside the cabin.”
Kai nodded quickly. “Yes.”
“You will keep the egg touching you.”
“That is unavoidable.”
“You will not fight.”
“Right.”
“You will not follow strange lights.”
“I don’t do that.”
She stared.
Kai coughed. “Often.”
“You will not touch unknown glowing objects.”
“That happened one time.”
“It was yesterday.”
“Still one time.”
“Kai.”
“Okay. I won’t touch unknown glowing objects.”
“You will keep your weapon near you.”
“Yes.”
“If the system gives you another red quest, you refuse until I return.”
Kai hesitated.
Ember’s eyes narrowed.
He raised both hands.
“Yes. Fine. I refuse until you return.”
The system appeared.
[Unverified compliance likely.]
Kai glared. “Not helping.”
Ember stepped closer.
Her tail curled around his wrist, tighter than usual.
“If I go, I return quickly.”
“I know.”
“If Mother tries to keep me there, I return anyway.”
“Okay.”
“If anything happens to you while I am gone…”
Kai waited.
Ember’s eyes glowed faintly.
“I will be very angry.”
“At me?”
“At everything.”
“Right. Motivating.”
She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his.
The egg pulsed between them, not angry, just present.
Ember glanced down at it.
“I still dislike that it helped your argument.”
Kai smiled faintly.
“Me too, honestly.”
Her gaze lifted back to him.
“I will visit Mother.”
Kai let out a breath.
“Good.”
“Briefly.”
“Good.”
“And when I return, you will still be here.”
“I will.”
“You promise.”
Kai understood by now that Ember did not treat promises lightly.
So he answered clearly.
“I promise.”
The system chimed.
[Previous agreement reaffirmed.]
[Temporary separation event likely.]
Ember’s tail tightened around Kai’s wrist.
“Not separation,” she said.
Kai blinked. “What?”
She looked toward the mountains hidden beyond the forest.
“A visit.”
Kai smiled.
“Right. A visit.”
Ember’s wings folded slowly behind her.
But she did not let go of his wrist.
Not yet.
And Kai, dense as ever, thought that meant she was nervous about leaving.
He did not understand that Ember was already counting the moments until she came back.