Elina refused to hold any of the babies and kept staring at her hands as if each one of her fingers were a venomous snake hissing at her.

‘I have so much to lose, yet so little courage.’ She felt her head throbbing harder by the second.

Shock, fear, and fatigue had brought Elina to the breaking point, and the soothing hot beverage only drained her strength further.

Nobody else had offered Lith to share their memories of the attack with him, and he had asked no questions.

“I think we could all use some sleep.” He said. “Those who want to rest in the privacy of their rooms are free to go. Those who want company, please follow me.”

Lith walked through a wide Warp Steps, quickly followed by the rest of his family. No one wanted to be alone. Even Elina, with all her self-loathing and guilt, couldn’t bear to not see her children for more than a minute.

The dimensional opening led to the ground floor of the tower, which had been rearranged into an indoor camping site. A bonfire crackled in the middle of the room, whose floor had been covered by a thick and soft cushion-like carpet.