For two days Kaizan had scoured through the forest around the trade path but he didn't find a single rogue. When he returned back to the capital, he gave the report to the king. He reached his house, extremely tired. Olivia was sitting with Ookashi and Nate. The two would-be grandparents were thinking of constructing a nursery for their grandchildren.
"Kaizan!" Ookashi said as she jumped from her place to hug her son. "Gods, you look… exhausted."
Kaizan gave her a weak smile. "I am…" he replied as he hugged his mother back and inhaled her scent. She was a wonderful woman and he hoped that she changed her mind to become an immortal, but deep down he knew that she wouldn't, and the worst part—his father totally accepted her decision.
"Go take a bath," Ookashi said. "You stink worse than a pigsty!"
He chuckled. His gaze went to his wife who was watching him warmly and he knew that she missed him. Gods above. He too missed her.
