Darius was sitting at a table in the Reb Lobster Inn, right next to the window, and was devouring a meal so abundant that the innkeeper had to provide him with two tables to be able to place all the various dishes he had requested; the cook was somewhat surprised that a single person could eat so much, but in the end he just needed that person to pay, and since Darius had done this in advance he had no reason to be hostile, so he willingly obliged.

While he ate, Darius kept an eye on the street through the window, and he seemed to be quite careful about it; and in fact he immediately noticed an individual wrapped in a gray cloak with a hood approaching, and as soon as he entered his field of vision a smile appeared on his face. The mysterious individual entered and Darius waved to him and motioned for him to sit down; he did so and finally removed his hood, revealing himself to be Alador. "Hi, Darius"

"Dude, is it really necessary for you to walk around in that horrible outfit?" Darius muttered, pointing to the gray cloak. "Well... I understand not wanting to risk getting noticed, but at least try to use a bit of aesthetic sense! If you have to sneak in here secretly at least do it in style!"

"It's literally a contradiction of not wanting to be noticed" Alador pointed out, and then he pointed to the enormous table in front of the djinn: "You, rather, why every time we meet it seems like you have to feed a regiment? I don't remember ever having you seen only once eating like a normal person"

"What can I say? A djinn like me has no limitations related to metabolism or stomach size, so I can eat as much as I want! And I therefore intend to taste anything!" Darius replied with a grin as he swallowed a whole skewer. "Everything can be said about you humans, but not that you can't cook well! No other creature in this world prepares food as good as yours. I love it, and when I'm in a new town I have to try every single tavern and restaurant, and they have to taste their entire menu!"

"I understand, but it's five in the afternoon!" Alador pointed out.

"Tsk! Who cares? I don't know that food is only good at certain times of the day" Darius replied as he continued chewing. "And furthermore, precisely because it is not an hour commonly considered appropriate for this activity, today I held back: normally I would have ordered much more. Instead I settled for thirty-five red mullets with tomato sauce and four portions of parmesan tripe: and since the tripe had not been seasoned enough, I moderately asked for butter and grated cheese three times! And for second I was satisfied with a simple sweet and strong hare, with a very light side dish of fattened pullets and first-crown cockerels. And after the hare, I had a cibreino of partridges, partridges, rabbits, frogs, lizards and grapes of paradise brought for pleasure; and for dessert..."

"Ok, that's enough, you don't need to describe your entire meal to me" Alador stopped him. "If you like human food so much, why don't you make it appear out of thin air? You're a djinn, aren't you?"

"I could, but it wouldn't be the same. Nothing can beat the extraordinary taste that the hard work of a chef manages to give to his dishes. Not to mention that in every country you go the foods change: even if a dish has the same name , maybe it has different ingredients and different cooking due to the different traditions of the place. Therefore, it is much better to taste the food prepared by expert and hard-working hands, rather than using my powers to create a pale imitation of it" Darius replied, and then he added softly : "Although for everything I taste I make sure to memorize the flavor, preparation and cooking, so I can then create it on my own with that same exquisite taste"

Alador smirked. "Yeah... I guess it's something else entirely" he admitted, then he asked: "Do you mind if I have a drink?"

"Of course not! In fact, you have to drink something!" Darius replied, and then called out to the innkeeper: "Hey, bring a nice mug of beer to my friend, who has a dry throat! Don't worry, I'll pay for everything!"

The innkeeper was not long in coming and handed Alador a mug of beer so big it looked like a log cut in half. "You could have offered me one of yours" Alador joked, pointing to the numerous glasses full of all sorts of alcohol in front of the djinn.

"What a joke, these are for me. Come on, let's have a nice toast" Darius told him, and with magic he raised all the glasses in front of him and made them collide with Alador's, and then pushed them all towards his mouth and drink the contents in one go; a similar amount of alcohol would have killed a normal person, but the djinn didn't bat an eyelid. Once he finished drinking, he crossed his arms and asked: "So, what do you have to tell your friend today? Although by now I could easily call myself your confessor"

Alador let out a snort somewhere between amused and sad. After the discussion he had had with Odalia he felt the need to talk to someone, and Darius was the only one who came to mind; so they met in a pub and had a drink together, and he told the djinn what had happened, obviously omitting the parts referring to Amity's future and his wife's plans for it. Darius fortunately hadn't investigated too much, and if he had had any suspicions he hadn't shown it; he had listened to him and then, as if he were an old childhood friend, he had comforted him a little and had given him some rather questionable advice but passed off as pearls of wisdom with the sole purpose of cheering him up. After that the two continued to see each other at least once a week; which meant that they hadn't seen each other more than a dozen times in total, probably even less, but despite that Alador still felt like he'd known Darius all his life despite their friendship being based only on those brief encounters. Maybe he'd spent so much time alone that he'd forgotten what it was like to converse with anyone other than Edric or Emira. He had to admit that spending some time out of the house wasn't that bad, even if he felt a little uncomfortable around people; luckily, to make him feel more at ease, Darius always chose less frequented places to meet.

Alador took another sip of beer, then he amswered: "Edric came to visit me in the laboratory again today"

"Uh, well, that's a good thing" Darius told him. "Was he alone?"

"Emira is still angry. I don't think she will forget how I behaved with her little sister anytime soon. Even if it doesn't seem like it, she is very protective of her" Alador answered him. After what had happened with the Titan Trappers Edric and Emira had started to behave less hostilely towards him; perhaps it was because he had come to their aid, or perhaps because he had stood in front of them as a shield to protect them, or perhaps for some other reason, but still they showed decidedly less hostility than before. Emira still refused to talk to him, and Alador didn't blame her after what she heard him say to Amity, but at least she no longer glared at him when they met. Edric, on the other hand, had become much more open towards him: even if he hadn't clearly forgiven him for how he had behaved with his little sister, he still went to see him and conversed with him in a rather peaceful manner. Alador was happy with this newfound relationship with his son, but still there was one detail that bothered him: "I'm sure Edric understood that there was an argument between me and his mother. Today... as well as the yesterday and a couple of days before... he spoke to me almost as if he were interrogating me"

"Kids notice these things. They don't say it outright, but they notice it" Darius told him. "And your son is a smart guy. Why don't you just tell him that you had an argument with his mother?"

Alador was sure that Edric suspected something; that boy wasn't stupid, and since he had seen him that night in front of Amity's room door he had certainly understood that something was wrong; and when he went to visit him in his laboratory the next day and found him half destroyed, this had certainly increased his suspicions even if Alador had placed all the blame on an experiment that had gone very badly. Furthermore, it wasn't difficult to notice certain signs in the house: now Odalia kept a much closer eye on Alador, or at least made sure he didn't even get close to Amity; for this reason Alador had to disguise himself before leaving the house, since if anyone had recognized him and told his children embarrassing questions would certainly have arisen, and Odalia would have wondered why he was spending time with a djinn. All these signs had certainly not escaped Edric, who was now trying in every way to understand what had actually happened between his parents. "I don't even know how to tell him. I would have to explain a lot to him and... I don't know exactly how to introduce the topic"

"Well, if you want my opinion, that boy deserves an explanation. After all, we're talking about his family, it's right that he knows what happens inside it. But anyway, you choose; your life, your choices" Darius told him. "Have you tried talking to your wife again?"

"I tried once, at the beginning of the week" Alador replied. "She just stared at me and left before I could say a word to her"

"The fact that she didn't turn you into a pile of ash is a good omen, at least from my point of view" Darius muttered. "Believe me, I've seen what witches are capable of when annoyed, especially when it comes to personal matters. The outburst your wife had with you that night is nothing compared to what a witch can actually unleash"

"I'm can imagine it" Alador said with a grimace. If Odalia hadn't held back her magic with the barrier that night she would almost certainly have wiped out the house and the entire center of town, and perhaps unleashed a calamity that would have leveled the entirety of Bonesborough. Alador knew how powerful his wife was, so it was a relief that she at least held back. "I really am a coward, you know? Ironically, more than his wrath I fear what I already know she'll say to me" he murmured in a small voice. "I know very well that she will never kill me… or at least that she won't do anything permanent to me… but just the memory of all the hatred and disgust in her voice scares me, even though I know it's well deserved"

"It's normal to be afraid to face your faults, especially with people who have been hurt by you" Darius told him. "But it is in these cases that you need to arm yourself with courage and not give up and still try to make amends. I know it takes much more strength of mind than picking up a sword and facing a fire-breathing dragon, but for the sake of those you love you must keep trying"

"Yeah..." Alador murmured, biting his lip. He cursed himself for the umpteenth time: perhaps, if he had acted differently years ago, Odalia would have been more inclined to listen to him, and perhaps she would really have given up on her project. But now he doubted that he would ever be able to change her mind. Seeing him remain silent, Darius changed the subject: "And Amity? Have you tried talking to her?"

"My wife doesn't even let me get close to her anymore. Not that I was very close to her before" Alador replied. "And even if she wasn't so guarded, what could I tell her? Amity told me straight to my face that I'm dead to her, and I don't blame her"

"You could first apologize to her and explain why you acted like an asshole. That would be a good start" Darius replied, then after a short pause he said to him: "Look... I'm normally not someone who suggests these things, but in this case I think it's the best solution, so... maybe it's time for you to separate from your wife for a while"

Alador raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not telling you to get divorced" Darius was quick to explain. "But… maybe you should move out of that house for a while. Both you and your wife are clearly very stressed, and even though you have a huge house you still sleep under the same roof, and that doesn't help calm the situation. And believe me, kids feel the tension in the house and that's not good for them. I bet they too are a little more nervous lately, right?"

Alador had to admit that the djinn wasn't entirely wrong. Even though their house was so big that they could easily avoid each other, he and Odalia still knew that the other was only a few meters away, and so their nervousness did not diminish. And in fact it seemed that the kids suffered from this, since a couple of times he had seen Emira punch a wall to vent some anger. Taking his silence as a sign that he understood his point, Darius continued: "Sometimes separating for a while is the ideal solution. This will both make you more relaxed, and you will be able to meet your children, including Amity, while they are out of the house without Odalia knowing or stopping you. You could start to mend your relationship with them better. And you could visit your wife when the kids are at school and she is alone in the house, so you can talk, and maybe one day with a bit of luck you might even be able to have some fun with her, and believe me, many men would like to be in your place..."

"I remind you that you are talking about my wife" Alador grumbled.

"Oh, come on, buddy, you know I would never have dirty intentions towards a married woman! But no man in this world could deny that your wife has a really nice ass" Darius laughed, then he added in a serious tone: "Listen to me, you and her should spend some time away from each other. It will be good for both of you"

Alador let out a snort. "I'll think about your advice... after Amity completes her transformation into a witch. I don't want to risk causing her any more stress right now" he murmured.

Darius had to admit that Alador wasn't entirely wrong. "Yes, it's an important step. When will it happen?"

"Nine days" Alador replied. He seemed to think about something, and then he asked: "Darius, how well do you know magical balancing?"

"It's a technique that uses different types of magic than mine, but I know how it works anyway" Darius replied.

Alador was silent for a moment, then he murmured: "In the unlikely event that... something goes wrong, or not as expected... could you step in and help her?"

Darius stiffened a little. It wasn't strange for Alador to try to assure himself that his daughter would be okay, but that sudden question seemed a little weird to him. It was almost as if Alador wanted to know if he could somehow interfere in Amity's magical balance. "I could try, however I don't think it's advisable. Mixing different types of magic without due care can lead to bad consequences" he explained. "But I don't think you should worry, Odalia has had fourteen years to prepare Amity for this. I'm sure she has everything under control"

"Yeah. Everything under control..." Alador muttered in a strange tone of voice.

Darius became more serious: that behavior was decidedly strange. He was about to ask him for more explanations, when a familiar voice said to him: "Darius, what are you doing? And why is he here?"

The djinn turned and saw that Hunter had appeared at the side of the table. "Oh, hello, boy! Sorry, since I had to come here anyway, I thought I'd take the opportunity to have a chat with a friend"

"Since when have you two been friends? No, never mind, I don't care" Hunter said hastily.

"Aren't you the one who had the courage to challenge my wife?" Alador asked recognizing him.

"Yeah, that's why I'm here" Darius replied. "He is staying in this inn, and he had to talk to me about something. He had arranged to meet me here for six, but I arrived a little early so I thought I'd invite you too to have a chat"

"That's all very well, but now he has to go" Hunter said with some apprehension in his voice. "Darius, I didn't call you here to talk nonsense! I have important things to tell you and I can't do it in front of a stranger! No offense, sir" he added looking at Alador.

Alador nodded. "You don't need to apologize, I understand completely" he said, standing up. "I'll leave you two alone. Bye, Darius, I'll see you next time; it was nice talking to you". And having said this he left the inn.

Hunter waited until he left, and then he slammed his fist on the table: "Does it seem like a good idea to invite other people in these cases!?"

"Keep calm, I just wanted to have a chat" Darius replied. "What do you have to tell me that worries you so much?"

"In your opinion?" Hunter replied in a harsh voice. "I talked to my uncle recently. He's getting impatient, Darius!"

The djinn immediately stopped eating and took on a rather serious expression. "Are you sure?"

"Believe me, I know my uncle's mood, and he doesn't do much to hide it, at least from me" Hunter replied. "I'm sure he's already completed a good part of his plan, it's only a matter of time before he tries to get his claws on Luz! And I don't know what to do to keep him at bay anymore! I've already had to reveal to him that Eda and Lilith they are connected, but if the situation continues like this I will also be forced to tell him about the Owl Beast and the connection between Luz and her fairy, and also that Luz aims to become a real girl! I don't need to tell you what he will do with this information! I'm stalling as long as I can, but my uncle isn't someone with much patience!" Hunter paused briefly, then he said: "Tell me where you're at with that damn spell"

Darius bit his lip; even though Hunter continued to put on a confident façade, the djinn could clearly see the terror in his eyes. He knew the situation was really serious and it was only a matter of time before it escalated. "I have completed building the main framework of the spell, but it won't be enough. It may hide you from his sight for a while, but not forever"

"So we're still stuck at the same point" Hunter grumbled, shaking his head. He was silent for a moment with his eyes lowered, and then he looked up and stared straight at him, and the djinn shivered as he looked into those determined eyes: "Darius, you know I don't want anything to happen to Luz, to Gus, to Amity or to... Willow, but you also know that I can't afford to really piss off my uncle. So stop wandering around the taverns and being a dick and bring me the damn spell, or I'll be forced to tell my uncle that information will surely condemn my friends. You care about them too and you know how desperate I am, so get busy!"

Darius wanted to be understanding towards the boy, but that wasn't enough to keep him from raising an eyebrow. "It's a threat?"

"If it makes you work faster, then yes, it's a threat" Hunter replied in a cold voice. "This isn't a game, Darius, and I'm willing to do anything to avoid the fate that awaits me if I anger that monster. Get busy before it's too late, or I won't hesitate to betray everyone"

Darius held her gaze for a moment longer, then he closed his eyes and nodded. "Okay. I understand, I'll try harder" he said, getting up from the table, but then he added: "And by the way... don't make empty threats. You can say whatever you want, but I seriously doubt that, when the time comes, you you will truly be able to abandon everyone. In you there is not only the ruthless killer you think you are, Hunter"

The blond boy let out a groan. "Maybe" he said. "But desperation makes you do things you never want to do. And I'm a very desperate person, and you know it. Maybe I'll abandon them, or maybe not... but I don't think you should risk it, Darius".. He stood up too and brought his face a few centimeters from the djinn's: "You concentrate on bringing me what I need. Do it and neither of us will ever have to worry about how capable I am of abandoning people. Don't do it, and it will be your responsibility whatever happens. You are warned"

And having said that he turned and headed towards the stairs that led to the room where he was staying without even greeting the djinn. Darius watched him disappear upstairs, and then he let out a deep sigh and materialized a gold coin which he left on the table as a tip, and then he left.

Before anyone says Hunter is too much of an asshole to threaten Darius, I remind you that if Darius fails Hunter is worse than dead. I would like to see you in his place