[Bonus chapter] Night Shade

"How about Merlin?" Aella stared at Arad.

"I would have to think about it." Arad closed his eyes. Merlin taught him gravity magic, and Lyla helped him build the house. Which of them he should trust with the scales?

"Merlin? The archmage?" Mira looked at Arad with a puzzled face. "She knows about you?"

"Yeah. Alcott and Ginger do as well." Arad smiled.

Mira scratched her head. "Who is the person Mom wanted to hire to make the armor? I need to know that, but otherwise, Merlin seems like a solid choice."

"I need decent armor for Aella and Jack. You were with us and saw how a mission can go wrong." Arad sighed.

"Yeah, we almost died," Mira remembered Lydia blasting everything. "I hope Lydia can recover."

"She will." Aella smiled.

"Arad, some people are approaching from the east." A sudden voice scared Aella and Mira. It came from the window. When they looked, a large sunflower had grown a mouth.

Arad looked at the flower. "Ah, Loci. You can do that now?"