“I really think I should check on your mother,” Tafel said, biting her lower lip.

“Our mother,” Emile said as he rolled over, tickling Tafel’s stomach. The demon was lying down with the phoenixes resting on top of her, using her as a bed. The few phoenixes that couldn’t fit on her body were pressed against her sides, keeping her from moving. “And you shouldn’t do that. It’s dangerous.”

Tafel frowned. “Which is why I should check on her….”

“Nope,” Emile said. “Someone cover her face to stop her from talking back.” A phoenix hopped onto Tafel’s head and spread her wings while resting her stomach flat against the demon’s nose. “It’s too dangerous to check on Mom. If something happens to you, what will happen to us? You promised Mom you’d take care of us. Going back will be breaking your promise.”

Tafel displaced two phoenixes as she raised her arms and lifted the limp bird off her face. “This is the fourth excuse you’ve given me when I said I wanted to check on your—our mother. Is there a reason why you don’t want to go back?”

“We can’t have fun when Mom’s around,” the phoenix in Tafel’s hands said as she pressed her wings against her body. “I want to see the world! But Mom barely lets us outside because she thinks it’s too dangerous. Adventurers will hunt us down and steal our feathers or something like that.”

“Well, they will,” Tafel said with a nod. “There were plenty of requests for phoenix feathers in the adventurers’ guild.”

“Why are our feathers so precious?” one of the phoenixes muttered. “They should steal the penguins’ instead. They’re failure birds; it’s not like they can fly away.”

“That’s just how things are,” Tafel said. “So you don’t want to check on our mother because you’re afraid you’ll lose your freedom? I’m not sure how she’ll feel if she finds out. I bet she’s worried sick about all of you. Don’t you feel even a little bad for her?”

“Someone cover her face so she can’t guilt trip us!” Emile said, nudging the phoenix beside him towards Tafel’s head.

“But it has been two weeks,” the phoenix said and pushed Emile back. “I think we should go back. I miss Mom.”

“Me too.”

“And me.”

“I miss her a little too even though it’s fun outside.”

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Emile stood up and flapped his wings. “I demand a vote!” he said, glaring at the phoenixes who spoke up. “Those who want to go back, raise your wings.”

Eight phoenixes raised their wings, outnumbering the four who hadn’t moved. Emile scowled—or, at least, Tafel thought he scowled since it was hard to tell because of his rigid beak—and recounted the wings. There were still more votes for going back than against. Tafel’s eyes twinkled as she sat up and burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Emile asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Nothing,” Tafel said with a wry smile. “I just realized, with all of your help, I’ll be able to make the decisions once I see my husband again. He’s very fond of voting. Before, it was him, a fairy, and me. I’d always get outvoted by those two.” She rubbed her hands together. “I can’t wait.”

“You know, if we go back to Mom, then she won’t let us roam around the world with you,” Emile said. “Will you really win the vote without us?”

“Stop trying to change her mind,” one of the phoenixes said. “You lost the vote that you called for fair and square. We’re going home to check on Mom.”

Tafel nodded. “Results of a vote are final,” she said. “If you make an exception one time, it sets a precedent. Sorry, Emile.” She stood up, gently pushing the phoenixes off her body. “Are all of you ready to go?”

“Ready!”

“I’ll teleport us close to the area where the flames were,” Tafel said. “Stay close in case your mother lost the fight against the dragons. I imagine it’d be easy to sense them if she did. If the dragons are there, I’ll teleport us out right away.” Her horns glowed with a silver light as a flaming rune appeared on her forehead. The time it took to calculate a teleportation had been considerably shortened after she received her imprint. A moment after she started the spell, a silver circle appeared around her and the group of huddled phoenixes. With a flash, the scenery changed from a forest to … a forest.

Emile blinked. “We”—his head swiveled around like an owl—“moved, right?”

“Yes,” Tafel said. “I don’t sense any dragons. Do you?”

The phoenixes stopped crowding around her legs and looked around. Some spread their wings, but none of them flew into the air. “I don’t sense any,” Emile said. “But I’ve never encountered one before. What do they feel like?”

“Like you’re about to be eaten,” Tafel said. “If none of you are feeling nervous, then they’re probably not there. It looks like Mom won.” Her horns flashed silver again. “I’ll bring us closer.” The scenery shifted from a forest to a hollowed out tree, the same one she had met Persephone in. A startled bald elf was the first thing she saw.

“Y-you’re back,” Persephone said with wide eyes. She glanced at the book she was holding. Her face turned red, and she quickly slammed it shut, placed it on the ground, and covered it with her cushion before sitting on it. “T-the matriarch has been waiting for you. She was just about to leave the nest to search for you. You should catch her before she leaves, hurry, hurry.”

“What were you reading?” Emile asked, hopping closer to Persephone.

“Nothing!” Persephone said, half-shouting as she retreated while dragging the cushion back. She bit her lower lip. “You should find your mother before she leaves.”

“C’mon, Emile,” Tafel said and grabbed Emile’s tail feathers before he could get closer to Persephone. “Let the poor woman have some privacy.

“Fine, fine,” Emile said and jutted his beak out. Tafel assumed he was pouting. “Let’s go find Mom.”