Back At The Palace

It took a dozen minutes for a screeching to echo at the forest's edge, where Astaroth and Phoenix were waiting. And soon after, four griffins landed in the busted part of the forest.

One was larger than the others, sporting a silvery sheen, and an angry woman jumped from it.

"Do you think my riders are carriage drivers, King Astaroth?!" Mary burst into anger.

"Urgh, pipe down. I already have a headache from mana deprivation. Can we have this conversation back at the palace? I'll listen to all your berating then. I won't even interrupt you. Deal?" Astaroth asked, wincing in pain.

Mary clenched her fists and growled, staring at Astaroth and Phoenix.

"Fine! But you better get ready mentally. I'm going to fill your head up with my screams until you hear only that when falling asleep at night!"

"Ooh. Kinky. Commander Kadmus, I never thought of you like that," Astaroth joked, making the woman go beet red.