She shook her head. "I'll never understand how you can bring me so much pride and pain at the same time. I don't agree with your loyalty to a race that betrayed you . . . no, they did worse than that—they tortured and abused you in a way that deserves no compassion or leniency. But I respect your convictions even when they violently collide with my own. No mother could be prouder of her son, Apostolos. Go find your book and know that I'm here to help you in any way I can."
He held his hand up to her so that she could place hers against his. It was the closest they could come to touching. Part of him wanted to release her at any cost.
But having suffered the way he had, he couldn't live knowing he'd hurt someone else like that. At least not unless they deserved it.
"Go with my love, Apostolos. Do us both proud."
Fading back to New Orleans, he stood on the balcony of his apartment at 622 Pirates Alley that overlooked the courtyard of the St. Louis Cathedral. It was dark, but he could hear the music drifting up from the Old Absinthe House below, as well as laughter and chattering from people on the street. There were Daimons in the alley stalking victims, but before he could even worry about it, Janice was there. He watched the Trini Dark-Hunter follow them toward Royal Street where he knew she'd dispose of them.
Tonight he had bigger concerns than the Daimons who trolled from victims. Someone had a journal Ryssa should never have written. He could go back in time and seize it, but he didn't know how that would disrupt the present. What changes it could incur. It could all work out well.
Or the earth could end.
He leaned against the railing, considering his options. Had he already sown his own destruction? He'd given Tory a key that had seemed harmless and now she was the greatest threat he could think of.
Protect the girl, Apostolos. Keep her safe . . .
He cocked his head at his mother's voice inside his head. "What are you saying, Matera?"
I shouldn't tell you this, but the survival of the world hinges on hers. Keep her safe.
Ash laughed as he was struck by a line from the TV show Heroes. Save the cheerleader. Save the world.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
Because I love you. Now go.
Ash hesitated, but at the end of the day he knew the truth. His mother wouldn't have told him that unless it was truly important.
Fine, he'd protect Soteria.
And he would protect himself.
"What are you doing, Apollymi?"
Apollymi turned away from her fountain to find Savitar standing in her garden looking angry at her. "Get out, you bastard."
He refused to move. "You shouldn't have told him that."
She lifted her chin in defiance of the Chthonian. For all his power, he was no match for her and he knew it. "Who are you to lecture me on what should and shouldn't be done?"
His eyes flashed from lavender to silver and then turned a dark vibrant blue. "You are tampering with fate."
She snarled at him. "I am protecting my son. If that's a crime, then punish me. Oh wait, I'm already being punished for protecting him. So be it."
Savitar narrowed his eyes on her. "This isn't a game."
"No, it isn't. I don't play those. I never have." She started past him, but he caught her arm and stopped her.
"I didn't have to contain the powers of the gods you destroyed on Atlantis the way I did when you went wild on them. But for me, the other Chthonians would have torn you apart for that."
Apollymi refused to be intimidated by him or anyone else. "So what? You want me to thank you?" She snatched her arm free of his grip. "The only thanks I owe you is for helping Apostolos learn his powers. For that, I will always be grateful to you. But that's as far as my gratitude goes. If you really think I fear you or those other mortal gods you run with, think again. In this universe, only the primal source outpowers me. There is nothing I fear."
His expression turned cold, brutal. "Not true. You fear the loss of your son and so long as you fear that, you're as controllable as the rest of us."
She hated the fact he was right. "Don't push me, Savitar."
"And don't push me. You may be a goddess by birth, but I'm a lot more than just a Chthonian and you know that. I survived a hell you can't even imagine and its fires forged a core of steel within me. You want a battle, pick your sword. But remember the number of gods before you who sought to kill me and failed."
She raked him with a heated glower. "In turn, you'd do well to remember that I destroyed not only my entire pantheon, but my very family to protect my child. Don't get in my way, or we will find out once and for all which of us wields the most powerful sword."
Savitar wanted to choke her for her obstinacy. But then she'd always been this way. Stubborn to the core of her being. "Fine, but consider what happened the last time you tried to protect him. The suffering your tampering caused Apostolos. Is that really what you want?"
Her eyes teared up and he hated himself for giving her that pain. "Damn you."
He scoffed. "I was damned long before this. Let fate unfold as it should, Apollymi. I beg you to stay out of this. For all our sakes."
Her crystal tears glittered like diamonds on her dark blond lashes. "Keep him alive for me, Savitar. Otherwise you know what will happen."
He inclined his head. "I will do what I can but in the end we both know that only Apostolos can make the fate we want for him."