Xedrix choked at Urian’s audacity but quickly caught himself as the goddess turned her haughty gaze toward her favorite blue demon. While she might tolerate insolence from Urian, she’d never take it from her Charonte. Xedrix, she might very well pull his wings off and mount them to the wall.
Urian tucked his mother’s hand into the crook of his elbow. “Come, Mata. Let me introduce you to my Thia.”
Always perceptive and wary of the number of Daimons who now called Kalosis home, she followed and stayed closely by his side. “I’ve missed you, Urian.”
Urian tightened his hand over her fingers. “I’ve missed you too.”
She pulled him to a stop. “Please … I have to know. Did I do something to upset you? Is there a reason why you’ve stayed away for so long?”
“I know about…” He choked on the words that burned bitter in his throat. He couldn’t bring himself to mention her human lover no matter how happy the man might make her. It galled him too much to think about it.
His mother’s eyes bulged as she realized what had him upset. “How do you know about Memnus?”
He ground his teeth as he realized that it was the man he’d met the last time he’d seen her. That was even more galling. “I came to see you one night and overheard the two of you.”
The color faded from her cheeks. “Urian—”
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “It’s all right, Mata. I understand. You’re entitled to have someone who cares for you, and I harbor no ill will toward either of you.” He offered her a sincere smile. “There’s nothing I want more than for you to be happy.”
Cupping his jaw, she pulled his head down and pressed her cheek to his. “S’agapo para poli moro mou.”
Those words brought tears to his eyes. He’d forgotten how much he’d missed his mother. What it felt like to be wrapped in the warmth of arms that didn’t judge him or expect anything from him at all. This was the only thing missing from his relationship with Xyn. He’d give anything to have her hold him like this and warm him inside and out.
“Baba Urian! Can I go play with Abiron and Kylas?”
He laughed as he pulled back from his mother’s warm embrace to see his own son. “Mata … meet Geras, my new little one.” He stepped back so that she could see Xanthia’s golden-haired cherub. His short monochiton was already stained from play. No doubt his mother would have a conniption when she saw how dirty he was. But having been that age not so long ago, Urian well understood the boy’s rambunctiousness. As well as the fact that his fibula wouldn’t stay on his shoulder.
Kneeling, Urian repinned it a bit tighter before Xanthia saw it and fussed at Geras the way his mother used to do with him and his brothers. “Of course you may play with your cousins. Just don’t get into trouble or let them lead you too close to the Charonte. They tend to eat little Apollites who venture too close to their domain.”
Eyes wide in fear, Geras glanced toward Xedrix and Sabine. The orange-and-yellow-swirled Charonte female looked over as if she’d heard his words. Her eyes flashed.
Geras gasped and ran off.
With a laugh, his mother shook her head. “Fatherhood looks good on you. But then you were always patient with your nieces and nephews.”
Though she’d meant it as a compliment, it only saddened and wounded him deep in his heart. In a perfect world, he’d have loved a house full of children. To watch them grow and play.
But not in this world. Not with their curse hanging over their heads.
He and Paris both agreed on that. They refused to do what their other siblings had selfishly done and force their children to face their death sentence. He was all too aware of how close that deadline loomed. Of how precious every night between now and then was.
And how precarious every breath afterward would be. He vowed that he would relish whatever time he had.
Even if it meant being married to a woman he didn’t really love for the sake of convenience. After all, he didn’t have the luxury of waiting.
“Is he her only child?”
“Nay. She has a daughter.” Urian jerked his chin toward Nephele, who was standing off in a small circle of friends. Her purple peplos had been borrowed from Tannis, yet it was extremely fetching on the girl. Too fetching for Urian’s comfort, as he wanted to chase away all the young boys Nephele’s beauty attracted. While she might not be his natural daughter, he was no less protective of her and he considered her as much his daughter as if he’d sired her. “Her name is Nephele.”
“If she looks anything like her mother, then your Xanthia must be a great beauty indeed.”
“Thank you.”
They turned at the sound of Xanthia’s voice to find her behind them.
Urian inclined his head respectfully. “Mata … meet my bride.”
Gripping one another’s forearms, they gracefully kissed each cheek in turn, and then Xanthia curtsied to the human mother she’d cursed Urian for having. He watched them closely, ready to intervene at any second if Xanthia said anything to hurt his mother’s feelings.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, kyria. Urian has had such wonderful things to say about you. I feel as if we’ve already met.”
“You’re too kind, Xanthia. And I’m thrilled to see my boy so well settled, and with such a great beauty no less. I’m sure the goddess will bless you both with even more children.”
“I hope so. Nothing would thrill me more.” Xanthia’s eyes widened. “Please excuse me.… Geras! Don’t you dare!” She rushed off after Geras, who was trying to light a fire from his posterior.
Urian shook his head at the boy’s antics.
“Don’t you dare laugh.” His mother popped him playfully on his bare arm. “I seem to recall a certain pair of twins doing the same thing at that age.”
“Aye, but we were better at it. We actually succeeded.”
“And almost set fire to your solren’s study.”
“And he in turn set fire to our asses,” Paris said with a jovial laugh as he joined them. “Greetings, Mata. How are you?”
Smiling, she cupped his chin and kissed him. “Wonderful, now that I’ve seen my boys. And where’s your better half?”
“Ah! I always knew you preferred Davyn to me, and now I have proof.” His golden-blond curls dancing, he sobered as the merriment went out of his eyes. “I told him to stay home, if that’s all right. He’s still mourning the loss of his sister and her family.”
Urian winced. “Understood. The last thing I want is to cause him more pain.”
“Good. He feared you might think his absence was meant as a disrespect or slight.”
Urian was aghast. “Never. I know his heart better than that. I’d never lay such ill intent upon him.”
That relaxed his twin instantly. “Such evil’s not in him, either. It’s why I’m with him over anyone else. While others scheme and plot, he’s loyal to a fault.”
No one knew that better than Urian, except for probably Paris.
Their mother straightened Paris’s cloak. “Then I will make sure and visit with him before I leave. I can’t go home without seeing all my boys and letting them know I love them.”
Paris smiled. “I’ve missed you, Mata.”
“And I you.” She glanced over his shoulder to where one of the Daimons was eyeing her.
Urian glared at the bastard, daring him to even think about coming near them.
“I’ve got him.” Paris left them to go have words with the man who was new to their world and who had no idea that Hellen was off his menu.
Forever.
Even so, she moved a little closer to Urian. “There are a lot more here than there were before.”
“Aye. More come here every day to seek refuge from the human world.”
“Like your soon-to-be bride.”
He nodded.
“Yet you do not love her.”
Urian froze at those words.
His mother slid a gimlet stare toward him. “Deny it if I’m wrong.”
The problem was, she’d seen a truth he didn’t like admitting out loud. A truth he did his best to conceal from everyone.
Even himself.
But she was his mother and she knew his heart better than anyone other than Xyn, who had also commented on a fact he couldn’t hide from her either.
His mother’s face fell instantly as tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, baby … why are you doing this if you don’t love her?”