He could only wait to die. He would once Anya remembered he was here, once she got bored of playing the doting mother to her half-demon son. Mynor just hoped it happened before Alphan did something that would get them both killed instead of just him.
Justin had beenin the palace for several days, and he felt like the only thing he’d done was answer questions. He’d tried asking his own, but Anya was good at ignoring him and forging ahead. She did it in a way that wasn’t rude and still made Justin feel like he was gaining something, but he was starting to dislike that.
Surely, she wasn’t surprised that he wanted to know more about how she and his father had met and what had happened between them? Anyone would want that. Justin wanted to get to know her. He had no plans to stay in Hell long-term, which meant he needed to get the information he was after.
And Anya was making that impossible.
He glanced at her over the dinner table. She ate delicately and slowly, something he’d never been able to do. He’d spent some time in the foster system after his father had died, and he’d had to fight for his food, something that didn’t look like she’d ever done. He didn’t want to assume, though. Maybe she’dgrown up the way he had. Maybe she hadn’t had loving parents. Justin’s dad had loved him, but he’d died when Justin was young, and they hadn’t had enough time together. Did he have grandparents here? Did he have siblings? He didn’t know, and Anya hadn’t answered when he’d asked.
“You said you had brothers,” Anya said as she speared a piece of meat with her golden fork.
They’d already been over this, but Justin knew she wouldn’t let it go until he gave her what she wanted. She was stubborn that way. “I do. Obviously, we’re not biologically related, but we grew up together.”
“After you were adopted.”
“Yes, well, it was either that or stay in the foster system since no one knew about you. Even I didn’t know much, and definitely not enough to find you.”
“They couldn’t have known about me. I haven’t been in the human realm for decades.”
He wanted to ask if she’d have looked for him if she had, but he didn’t dare. He wasn’t sure he’d like her answer.
She’d seemed happy to find him, but she wasn’t affectionate. It could just be that she wasn’t that kind of person, but sometimes, she had a way of looking at Justin that made his skin crawl. He’d told himself he was imagining things, but he had to keep in mind that he wasn’t home or even in the human realm. He was in Hell, and he didn’t know the rules here. He didn’t know how to play whatever game Anya was playing.
“And you said that those brothers aren’t half demons like you.”
“They’re not.” Justin hadn’t gone into details about his brothers. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like he had to keep this kind of information to himself. It was probably just Anya being curious, but Justin would rather not give her any details. “Caitlinnever cared about what we were. She just cared that we needed a home, and she gave us one.”
Anya frowned as she put down her fork. “You’ve mentioned this Caitlin several times.”
“Yes, well, she’s the only mother I’ve ever known.”
Anya’s expression cooled. “Until now.”
“I guess.” Justin pushed a piece of meat around his plate. He wasn’t hungry. Actually, it was more that he wasn’t hungry for whatever the cooks had prepared. He wished he could get a juicy burger with Shelby so they could gossip and giggle as they ate, but Shelby wasn’t here. He was in the human realm.
“That doesn’t matter anymore. You found your real family.”
“I found you.”
“Isn’t that what I am? Your family? I did give birth to you.”
“Families aren’t only blood.”
“Perhaps not, but they alsoareblood, and you share mine.”
“And my father’s. Maybe you could tell me about him sometime. He’s been dead for years, and I barely remember him.”
Anya waved her hand, clearly dismissing Justin’s words. “As much as I cared for your father back then, it’s been decades. No, I think we should focus on us and our relationship.” She smiled, exposing her fangs. “I’m glad you found me, Justin.”
“I’m glad I found you, too,” Justin said, but it tasted like a lie on his tongue.
“He doesn’t look like much,”one of the guards said.
Mynor was pretty sure his name was Rassiel. He hated that he was starting to recognize the guards and remember things about them, but there was little he could do about that. It didmake him wonder how long he’d been here, though. Weeks? Maybe he should start scratching the wall for every day that passed, but it felt like it would be demoralizing, and it was too late to start, anyway. He’d already been here a while.
“Well, he’s half human,” the guard who enjoyed beating Mynor the most said. Mynor hated Pythom more than any of the others.
“I’ve met some half-humans a few times. They’re usually more impressive.”
