We both laughed and when we broke apart, I wiped away my tears.
“Can I do anything?” Cass asked. “I’m not a God, but if there is anything I can do to make it easier…”
“Just be here,” I told him. “I’ll come back to visit when I can.”
I didn’t know if it would be possible just yet, but there was a chance I could speak it into existence.
“I’ll be here whenever you need me.” Cass clapped a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Try not to worry, okay? This will just be like when I moved to the States. We will need to adjust to our new normal, but I’ll always have your back.”
And I believed him. Cass had been a constant in my life from the moment we were introduced to each other. Thinking about it, like when he moved for his training, made the whole situation seem more manageable.
“Come on,” he said, jerking his head towards the kitchen. “Let’s join the rest of the family.”
“Probably not the best idea to leave those two alone for too long. Who knows what Sophie would ask for,” I teased.
“Don’t even joke. She’s been on about Jenna at work, and I’m almost certain she’s muttered a prayer or two to Gray.”
We walked back into the kitchen and as we settled back into dinner, I felt lighter. There were a lot of changes on the horizon, but I needed to take it in my stride. Knowing that Cass wasn’t upset with me, knowing that I had his support, made everything a lot easier. Now all I needed to do was get through the pomp and circumstance before I could officially start the job.
Poppy, the minor Goddess who had helped me before my engagement, had made last-minute alterations to my dress last night, tucking and pinning until the golden material slid along my curves perfectly. I loved her and her incessant nattering, but I couldn’t wait for her to leave. Gray, as ever, was in tune with my thoughts and feelings and kept any other guests at bay.
All I’d wanted was my bed, but sleep evaded me and now the sun was rising over Elysia. I slipped from my space carefully, leaving Gray looking peaceful. I envied him for being able to sleep with no troubles. When he slept like that, you would struggle to pin a destructive nature to him.
Grabbing some sweatpants and a T-shirt, I changed out of my pyjamas and crept downstairs and out the door. The open air was what I craved. A space that was not confined.
Elysia was breathtaking at all points in the day, but early morning was where it captured my heart. There were few Gods and Goddesses bustling around and the quiet calm made it looklike it should be hung in a museum. Too beautiful to be real. Unbelievable that it would be my permanent home.
My fingers brushed against the stone of buildings and against the flowers that bloomed in bushes. Who would have thought that this place was on the brink of being torn apart a few weeks ago? Blood and rubble swept away to make space for perfection once again. Whenever I thought about it too much, it made me feel dizzy. I stopped for a moment to catch my breath. To remind myself that those days were gone. There was no immediate danger. This was now a chance for us to learn and grow. To rebuild into something more transparent and functional.
Unsurprisingly, my feet and thoughts had led me to the council chambers, the centrepiece for all the big changes in the heavens. In a few hours’ time, someone would place a crown on my head and lead me to a throne. A laugh escaped my lips as I walked into the room. Who would have known this would be my fate?
“Gods!” Elva turned around with her eyes wide. “Quentin! You made me jump.”
“Sorry! Elva, what are you doing here?”
She moved towards me, her aura around her and a soft smile on her face. “I told you I wanted to help get things ready for today. You didn’t think I would delegate, did you? Why are you here?” When she stopped in front of me, she tucked some of my loose hair behind my ear.
My conversation with Cass about family had not been about comparing him and Elva, but explaining the difference in our relationships. She was still someone so new to my life and although I appreciated all of her efforts, I knew it would take me time to be as comfortable with her as I was with my brother.
“Are you nervous?”
“About what?” I asked, followed by giggles that betrayed me.
“Everything.”
I walked past her towards the row of thrones that were on the dais. Hunter’s and a few others’ had been removed from the line-up to make room for new ones representing the Gods that would make my inner circle. At the centre of it all was an ornate-looking piece. Intricate details were carved into the gold, and my fingers followed the swirls lazily.
“It’s very mortal of me, right?” I asked, looking over my shoulder. “Being nervous about everything.”
Elva came to my side and nodded. “Yes, it is, but you’re part mortal, Quentin, so it’s natural. There’s an awful lot that has come into your life quickly.”
That was an understatement. “Reminding myself to take it one day at a time.”
“Sometimes that’s difficult when you have an eternity ahead of you.”
I hummed. Eternity was another concept that made me feel woozy these days. It was a double-edged sword. How glorious it would be to spend the rest of my days with Gray and how terrible it would be when the time came to lose Cass and the others I cared so deeply about. The hairs on my arms raised at the thought.
“How are you and Ig?” I asked, trying to shift the subject before I spiralled.
