I found myself appreciating the care he showed, even from a distance. The fact that he still had sentinels watching over her said more than words ever could, that he cared. It reminded me of my own mother, and of how deeply I valued the bond we shared. There was comfort in seeing that love reflected in someone else, even if it came in an unusual form.
“Why don’t you go and visit her?” I asked.
Combing through his head of curls with his hands, as if this was a conversation that was draining his energy, he simply said, “It isn’t that easy for a God to simply leave his temple. At least it isn’t for me. I am not allowed to leave the temple as often as I wish. But knowing that my mother is safe and happy is all that matters to me. She has a family of her own now and I won’t make her life more complicated than it needs to be, she has suffered enough bringing me into this world.”
Silence settled and I could taste the feeling of regret in the air. I knew it well because it had been a constant in my life. Without thinking, I reached out my hand and put it on top of his in a comforting gesture. For a moment, it felt like the air was being sucked out of the room. Auretheos’s eyes grew wide in disbelief as he stared at our joined hands between us. My hand looked tiny compared to his. I should have pulled my hand away, the Fates knew what the punishment was for touching a God. But the heat radiating from his hand felt like it was seeping into my own body, flowing through my arteries like alcohol.
Auretheos didn’t move, his gaze fixed on our joined hands. He did not protest, so I didn’t pull back and instead started moving my thumb across the back of his hand in slow and gentle circles. Auretheos swallowed hard, still not looking at me. The world around us seemed to stand still, waves of energy pulsating between us. I was hyper aware of his body, his tall frame so much bigger than I was. I kept moving my thumb, feeling underneath the lines of his hand and the veins beneath the surface.
His breath was the only indication that what was happeningbetween us was affecting him too, but he did not seem angry at the insult of me touching him. On the contrary, I could have sworn he shuddered under my touch. His breath hitched against my hand, warm and soft, sending a thrill straight through me. I’d never felt anything so intimate, so quietly electric, and it made my pulse spike in ways I didn’t expect. Slowly, Auretheos’s gaze lifted from our hands to my face. When our eyes met, my thumb froze mid-motion, and I drew in a sharp, uneven breath, heart hammering in my chest.
His eyes were glowing purple, like tiny swirls of power in a pool of honey. The table underneath our hands started shaking, papers and books slipped off, crashing to the ground in a loud bang. Glasses on the nearby coffee table rattled, the vibrations thrumming through my body.
I froze, my mouth parting as the objects around us stirred. They weren’t only moving—they responded, drawn toward the surge of power between us. My heart slammed against my ribs, a shiver trailing slowly down my spine.I hadn’t expected the world around us to tremble in response, and the realization left me both awed and uneasy.
Before I could utter a word, Caelan stormed in, eyes wide. I quickly pulled my hand back before he could see and watched as Auretheos hid his hand in the folds of his gown. The paint on his hand was smeared. So that’s why he was covering himself in paint.
“Are you harmed?” Caelan panted and looked from me to Auretheos and back in alarm. Auretheos’ regal mask slipped into place quickly.
“Everything is all right, Cae, since when are you such a frightened little kitten?” he asked smoothly, no hint thatanything at all had occurred between us.
“I felt a tremor throughout the house and heard loud noises from in here, so I came running,” Caelan explained, but the tenseness in his shoulders seemed to ease.
“I was getting a little too emotional while telling Maelis about the era of Antiotnes and walked into the table, nothing more,” Auretheos lied and gestured to the books on the ground. Caelan turned his gaze to me and doubt was written all over his features.
I smiled at him brightly, reassuring him that I was fine.
Auretheos expertly steered the conversation in a different direction.
“Have you heard from Lydia?” he asked.
Caelan nodded. “Yes, she will be arriving the day after tomorrow.”
“Excellent. She should start training Maelis as soon as possible. Are there any other news from our spies?” Auretheos asked.
Caelan glanced at me from the corner of his eye, hesitating.
Auretheos didn’t miss it.
“There’s no need to keep secrets from her. We need her to fulfill the prophecy—and she needs to know what’s going on.”
He spoke about me, but not once did he look at me. Was he mad at me for touching him or was he afraid that Caelan would find out and somehow report me to the other sentinels? Caelan sat down next to me, right where Auretheos had been moments ago and reported the news the spies had delivered. There had been reports of shadow monks appearing in cities on both continents, trying to buy information and magical supplies. The sentinels wereabout to find out what exactly they purchased and were interviewing the people they had spoken to.
“Thank you. You may go now,” Auretheos said, inclining his head.
As Caelan left the room, silence rushed in to fill the space he’d vacated. I hovered there, debating whether an apology was expected, when Auretheos turned back to me, posture stiff.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes. Of course. I’ll leave you to work,” I replied, my voice quieter than I intended.
I reached for the door. Before it could close, he spoke again.
“Good night, Maelis.”
The way he said my name, low and deliberate, sent a shiver down my spine.
“Goodbye… God? Auretheos? My lord?” I hesitated. “What am I supposed to call you?”
