“That was all for show.” Athena grinned, especially at Sophie. “I couldn’t resist.”
“What happened to him?” Sophie asked, smiling back.
“He’s back in his house on Christmas eve, contemplating calling the woman he’ll eventually make those fated babies with, and not remembering a single thing about either of you or the Shard of Olympus. The whole thing never happened. His hired guns have no idea why they were out and about and getting pummeled in New York. His archeological site in the Mediterranean turned out to be a complete dud, and he’ll sell the entire island tomorrow to a professional soccer player from England who’s about to retire.”
Piers understood only parts of that, but Sophie nodded, appearing to like the plan.
“That’s brilliant. Thank you.” Sophie blushed. Athena might seem less intimidating masquerading as a thirty-something New Yorker, but she was still an Olympian and radiated power.
Athena looked at Sophie almost with affection. “You won’t have your magic without the Shard of Olympus. The shard was dormant, like all magic here, until it encounteredHeracleidae. Aaron first, although his blood was very diluted. The shard spoke to him just enough to spark some research into his ancient lineage—and yours. The magic is far stronger in your blood.”
“I don’t want magic.” Sophie shuddered. “It terrifies me.”
“As it should.” Athena sighed. “The people of Earth have invented terrible enough weapons as it is. Magic has no place here.”
Sophie murmured her agreement as she tucked herself into Piers’s side.
“What happens next?” Piers asked, still fearing a trick in the end. He wouldn’t put it past Athena to let the other shoe drop now and kick him in the head.
The goddess tsked at him, chuckling under her breath. Then she waved her magic stick again. Several things appeared on the bed. “Well, you’re still exiled—sorry. Can’t change that.”
Piers wasn’t sorry. Not with Sophie by his side. Not with the life he could imagine for them.
“So, here’s a birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, and university diploma—three in fact, including one from Oxford.” She handed him several papers, a hard little rectangle with his image on it, and a small blue book. “You own a highly successful auction house in Connecticut that restores, appraises, and sells ancient artifacts from around the world, particularly the Mediterranean basin. Here’s the deed to the warehouse and showroom.” She handed him something else. “You’re well-known in your field and regularly asked to consult on anything pertaining to antiquities. However, you read nothing but academic works and really need to branch out. I suggest Nora Roberts.” Athena handed him a paperback.
Sophie gasped. “I have the rest of that series!”
“I know.” Athena smirked. “That’s the brand-new release.”
Overwhelmed by gratitude and relief, Piers could only smile and shake his head while the women talked about something called Netflix. He only partially listened, his mind already focused ahead and happiness welling in his chest. Sophie and he had served their goddess well, and she’d rewarded them. He was still half lost, but he knew he’d catch on fast, especially with Sophie guiding him through every day of this new life.
~Epilogue~
Four years later, Pinebury, Connecticut
Piers rubbed hishands together, smiling at a job well done. The Christmas tree was up, the girls were sticky with candy-cane sugar—including Sophie—and he’d finally gotten that stubborn cord of colored lights to work. Met and Moma, their two Golden Retrievers, had only broken one ornament this year so far with their excitedly thumping tails, which seemed a vast improvement over last year’s carnage when they’d still been puppies.
Met licked sugar off Athena’s face while she giggled, and Moma was doing the same to little Zoe’s fingers. In the grand tradition of the Iraklidis of Connecticut, they’d given their children Greek names. Athena, after the goddess, and Zoe, meaning life. It had seemed only fitting to both him and Sophie, since Athena had given them this life they were living.
“Who wants to put the star on?” Piers held up the sparkly golden topping for their Christmas tree.
Both girls jumped up. “Me! Me! Daddy, me!”
Piers’s heart grew so big in his chest that it pushed against his ribs. He sometimes still wished his Thalyrian family could see who he’d become and what he’d accomplished, but what he had here in Pinebury—including the extended family that would be arriving soon to “bake the boosh” for Sophie’s last week of school before Christmas—made any loss and heartbreak he’d suffered worth it. Regrets were real, especially concerning Griffin and Cat, but he wouldn’t change anything. His choices brought him here. To Sophie. To Athena and Zoe.
Clearing the rising thickness from his throat, he smiled at his girls. “Well, I guess it’s both of you, then.” He hoisted a daughter onto each shoulder.
“Piers…” Sophie gave him aBe carefullook, but he just grinned at her. There was no way in the Underworld he would drop his children.
“Hold on.” Sophie popped up from patting the dogs and getting her own sticky fingers licked. “I’ll get the camera.”
She came back with her phone and started snapping pictures. Piers got Athena and Zoe to both hold the star and leaned in, helping Zoe with her shorter arms and more questionable balance.
“It’s on!” Athena squealed in delight.
“On! On!” Zoe chanted. Her wet little fingers smacked Piers in the eye, and he blinked, grinning.
“Get ready for landing,” he announced, pretending to be an airplane until he reached the living room couch and gently tumbled them onto it.
