Wherever you are, I hope you’re happy, and I hope your wife knows how very lucky she is to have you as her own. That is the one thing I wish I could have called you. Just once. Please take care of yourself and if you do think of me, I hope you’ll forgive my words
that were spoken in anger. And that one day, maybe, you can think of me and smile again.
Just remember that I will always love you.
Ever yours,
Xyn
Unable to bear the guilt and pain, Urian closed his eyes and choked on his tears. He sank to his knees and cursed himself for having left in anger.
What have I done?
How could I have been so stupid?
She was a dragon. There was no way he’d ever be able to find her again.
July 1, 9506 BC
“So you live.”
Urian let out a tired sigh as he heard Xanthia’s sharp, shrill tone. Reclining in his chair, he was grateful his back was against the wall. Otherwise, she might very well have driven a dagger through his spine.
He looked from Ophion and Atreus, who sat across from him while they played a game of dice in the main hall, to his wife, who stood beside an Apollite he didn’t know, and smirked. “Much to your dismay, apparently.”
Her gaze narrowed on him, then softened. “You did manage to save the lives of my children. So for that, I might be able to find a degree of forgiveness for you.”
Somehow, he doubted that. And he wondered what point she had to this visit.
Sighing, Urian reached for the cup at his elbow that held the wine he’d taught his father’s people to brew from their blood. “How are the kids?”
“Geras misses you.”
He was stunned she admitted that. Normally, she only berated and cursed him during their exchanges. “I miss him, too.” Urian reached for the dice.
And still she stood there. Eyeing him in awkward silence.
He rolled his turn and lost. Apparently, she was sucking out all his luck as well as his good humor. “Is there something else you need, Thia?”
“I was curious if you’d found a place to stay since your return.”
His brothers snorted in unison.
Urian gave them both a droll stare as he wondered why she’d bother to ask him that, given the way they’d last parted company. Surely she wasn’t offering herself to him now. Was she mad?
He glared at his brothers. “What are you laughing at, you hyenas?”
Atreus blinked at him with giant goo-goo eyes. “Take me home, you big strapping stud, and feed me! I’m starving for you!” He started panting and pawing at Urian.
That was bad enough.
Worse? Ophion joined in on it. He even went as far as to plant a sloppy kiss on Urian’s lips.
Disgusted, Urian shoved at them. “I swear to the gods, Solren should have sacrificed you both to Eunomia to spare me this madness!”
Xanthia rolled her eyes at his brothers, then turned her attention to Urian. “Should I leave my door unlocked?”
Holy shit, she wasn’t joking. She’d actually been making a play for him. Helios was riding icicles now.
