Perturbed by the way she continued to sniff and paw him as if his body were the odor that offended her, he scowled. “There are a lot of olive vines my solren placed about for the ceremony.”
Apollymi gave him a most peeved glare. “I know the difference between a plant and the greasy smell of one of their ilk. It reeks of a god. And this is the repellent odor of …” Her voice trailed off as Davyn approached them.
With Urian’s mother.
Delighted beyond belief, he gasped at the sight of her. “Mata!”
Smiling, she rushed to hug him and kiss his cheeks. “Oh! Look how beautiful you are!”
“What are you doing here?”
“You didn’t think I’d miss your wedding, did you?”
Apollymi scoffed and pressed her hand to her nose.
Urian ignored her as he realized that it was her way of saying that his mother must be the Greek she thought she’d been smelling.
He glanced at the goddess over his mother’s head to catch her swirling gaze and rolled his eyes at her meanness.
Xedrix choked at Urian’s audacity but quickly caught himself as the goddess turned her haughty gaze toward her favorite blue demon. While she might tolerate insolence from Urian, she’d never take it from her Charonte. Xedrix, she might very well pull his wings off and mount them to the wall.
Urian tucked his mother’s hand into the crook of his elbow. “Come, Mata. Let me introduce you to my Thia.”
Always perceptive and wary of the number of Daimons who now called Kalosis home, she followed and stayed closely by his side. “I’ve missed you, Urian.”
Urian tightened his hand over her fingers. “I’ve missed you too.”
She pulled him to a stop. “Please … I have to know. Did I do something to upset you? Is there a reason why you’ve stayed away for so long?”
“I know about …” He choked on the words that burned bitter in his throat. He couldn’t bring himself to mention her human lover no matter how happy the man might make her. It galled him too much to think about it.
His mother’s eyes bulged as she realized what had him upset. “How do you know about Memnus?”
He ground his teeth as he realized that it was the man he’d met the last time he’d seen her. That was even more galling. “I came to see you one night and overheard the two of you.”
The color faded from her cheeks. “Urian—”
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “It’s all right, Mata. I understand. You’re entitled to have someone who cares for you, and I harbor no ill will toward either of you.” He offered her a sincere smile. “There’s nothing I want more than for you to be happy.”
Cupping his jaw, she pulled his head down and pressed her cheek to his.“S’agapo para poli moro mou.”
Those words brought tears to his eyes. He’d forgotten how much he’d missed his mother. What it felt like to be wrapped in the warmth of arms that didn’t judge him or expect anything from him at all. This was the only thing missing from his relationship with Xyn. He’d give anything to have her hold him like this and warm him inside and out.
“Baba Urian! Can I go play with Abiron and Kylas?”
He laughed as he pulled back from his mother’s warm embrace to see his own son. “Mata … meet Geras, my new little one.” He stepped back so that she could see Xanthia’s golden-haired cherub. His short monochiton was already stained from play. No doubt his mother would have a conniption when she saw how dirty he was. But having been that age not so long ago, Urian well understood the boy’s rambunctiousness. As well as the fact that his fibula wouldn’t stay on his shoulder.
Kneeling, Urian repinned it a bit tighter before Xanthia saw it and fussed at Geras the way his mother used to do with him and his brothers. “Of course you may play with your cousins. Just don’t get into trouble or let them lead you too close to the Charonte. They tend to eat little Apollites who venture too close to their domain.”
Eyes wide in fear, Geras glanced toward Xedrix and Sabine. The orange-and-yellow-swirled Charonte female looked over as if she’d heard his words. Her eyes flashed.
Geras gasped and ran off.
With a laugh, his mother shook her head. “Fatherhood looks good on you. But then you were always patient with your nieces and nephews.”
Though she’d meant it as a compliment, it only saddened and wounded him deep in his heart. In a perfect world, he’d have loved a house full of children. To watch them grow and play.
But not in this world. Not with their curse hanging over their heads.
