Page 70 of In Your Light

But Fyn wasn’t sure about that. Everything felt so impossible, so helpless.

He didn’t look up when they all left. He could only watch Hadeom.

“I know you’re in there,” Fyn whispered. Hadeom would hear him. He had to believe that.

He reached into his rucksack and pulled out his flute. It was short and thin and more intricate than most. Not magnificent like Cern’s or even robust like Pax’s, but he’d carved it himself.

“Listen for my song, Hadeom. Hear this,” he said gently.

Then he put his flute to his lips and played.

CIARAN

Usually the vibe during a communal dinner was loud, boisterous and funny. But not tonight. No, tonight, no one spoke.

Ciaran wasn’t even sure what he could say.

Hudson and Beau were in the kitchen, preparing trays of different kinds of vegetables cooked all different kind of ways and fresh breads. Kellan’s trio were stuck together like glue, and Fray was holding Tobin tight, rubbing his back. Tobin still looked a little pale, and no one dared ask him to show them what he’d seen in Hadeom’s mind.

Fucking Hadeom.

Ciaran knew to expect the unexpected. He knew to keep an open mind. He also knew some things were out of his control and that some things went to shit for no good reason. As the leader of his consortium, adapting and rolling with the tide was part of keeping his consortium together.

During the past few months, not one thing about life in Tenebrae had been the same. They’d all changed, they’d all adapted, and they’d all grown, both as individuals and as a family.

A human mate. Yep, Ciaran loved that. Everyone else finding a mate. Perfect. Or two mates. He loved that even more. Pania joining their consortium family. Ciaran loved that for Otis. Beau and Hudson fitting in. Couldn’t be happier. Finding out who Salem was and him and Aurin having babies. Absolutely unexpected but utter perfection times four.

All of these things were great. Amazing. Awesome. Ciaran couldn’t be happier.

Then Fyn came along. Not a cephamorph, but that was fine. One of Cern’s family. A faun. So, still in the realm of not-human. Ciaran was more than happy to offer Fyn a place to stay. If he wanted to call Tenebrae home, then that was awesome, too, and Ciaran would adjust.

But this...

This might have been a step too far.

This might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Whatever the fuck that meant.

The last straw. The final straw. Something about fucking straws.

Sawyer slid his hand onto Ciaran’s knee to stop him from bouncing it.

Hudson came out to get something off one of the tables. “Dinner’ll be ready in two minutes, guys,” he said.

“No rush,” Ciaran said, trying to smile.

Silence befell them again, everyone looking at everyone else, holding eye contact and trying to process what they’d learned.

Hendrix broke first. “Can I just say something?”

“Of course,” Ciaran replied.

“What the fuck?” Hendrix said. “I mean this sincerely. What the actual fuck? He’s Hades? What does that even fucking mean? How is he Hades? The ancient Greek god of the underworld? Brother of Zeus and Poseidon.” His bewildered gaze met Ciaran’s. “How is that even possible? Like, guys.... What the fuck?”

“Cern’s real,” Sawyer said. “So maybe all old gods are. I don’t know. But myths and legends and religions, they have to start somewhere.” Then he sighed. “But I agree. What the actual fuck is correct. Because he’s my boss. Or he was. I don’t even know anymore.”

The door opened, and Pania held it while Aurin and Salem came in, holding a basket of sleepy kittens. Otis followed them in, grinning as Hudson and Beau brought out the trays of food.

“Ah, perfect timing,” Otis said. Then he took in everyone’s faces. “What happened? You said it was safe to come up.”