Chapter 66
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule sixty-six: Never forget the formula for inner peace:
Live like you aren’t mated to a zombie (I mean, technically, Sin is one… right?).
Laugh as you commit the occasional crime against the universe (it’s probably fine).
And love so fiercely that you will smite anyone who threatens your family (violently).
There’s a small, folded paper in front of Rosie’s place setting.
Sorry, can’t make it tonight – coronation rehearsal.
Love Rosie
PS: The crown is still leaking my mother’s blood. It keeps dripping into my wine. I. Am. NOT. Okay.
PPS: Send cupcakes.
I smile at her words, even as a pang of unease unfurls in my chest. Fae succession rituals are terrifying.
Rosie has been in the Fae Realm since the battle ended a week ago, and even though she and Irena are finally reunited, things are far from peaceful. But then again, I suppose the tumultuous atmosphere is present across all the realms.
Apparently, you don’t fight a multi-realm war without leaving serious power vacuums.
Sin’s lips trail over my shoulder, snapping me from the foreboding thoughts threatening to pull me under again.
Right, not tonight.
Tonight is special.
I turn to smile at him, and his eyes light up like he’s been waiting a century to see it. My heart warms.
“Could you guys save it for later? I’m going to lose my appetite,” Arianna groans from across the table.
My cheeks heat, and Sin smirks a little. I don’t give him time to send me flashes of exactly what he wants to do to me later, and instead, I move to my own seat.
He’s been inside my mind, reading my thoughts, ever since the night of the conclave. I thought it might bother me a little, but he gives me access to his thoughts, too.
If there was ever a solution to crippling abandonment issues and insecurity, this is definitely it.
“Rosie isn’t making it. She’s busy doing queen stuff,” I note to the others as Sin takes his seat directly beside mine.
Rosie’s empty chair is on my other side, and I place her note back onto her plate.
Tonight is our first official family dinner. I’ve asked the staff to convert Need’s sitting room into a warm dining space. It’s small enough to feel intimate and cozy, and something in me beams at the fact that I’m reclaiming this space.
“Oh no! We won’t be able to say goodbye,” Sarah pouts.
Her expression is mirrored by Isaac and Conner. They’re all sitting on the other side of the table, and as usual, Conner has claimed the seat beside Arianna.
“You do remember you’ll be coming back weekly for these ‘family dinners’ Vivian insists are somehow more important than running our realms?” Morgana asks, sounding annoyed.
I peek around Sin in time to see her roll her eyes. Or at least, I think that’s what she did. It’s hard to tell with her.
“You know, it’s that attitude that makes people reluctant to help you get dressed,” Arianna notes, nodding her head at Morgana’s chest.
It’s still bandaged and wrapped where she was stabbed. I’ve offered to help heal her, since my control over my powers has never been better.
I’m assuming the added control is due to the whole ‘I ascended and am technically a goddess now’ thing. But I think Morgana is still having trouble accepting the fact that gods aren’t a myth.
She might be having an existential crisis.
After all, her entire realm is devoted to broken souls. But if we can free the Reaper souls, then what’s her purpose?
Maybe I should send her a college program guidebook. This could be her opportunity to try for a midlife career shift.
I’ll make sure to highlight the human resources program.
Arianna and Morgana continue bickering until Isaac clears his throat. “Not to ruin the mood, but what exactly are we supposed to say when we get back? Isn’t the government all over the island with a state of emergency?”
Sin shakes his head. “I’ve already altered the memories of everyone on the island. No one knows you three were missing, or about the battle. Your parents believe you were attending an archeological field course on an island with no reception.”
“Wow,” Isaac notes, looking duly impressed. “Any chance you can get the college to start offering that course? It sounds cool.”
“Let’s try and avoid unnecessary mind control,” I note with a smile, picking up my wine.
Is it sad that I’m grateful it isn’t me suggesting we do unethical things for once?
This definitely means I’m no longer as homicidal, now that my soul is fixed.
“Kitten, you were homicidal well before your soul was damaged,” Sin purrs in my mind.
A fresh round of heat blossoms over my cheeks.
Why does he sound so aroused when he says that?
“Because your fire is arousing,” he answers, even though I was definitely talking to myself.
I don’t even register his movement until his chair is glued against mine, so that our thighs are pressed together.
“I went over the battlefield and used my Creator power to regrow everything and wipe away any traces that something happened,” I reassure my friends before I get too distracted by the man in my thoughts.
“I certainly enjoyed our time on the island. We should do it again very soon.” Sin’s voice is low and wicked, and I try to busy myself with eating my dinner, since I’m positive my face is betraying how flustered he’s making me.
Sin looks completely nonplussed as he sends a memory of him devouring me under the stars the night we returned to the island.
I watch from his perspective as his tongue spears into my center.
I hear myself screaming his name as I come undone for him, the sound almost lost to the crashing ocean waves.
My breath stutters as the memory fades.
“I believe praying to my patron goddess is my new favorite pastime. I’ve realized I am a very devout man,” he adds.
I kick him under the table. I’m positive my chest and shoulders are now just as red as my face.
Sin chuckles and starts rubbing soothing circles behind my neck.
It takes a concentrated effort to swallow the food in my mouth. “So, are you guys excited to go back to school?”
Sarah sits up straighter, looking excited. “I think I’m going to change my major and become a nurse! I’ve really enjoyed helping people in the infirmary.”
“Yeah, because you got to drool over Hades every time you were in there,” Isaac teases.
She gives him an incredulous expression. “Uhm, obviously? Even without a body, that man is delicious. I’m pretty sure even Conner was looking.”
Unfortunately, Conner is mid-sip when she says it, and he spits out his drink. The liquid sprays across the table, most of it landing on Morgana.
Sarah tries to stifle her laughter and turns to give Isaac a reassuring smile. “But don’t worry, I still prefer my guys a little more mortal.”
Isaac looks more than a little relieved.
“I was NOT looking,” Conner finally sputters. He turns to give Arianna a devilish look. “I want a shadow mommy, not a shadow daddy,” he finishes with a wink.
A coiled shadow rises from the floor and wraps around his neck. Within seconds, Conner turns red, but he looks completely unfazed as he keeps making moon eyes at her and mouths, ‘harder mommy.’
“Speaking of daddies,” Damien starts, dodging Conner’s elbow as he begins to twitch from lack of oxygen, “When are we meeting your father, Red? I’m looking forward to seeing him give Sin a hard time for dating his daughter.”
On Damien’s other side, Magnus is looking at the ceiling like he’s praying for patience. I spot Varian from his spot beside Morgana when he hangs his head in exasperation and pinches the bridge of his nose.
Everyone has been skipping around the topic of my family, and I want to try to find the right words to answer. But even now, I’m not sure how I want to deal with them. I haven’t taken the time to start processing my mother’s death, so adding more blood relatives sounds like a bad idea.
Swallowing, I shake my head a bit. “Ragna and I have agreed to be allies, but that’s it. I’m not ready to dive into their family drama and meet the man who willingly abandoned me.”
Shadows grow along the walls a bit, and Sarah reaches over to give my hand a comforting squeeze.
Conner rubs his throat as he chokes out, “Smart move, who needs daddy issues?”
I give him a thankful smile for lightening the mood before continuing, “I think I might like to meet my half-sister again, though. But I’m not sure. I mean, she did rob me at conclave.”
This is about as far as I’m willing to dive into this conversation, so I take a big bite of food, hoping that will discourage any follow-up.
The others give small encouragements or nod, but Varian, Magnus, and Damien go completely rigid.
“Sister?” Varian asks, in an almost choked whisper. He slowly turns to look at me.
Since my mouth is still full, all I manage is a slight nod, remembering that I still haven’t told them how the redhead I met in the Beast Realm was actually my half-sister.
The three have been away more than they’ve been present, ever since the battle ended. But by the time I finally swallow, the conversation has moved on.
Sin and Morgana are bickering, since Sin doesn’t trust Ragna, but Morgana does.
I smile. The animosity that was between them last week seems to be getting better. I’m guessing it has to do with the fact that Morgana almost died trying to save me. That likely healed some of the broken trust between them.
They cut off when Varian abruptly stands. “My apologies, but we need to be going. Something has come up.”
Magnus and Damien immediately follow suit, and they give their goodbyes before hurriedly leaving the room.
My brow furrows, wondering what they’re up to. I haven’t pried, since Arianna said she asked them a few days ago, and all they would say was that it’s personal.
I turn to her and raise a questioning brow, only to find her standing as well. She gives me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I need to go too.”
She comes around the table, and I meet her for a hug. I don’t miss the pools of shadows once again forming under her feet.