“Sweetheart, do you know what today is?”
This was another reason I liked Sophie. I was the God of chaos and she sat opposite me with coffee and called me sweetheart as if I were a lost little boy. She didn’t see me as dangerous or cruel. She didn’t hold a fear. Sophie operated on kindness, and it was nice to have kindness offered to you when all you were used to was criticism.
“It’s Friday,” I answered her, matter-of-factly.
She shook her head. “She didn’t tell you. Well, that doesn’t surprise me.”
“Didn’t tell me what?”
“It’s the anniversary of their parents' deaths.”
The news hit me hard, and I nodded. Quen hadn’t told me. She was so guarded about her family — more than anything else, more than the work she coveted. She protected her family with every ounce of strength. I wished she’d have said something, but she wasn’t an open book at the best of times.
“Cass usually flies out there but since she’s here, it made sense to stay.”
“I…” I was at a loss for words.
She sipped from her mug and offered me a smile. “Have you ever lost anyone, Grayson?”
It was a personal question, but she didn’t hesitate to ask it.
“No. No one I care about. Gods are immortal.”
“There’s no way of dying?”
I laughed and drank from my mug. “There are ways of dying. Divinity runs in our veins. If you taint the blood, then you taint the divinity and we’re vulnerable.”
Sophie raised an eyebrow at the information. I wouldn’t say any more. There was no reason to reveal every secret.
“I’ve never lost anyone either,” she said. “Cassidy and Quentin have been through a lot. Lost their birth families. Lost their adoptive parents. I can’t imagine living what they’ve been through.”
“They’re both quite phenomenal.” I spoke more for Quen than Cass.
“I would be inclined to agree. Does it bother you, Gray?”
“Hmm?” I took another sip from the mug.
“Does it bother you that one day you’ll lose her? I mean, in normal circumstances, one person usually dies before the other, but to live an eternity without them seems such a task.”
My face blanched of colour, and I set the mug down. I’d never thought of this. I’d always thought that when I left for Elysia, I’d be able to keep a check on her. I hadn’t thought about the fact that one day, she’d no longer exist in the world. That my bound would leave me alone to continue in life.
Sophie realised that what she said had an effect on me.
“I’m sorry, Gray. I didn’t mean —”
“No. It’s —”
“That’s how it would be, right? You’d lose her one day?”
Unless she claimed her divinity. I felt like this was being pushed so much quicker than I’d like. I needed to figure things out. I needed to find a way without putting her in danger. When we returned, I’d see Erik, Sloan, Ig, and Elva. Elva would want to help. She’d want her family back.
Maybe it would be as simple as dunking her in the pool and returning her to earth. Drive by gifting.
“Gray?”
Sophie pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Look after her while you have her. And ignore Cassidy. After Ethan, I think he blames himself for not taking care of her properly and having more of a say in everything. He feels like he should have warned her off him or been more involved to save her from the heartache.”
