“Where are we going? It’s freezing and I didn’t grab my jacket.” I scan the snowy mountain.
“We’ll only be outside for a second. Do you trust me?” he asks and I nod. “Close your eyes. No peeking.”
“Seriously?” I grumble.
“Yes, you have to keep them closed.” Raven bounces next to us.
I close my eyes but feel Jayden’s shadows pulse around us as he shadow walks us somewhere that I can’t see. There are several shushing noises as we materialize somewhere new.
“Can I look now?” I ask.
“Not yet,” he whispers next to my ear, and I shiver.
Jayden sets me on my feet and steps away from me. What are they up to? I thought it was going to be a quiet night, just the four of us, but apparently they have something much different planned.
“Seriously, what is going on?” I ask.
“You can open them now,” Jayden says.
I open my eyes and gasp. Our parents along with Artemis, Orion, Hermes, and Apollo are standing around a beautifully decorated birthday cake.
“What is going on?” I ask again.
“Did you forget your own birthday, daughter?” Dad asks.
“Not exactly. I was kind of in the middle of a war for most of the year, and then we’ve been traveling on vacation for the last month, and I guess it slipped my mind.” I glance at Jayden. “How did you know?”
“I looked in your file at the academy while doing my recruitment stuff to be sure I didn’t miss anything.” He shrugs.
I wrap my arms around his waist. “Thank you.”
“You guys are so sweet it’s sickening sometimes,” Raven says.
“And you’re a pain in the ass, Raven,” Jayden grumbles.
“I can’t believe I forgot my own birthday,” I whisper.
“You’ve been through a lot over the last year; it’s understandable.” Jayden runs a hand down my back.
“Wow, it has been a year, hasn’t it?” I glance over his shoulder at the family we are surrounded with for my birthday.
“The others wanted to be here for this, but they’re neck-deep in preparations and their own missions to stop Derek.” Jayden squeezes me closer.
“I get it.” I nod. “I can’t exactly be upset when I didn’t even remember my own birthday.”
“Happy birthday, Beth,” Dad says, patting my shoulder.
“Thanks, Dad.” I glance around the room, noticing for the first time the big bay windows looking over Mount Olympus. “This is beautiful.”
“You could see it more often if you’d like.” He grins.
“I get the hint, Dad. We’ll come visit more.” I giggle.
“Don’t go begging for the kids’ time,” Hades says. “They need to come to the underworld more. Cerberus misses you.”
“We miss Spot too,” I say. “We have been resting and relaxing for a while. I have a feeling visiting either of you would be intense. I needed low stimulation for a bit.”
“I’m not intense,” Hades gasps, placing a hand over his heart.
