Page 154 of The Gods Forbid

My mother went off like a rocket a second later, exploding into a ball of joy. My father didn’t even flinch. “I’m just so happy for you, Persy.”

Sebastian’s hand descended on my lower back, and I rocked back into it slightly. “Thank you, Mom.”

“Your daughter has done more for me than you know,” Sebastian said, his voice growing slightly serious.

My father nodded, his lower lip curling in an impressed expression. My mother’s eyes went even brighter. It was my father that spoke, though. “My son try to kill you yet?” he asked Sebastian.

“Twice, sir,” Sebastian said, though he sounded quite proud of that. Wait, I only knew about—

“I knew I raised him right,” my father said, looking over at Adrian with a smile. My brother was grinning like a fiend, clearly proud of himself.

“We’d love to have you over to the house,” my mom said, turning her attention to Sebastian. “You can ask Reyna. We aren’t that scary.”

Reyna laughed, coming up to give my mother a quick hug. “For two incredibly powerful gods, yes, I’d say you’re on the not scary side.”

“What’s your definition of a scary god?” I asked, unsure what her meter was if she thought my brother was a walk in the park.

“I think most would say my husband, but I would disagree,” Reyna said, looking up at my brother with stars in her eyes.

Adrian’s answering laugh completely destroyed his desire to appear scary.

“I must say I’m excited,” my mother said, and I froze. I forgot to— “We have one of your paintings in the house. Persy was actually the one to recommend it.”

Oh, no. My face felt very hot.

Sebastian looked down at me, a grin on his lips. I debated elbowing him in the stomach. “Did she now?”

I spoke low, just for us. “Two words. Sunlight. Incarnate.”

Sebastian laughed, the sound booming through the gallery. “Well, thank you,” he said to my mother. “I hope you’ll enjoy this one.”

With that, everyone dispersed to gather around the back wall, waiting to see Sebastian’s new addition. I’d already seen it, but I still felt my stomach tighten in anticipation.

Once everyone was settled around the painting, Sebastian planted me right in the middle. He looked at me like he didn’t care that anyone else was in the room, like he only intended to speak directly to me.

He broke eye contact for a second to address the room. “Thank you, Lord Jupiter, for keeping this museum something to cherish and all that,” he said, humor in his voice. Light chuckles scattered through the room. “And you’re welcome for this painting.”

Then his eyes dropped back to me, growing serious. “A very wonderful, beautiful woman once bought me paint and expected nothing in return. That kindness is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Persy, my love,” he said, and I had to blink away tears. “You brought me back to life.” He ushered me up, asking me to stand next to him.

I mouthed I love you, hardly able to do much else, while I walked toward him and took my place at his side.

Sebastian looked taken aback for a second, but then straightened. “I’d also be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to thank the gods in attendance, who under the right circumstances, I would also admit are my friends.”

The humans in the room laughed, blissfully unaware of how deeply Sebastian’s words cut. I took a moment to look at our friends.

Dominic was standing behind Rose’s shoulder, his hand clearly resting on the back of her neck under her wash of hair. Shadows curled around their feet, death following them wherever they went. I could only be glad that one death—Rose’s brother—had brought them together, their shared grief just one part of the depth of their love.

Daphne was tucked in Lukas’s side, smiling unabashedly. Even though her family—the Athena line—hadn’t continued, she’d certainly found something more by going to the sea. Though they’d known of their engagement since they were children, what they’d found with each other in the last year seemed to surprise them.

Adrian was wrapped around Reyna, momentarily dropping his stoic, king of the gods demeanor while his wife was in his arms. It still shocked me at times, that they’d gone from a fake relationship to being deeply in love so quickly. My brother even smiled now.

I turned back to Sebastian, subtly stepping further into his side. I didn’t think there would ever be a time where I wasn’t pulled to him. Sebastian had tempted the gods’ power, searching for weak spots, but I really couldn’t find the mind to wish he hadn’t.

It had brought him to me.

“Alright,” Sebastian said, his hand going to the fabric covering the painting. “Enough of the dramatics.” He pulled away the cloth and revealed the same painting I’d seen when I’d snuck into his studio.

A man, in the style of the old masters, sprawled over a rock while a hawk pecked at his liver, before it’s wings drifted off into feathers and butterflies. Since I’d seen it, he’d added rays of light coming from the man’s head, clearly intended to reference himself.