Hunter: Crossroads

Chapter 21

I watched Mum sip her glass of champagne, the rosy glow on her cheeks giving her a more youthful appearance. I hadn't seen her so relaxed in a long time; even at the wedding, she'd been unable to just stop and enjoy herself. There was always a caterer that needed direction, a friend that wanted attention or a wedding planner to yell at when they decided it was over and helped themselves to a bottle of the vintage red left out on a nearby table. I was on the planner's side, dealing with Mum and Penny in the weeks leading up to the wedding was probably enough to warrant an early retirement and more than a bottle of wine on the sly.

Dad looked equally at peace beside her. I watched from the opposite side of the table as they shared looks and smiles as each of the courses were placed in front of them. Despite having the same food, they shared whatever they had just tasted with an enthusiastic, try this, to the other. It was adorable and surreal. Beside Dad, Jordan joked with Colton. I hadn't realised the pair of them were so friendly, and Penny joined in as stories from their honeymoon - the appropriate edition, not the girls night version, were shared with our little family.

That's what we all were.

Family.

Three years ago I would have laughed if you told me that I'd be here like this. I never would have believed I'd be willingly seated beside Penny, and think of her as a real friend. None of this was punishment or pretend. We hadn't attempted to bring each other down, and there had been no passive-aggressive remarks discreetly served with fake smiles. I had been genuinely happy to see her tonight.

Richard would call this progress. I call it well, I guess it was progress.

Ailin politely nodded along to whatever Mum was currently talking about, not quite as comfortable here as the others, but even our demon president looked happier to be here than what Zane did. Seated beside Cain, he was constantly fidgeting with the collar of his shirt and the cufflinks. The boutique beer he drank was one he never would have tried if it wasn't the only beer on the menu; while the others sipped wine and whisky, which a bottle of would cost more than some peoples cars. Anytime Mum leaned over to him, whispering how nice he looked dressed up he blushed.

We'd booked a table at one of the fanciest restaurants in the city that I knew my parents would enjoy and I wanted them both in the best of moods. This was one I knew they had frequented whenever we came by before they ended the nomad lifestyle and settled at the Academy. Clearly, it had been too long since their last visit, and with our people gathered, it was nearly time to break the news. I just hoped we fed and liquored them up enough to handle the announcement. It would be hard to hate anything in this place, with the piano set up in the corner, sparkling chandeliers and candlelight that made it feel so exclusive and luxurious.

"And no one can find them?" Zane kept his voice low while Mum was distracted with the truffle foam served alongside the duck ravioli.

Cain gave a little shake of his head, putting his wine glass down as he gave the table a once over. No one was listening, or maybe they were as I saw Ailin watching him as she glanced up from her phone. Jordan had tried bringing up the Furies and what had happened on the mountain more than once tonight, but Mum had shut him up pretty quickly. I kind of liked her, no work talk at the table, rule, but it was the only thing that seemed to stop Zane from looking like he was about to run out of the restaurant.

"Hermes is exhausted, he's done as much as he can," Cain told him. "Deimos needs time to recover, and they will too. For now, all we can do is be alert for when they come back."

It wasn't a plan, and we had to come up with more than being alert as the next time would be harder. If they wanted to play dirty as they did with their use of Perseus's shield, I could only imagine what they'd come up with now.