Malia had a smug smile on her face. Wrapping a wing in front of her, she picked at the feathers and tried to look coy. “The feast in your honor tonight?” She glanced up from her preening. “You did read the letter, didn’t you?”

Oh, baby, do I have news for you. I gave her my biggest, toothy grin. “Actually, I didn’t.”

Her fingers froze, a feather split by its barbs between her thumb and index finger. “You...didn’t? Then how did you know to come to Maas Pirene?”

I grunted. “Its proximity to my temple and your flair for symbolism.”

“I also have a flair for theatrics,” she pouted, sliding her fingers to repair the feather. Shaking her wings, she folded them behind her and slid towards me, lower lip protruding. “How’d you know I wouldn’t be at the main gates to wow our new young fellow?”

Damn it if she wasn’t a cute pouter, but that hadn’t worked on me for a good century or so. I chuckled and shifted my staff forward, so she couldn’t slither up and entangle me in her arms. We might’ve been apart for several centuries, but I’d lose my head if I let her get her lips on me. “Getting predictable in your old age?”

“You impertinent old skeleton!” Her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth in shock. “You’re one to talk. You were practically a bag of bones by the time I was born.”

“I was a century and a half older than you, and lest you start scaring the youngling,” I wagged a finger at her, “we were both well into our first millenniums before we met. So I don’t want to hear any of this age nonsense.”

“You never could take a joke.” She crossed her arms and looked hurt. Gods damn it, she was older than this. Still pouting, she gave me a sideways eye. “Are you sure you didn’t read my letter?”

I pulled out the sealed scroll and waved it. “Yep.”

She huffed. “Fine. Here, Thane.” Pinching the air, she pulled a celestial drachma from the ether. The thick gold coin glinted in the red sunlight, a prancing unicorn depicted on its face and a shrieking harpy on the reverse. Scowling, Malia flicked it to the death god, who fumbled the catch.

“A pleasure betting, as always,” he called over his shoulder as he chased the coin across the paving stones.

I raised a brow at her.

She crossed her arms in a huff, her snakes hissing. “Tomfool insisted you wouldn’t read the letter.” Sighing, she looked at me with genuine sadness. “Are you sure you won’t stay? I was looking forward to sharing a meal again.”

I shook my head and took a step back. “I’ve had enough of feasts in my honor and dealing with divine politics. It’s time I went home.”

“Your home was here,” she whispered, so soft I almost didn’t catch it. Then her eyes lit up, and she gave me an angry smile. “It wasn’t going to be all about you, you old idiot.” She frowned. “While your return would’ve complimented the main event nicely, the feast is primarily to welcome Hasda as my new champion.”

I blinked. “Your new what?”

“You heard me.” She smiled, and I didn’t like that look in her eyes.

“I thought you just wanted another lieutenant. Maybe a general, if he did well.”

She laughed, her hands holding her sides. Smile wide, she wiped at a non-existent tear. “A child raised by you, simply a ‘lieutenant?’ Oh, Charax, how I’ve missed your humor.”

Oh yes, it was quite simple, wasn’t it? Once mighty death god, once god of war, living a life of peace and raising a child to be kind and gentle to all. How could I ever mistake your intentions with him? But I didn’t say any of that. I just grumbled something under my breath and looked cranky and all the other things she expected me to be. Even if she’d lost a smaller battle, she still held the advantage in the war.

Thane finally caught his coin and, pocketing it, returned with a broad smile on his face. He faltered when he saw our expressions, but the fake grin came back almost instantly. Putting an arm over Hasda’s shoulders, he dragged the lad right next to us. “Say, aren’t you two leaving out the man of the hour?”

Malia gave Hasda an apologetic smile, and the boy ate it up. “Forgive us, Hasda.” She put a hand on my chest before I could move away. “It’s just been so many years since your father and I last met, we’ve had so much catching up to do.”

“Not much to speak of, save how I explicitly avoided teaching Hasda the arts of warfare, something you set out to do the moment he could walk,” I said, sounding sulky even to myself.

“Father, please,” he said. The way he held himself, the tone of his voice, I knew he was trying to be mature, but it just made me sad to see him so suddenly grown up, out from under me.

“Don’t mind him,” Malia said, patting my robes. “He’s always been an old crab, and we love him for it.”

“I’m happy for you, Hasda,” I said, managing to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “It’s just hard to see you go. Something I hadn’t thought I’d be saying since I began my retirement.”

“You could stay.” Again with that stupid ray of hope in his eyes.

I shook my head. “My time has long since passed, boy. Plus, it will do you good to stretch your wings,” I glanced at Malia, “metaphorically speaking, without my holding you back.”

“But you wouldn’t.” His face was insistent. “If you won’t train me, you could always advise me. I would value your judgment.”

I narrowed my eyes at Malia. The gorgon wouldn’t meet my gaze, keeping her eyes on Hasda, but she was fighting with a smile that kept trying to escape. Troublesome woman. I battled with my own pangs of emotion, the heart strings she’d orchestrated those words to pluck. Damn it all if I wasn’t going to be roped into this by the end of it.

Hasda looked at me, expectant.

I sighed. “Insufferable woman. I’m sorry, Hasda, but no. But I will give you this, before I go.”

Beside me, Malia’s brows furrowed, and her free hand drifted to my arm. “What are you…?”

Hasda braced himself, putting on a strong face. Good lad.

I rested my staff in the crook of my arm, annoyed at the uneven way it lay against Malia’s fingers, but it couldn’t be helped now. Raising my hand, I traced his brow and then his nose with the tip of my bony finger. “May you succeed upon each path you tread, your days many and your sorrows few. May love and laughter light your way, wherever you may roam. May this, my blessing, give you strength, and remember always that no matter the plow to which you lay your hand, you will always be my son. Go in peace, my anointed one.”

Malia’s fingers tightened on my arm and, behind Hasda, Thane’s jaw dropped. Not understanding what had just happened, Hasda smiled grimly and nodded his head. “Thank you, father.”

I tugged my arm free and grunted.

“Charax, I…” For once, I’d left Malia speechless. She shook her head and tried again. “I didn’t mean for you to…”

“What’s done is done.” I waved my hand, and the orange portal sputtered to life. “Enjoy your new champion. Goodbye, Hasda.”

And with that, I left through the portal. I didn’t look back, because I didn’t want to see the look on Hasda’s face as I left. He was grown, and maybe he could take it, but I didn’t know if I could. Back in the safety of the forest, the portal hissed shut behind me, and I shuffled off towards my temple. My hem snagged on a fallen branch, and I cursed. I knew I’d forgotten something.

Oh well. I could always find a tailor in the village.