Chapter 26

Priscilla

“Hey, Cill. Is everything okay?” Jamie asks on the other end of the phone.

We’ve been texting and sending memes every day since Willow helped me rescue him from the labyrinth.

Elena even cooks dinner for the four of us once a week. But I’ve never felt the urge to call my brother. Tonight, I press the green button instinctually.

“My birth mother showed up at Twins.”

“I’m on my way.”

“You can’t. I’m back in the labyrinth. Shay went home a little while ago.” I sigh before taking another sip of wine. I’m pretty drunk. Not quite slurring my words drunk, but it must be why I’m calling the man who hated me my whole life.

To save him from the labyrinth, Willow required a sacrifice. Jaime wanted to live more than he wanted his demigod heritage. Once the blood filled with hatred for my people left his veins, it allowed us to finally love one another like siblings should.

“Actually, Cill…”

A smile breaks out across my face. Is he? Are they? “Tell me, Jamie.”

“I promised Elena I’d wait for her.”

“Well, where is she?”

“She’s on duty tonight.”

“Okay, don’t tell me. Just meet me on the pier outside the labyrinth.”

“Already in my truck.”

“Don’t hang up.”

“Where’s Anjal?” he worries.

“We laid down after Shay and Jayce went home. I thought I’d pass out from all the crying—nope.”

“But he did.”

“Yeah, snoring and everything.”

Jamie laughs.

I write Anjal a note and leave it on the counter in case he wakes while I’m gone. I pour the rest of the contents of this bottle into my glass before grabbing a new one.

Jamie and Elena rent a house in Chackbay, so it won’t take him long to arrive. I hurry because I don’t want to make him wait.

“What’s she like?”

“Thinner than me,” drunk brain admits.

“Cill…”

“I know. It’s okay. ”

I hang up the phone and slip it in my pocket once I see Jamie with his feet hanging from the pier. He must have sped all the way here.

He puts his phone away and hops up. I fall into his open arms as if it’s normal for my brother to hold me and comfort me.

Jamie doesn’t ask me to spill my guts. He just offers me another shoulder to lean on.

I’m all cried out for the night. Maybe for the week. Buckets—I’ve spilled buckets.

Shay and I haven’t even talked about what any of this means. Does Emjay want to be a part of our lives? Do we want her in our lives?

We drank. We cried. But we didn’t share our feelings. I don’t think either of us knows what we’re feeling yet.

My body stumbles. “Cill, let’s sit.” Jamie holds onto me while I pretty much fall onto the wooden planks. He slides next to me for support.

The old him might have told me I’ve had enough. The new him breaks the top of the wine bottle off with his knife because I forgot to bring a corkscrew.

I hold my glass out for him to pour me another.

“Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?” I’m really impressed that my words are coming out clear. At least, I believe they are.

“A former son of Theseus calling forth a son of Helios’ Minotaur. He’d have one hell of a story to tell. ”

“So, a nephew, huh?” I push against his shoulder.

“A girl to wrap around my finger wouldn’t be so bad either.”

“And she’ll never hear from me about how mean her daddy was to me growing up.” I hiccup. Uh oh. Maybe I shouldn’t drink anymore, my brain says while I hold my empty glass out for Jamie to fill.

“I love you, Cill. Never doubt that.”

“Uh, huh.” Is what I think to myself. Did I say it?

My head feels too heavy as I lay it on his shoulder. “Th—ank you—for—com—ing.”

My brother presses his lips to my forehead. “I’ll always come.”

I’m not sure how much time passes before I’m lifted by strong arms. It’s not Jamie. They don’t smell like Jamie. Anjal. Uh oh. I hope I didn’t wake him.