Chapter 2

The portrait never happened after all.

I just took Theo back to our estate and immediately started stuffing the personal items we needed to take into our enchanted travel bags.

Right after I locked in the magical coordinates for the realm portal to the Southern Sanctuary, Cassia sent me a vision through the messaging crystal.

She was wearing an extremely precious Hera's Tears necklace. Darius was standing behind her, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

That necklace was no ordinary trinket. Since ancient times, it had been the supreme symbol of the High Lady of the Realm.

At the end of the vision, Cassia flashed her usual provocative smile.

"Hera's Tears, the symbol of the Lady, and the Lord himself. They are mine whenever I call."

If I still had my old temper, I would have summoned the sacred flames to show her exactly what the Lady of the Realm could do.

But right now, watching Theo carefully organize his little bow and arrows, I only had one thought. Pathetic.

I closed the scrying mirror and confirmed our departure time for the day after tomorrow.

Not long after, Darius pushed open the heavy bronze doors. He was carrying a piping hot ambrosia pie in his hands.

Both Theo and I were stunned.

He had always despised the sickeningly sweet smell of ambrosia fruit.

Because of this, even though Theo inherited my love for ambrosia, he would always choose food that Darius liked for his birthday every year.

Why would he go out of his way to buy one today?

Theo and I exchanged a look of sheer disbelief.

Darius walked in slowly. Seeing the open travel bags, his expression shifted.

"Milo was badly frightened and cried a lot, so I stayed a bit longer to keep him company. On my way back, I suddenly remembered that you and Theo love ambrosia pie, so I picked one up."

He looked at the bags. "What is all this? Are you going on a trip?"

I shook my head, and then nodded.

"Something like that."

There were less than forty-eight hours left until the final deadline of the thirty-day waiting period. I absolutely would not allow anything to go wrong at this critical moment.

For some reason, my answer seemed to relieve him.

He quickly tried to make up for things. "The attendant at the Portrait Pavilion said you didn't end up painting it. I booked a new spot. How about we go to the Starlight Dreamscape Festival tomorrow and paint it there? I swear on the River Styx, I will be on time."

He knelt on one knee in front of Theo, his tone exceptionally sincere.

Theo, who had been packing his bow and arrows, paused. He looked at Darius, then at me.

He hesitated, as if he could not believe it.

Seeing his conflicted expression, my heart softened.

"Then let's go tomorrow," I compromised.

After all, this would be the last time father and son spent time together.

The moment I agreed, Theo's eyes lit up immediately. He hugged his little bow and arrows and scampered back to his room.

After he left, I continued packing.

Darius stepped up and stood beside me. The familiar aura of the Lord enveloped me. He spoke, his voice carrying that deliberate, practiced affection he always used.

This was always his way of smoothing things over.

"About Theo publicly calling me 'Lord' out there today..."

My heart seized violently. I forced myself to stay calm, lifting my chin to meet his gaze.

He condescendingly crouched down halfway, pushing the ambrosia pie to where I could easily reach it. "My one and only Lady," he murmured.

I had already guessed what he was going to say next. I knew his script by heart. "I know what you are thinking. You think I am paying too much attention to Cassia and neglecting you and Theo."

"But I swear to Hera, protecting her is merely my duty as a Lord. She is a minor goddess raising a child alone. I just cannot bear to watch her suffer."

He took my hand and pressed it against his chest.

"Just give me a little more time. I will sort things out with Cassia and her son. I will never let you and Theo down again."

I stared at him, trying hard to remember the last time he looked at me with those eyes.

Perhaps it was during our soul bonding ceremony that took the entire realm by storm. That moment when we interlocked our fingers with the gods as our witness, and he swore to protect me for the rest of my life.

Or perhaps it was the day Theo finally broke from his shell. He shielded that little life against his chest, his hands trembling as he planted a kiss on my forehead.

"Cora," he had said then. "I will never let you or our heir suffer a single grievance."

Those memories, so beautiful they almost felt fake, rushed back to me like a tidal wave. I stayed silent for a long time.

Finally, I decided to tell him the truth.

"Darius, actually..."