The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Twenty-Three

"You're not scheduled as a solo artist," Athen said.

Morpheus nodded. He'd heard, but he wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't assumed he was important enough to headline, but he would have wanted a set of his own. Not out of arrogance, he hoped, but because his own work was different enough from what his mother had performed in the past. More recently, she'd been supporting him on stage. "Who is scheduled?" he asked, finally.

"Irreverents are the headliners, supported by Velvet - that's Joy and Shade's new act - Robert's Pill, and Toni Ciccone."

"Your stage name?"

"We've been working with Moira Ciccone from Seraph Music. I've been a Tony before." He shrugged.

"What's your act?"

"It's a performance art troupe, but everyone still markets as a band, just a very visual and theatrical one. G and Dolly are working with me. Spider and Billy. Splendor and Psyche as well. Sid, probably."

Morpheus nodded again. "That sounds like your style." He considered the fact that Athen had half the Amber Palace on stage with him. Whatever else went on, Morpheus believed Psyche loved Athen freely and of her own will, so she would want to be with him. Splendor would go because its mother did. Absidus was not only Splendor's own lover, but practically Athen's aunt. "So, Shade and Joy are still jamming?"

"They are....very much together."

"Really?" The girl who did stupid things for guys? Joy herself? The woman on whose past lives Athen was fixated? With Shade?

Athen grimaced. "Life imitating art. Yes. They released an album, and...." Athen paused. "Joy's insisting Julien and Amadeo join them as touring members."

"How the Hell does she expect them to get along?!"

"Morpheus. Language." Mother. She was teasing him, and appeared to walk from the door of the kitchen's smaller refrigerator. For an instant, he saw her the way he imagined someone else saw her: a Gothic style icon who managed to pull-off combination of Fetish and Lolita fashion. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen her in a while. Then, she was just his mother again.

"I'm sorry," Morpheus said.

"Come outside."

Morpheus shook his head. "Where?"

"Get your things. We're outside."

"I have work," Athen said. This seemed an excuse, but the politest way of acknowledging that he and Mother didn't want to speak in front of each other, which is what Morpheus supposed to be the case. Athen went first to the blood pantry.

When Athen had gone, Morpheus unstopped the bottles containing his Djinn, and asked Loren, Hepburn, and Evangelista to carry his other belongings and follow. Morpheus walked, going through the dining room and ballroom to the Palace's rear terrace.

He saw them then, about a fire in a paved pit. "Is it Lughnasadh?" Morpheus asked.

Beside him, Mother answered, "You missed the sunset."

"Since when are you so into the holidays?"

"I'm-" She stopped at the foot of the terrace steps. "C'mere." Her hands fluttered near her shoulders.

Morpheus stepped close and he felt her embrace him. He didn't know what she used - ash, smoke, air - Mother willed herself tangible enough to lean weight against him. Morpheus felt warmth and softness. He felt slender arms, and then hands along his back. "I am sorry I..."