The Forgotten Witch

19 ~ Lexi

Valencia rallied spectacularly overnight - the advantages of being a god - and Lexi helped her load a plate with food as the family gathered around the table for breakfast. Hades was still seeing the spirits off, but Lexi hoped he would return before she left for Olympus. She wanted him to join her, although she expected he might just sulk in the dome room if his mood was the same one he'd left with.

"When will daddy be home?" Ely asked, scratching Cerberus behind the ears as the hound lay sprawled beneath the table. "He said we could go riding and visit the baby centaur."

"I thought that was tomorrow," Lexi said, only recalling Juniper's feedings since the centaur conversation.

"But today is tomorrow." Ely argued his point as he chewed the corner of his biscuit, and Val smacked her lips as she swallowed a big scoop of scrambled eggs.

"Baby centaurs are so cute. Can I go too?" she asked around her breakfast.

"I was planning to take you home when I visit Olympus, Val. I talked to Odessa before breakfast, and she is anxious to see you home."

"Odessa is not my mother." Val didn't stop shoveling.

"But she cares about you regardless. You can't fault her for that, can you?" Lexi captured Val's attention with a gentle eyebrow lift, hoping to encourage an honest answer.

"No, I can't fault her for caring. Odessa has been good to me ever since my mother left and never came back."

"I like Odessa," said Ely. "You could have ended up on Melinoe's doorstep. That would have been worse."

"Shut up about Melinoe, Ely." Elm tossed her biscuit at Ely, and he quickly deflected it with his hand, sending it bouncing off Cerberus's paw.

"Cut it out. Cerberus isn't supposed to have bread." Ely hopped off his chair, trying to snatch the biscuit before Cerberus got to it.

"Do I smell biscuits?" Hades entered the dining hall, swiping his hair out of his eyes as he beamed at his family. He looked exhausted but happy.

"Yes, but Elm is throwing them at me," Ely said as he waved the offending biscuit, bringing it temptingly close to Cereberus's three noses.

"Oh. Do you mind if I eat that one? I'm famished." Hades walked up and lifted Ely into the air, taking a bite out of the biscuit in Ely's hand.

"Ew, Daddy. That landed on the floor."

Hades chuckled. "I thought I tasted hound hair. Maybe butter would make it taste better." He set Ely down and made for his seat, eyeing the large tray of fruit the nymphs had set out. Lexi slid the entire plate in front of his chair.

"Have an orange," she said. "They're better than last year's harvest."

Hades smiled. "You say that every year. And I keep telling you, the orchard is enchanted by your presence."

Lexi let a blush warm her cheeks. She loved her poetic god. "How did it go with the spirits?"

"All twelve were seen safely onto the boat. I expect they have forgotten about their little detour by now." As Hades peeled his orange, he turned to speak to Val. "How are you feeling today, Valencia? Any residual pain?"

"I still have a headache and it hurts a little to breathe, but it's better than being dead." She took a bite of eggs as her gaze flicked to Elm then back at her plate.

"Those symptoms will subside within a turn. Lexi's healing knows no bounds." Hades sounded sure of himself as he pulled a section of orange from the center and bit off half. "I'm sure you're anxious to return home and see your family."