***
“My mother’s extended an invitation for tea this afternoon. Would you like to come?” David asked after we were in the car.
“I’d love to.”
***
We had breakfast at a coffee shop in town. Claire used to work there as a waitress when I was a kid. The owner, Mr. Rodriguez, always gave me a dessert on the house and made it a point to ask me about her.
“Who’s your new friend?” Mr. Rodriguez asked.
The patrons in the restaurant quieted, a few of them turning on their chairs to see the new face in town.
“This is David Chios. He and his family just moved into town,” I said. “David, this is Mr. Rodriguez. He used to be my mom’s boss.”
“A pleasure, sir.” David extended his hand.
“You folks the ones that bought the preserve?” Ah, yes. The rumor had already spread.
“Yes, sir. We closed on the property just a few days ago.”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Mr. Rodriguez said. “Them folk swore they’d never sell out. Well, I best get back to the kitchen.” He threw a dishtowel over his shoulder. “¡Buen provecho!”
“Gracias, Señor Rodriguez.”
“Your Spanish is very good,” David said.
“Yes, I should hope so,” I said, laughing.
“Did I say something funny?”
“David, I’m Hispanic. Of course I speak Spanish. In case you haven’t noticed eighty-five percent of the population here is Hispanic.”
He looked around the restaurant and nodded. “I pay no thought to things such as race, color, creed, or social standing. Everyone is equal. Do you really think Deus intended this ridiculous segregation of mankind?”
“I didn’t mean anything by it.” I hadn’t thought of it that way before.
“It saddens me to hear you humans categorize and degrade yourselves into groups, as if you were the base level in the food chain. You’re not animals, yet you separate yourselves in the same manner.”
“You’re right,” I said. “I’m glad to hear you’re not like that.”
“Thank you,” David said, and then he trailed his fingers along my hand and to my wrist. My stomach did a flip when he touched me, making me jerk a little. I closed my hand and moved it to my lap. My eyes focused on my plate.
***
After breakfast, David dropped me off at home. Teatime was at three o’clock sharp, and he promised to be back for me by half past two. He said I must’ve impressed Nyx for her to invite me to tea. I wondered what delicious food she would prepare for the afternoon.
Claire was doing laundry when I got home. I joined her in tidying up the house; then I told her I was invited for tea at the Chios’ house. Near the time David was supposed to pick me up, I freshened up and changed into my favorite spring dress. I wouldn’t be under-dressed this time.
“His mother must be quite a lady,” Claire said. “He seems like a very respectful young boy; good manners are taught at home.” She handed me a pile of clothes to put away.
“He’s okay,” I said.
“Are you kidding? He’s more than okay, isn’t he?” She nudged me.
“Stop trying to trick me into saying I like him, because I don’t.”
“You are so much in denial, it’s not even funny… it’s hilarious.” Claire laughed.
“Whatever, Mother.”
“Listen,” Claire said, holding up her index finger.
I heard a car engine’s low rumble. I peeked through the blinds in the living room and saw David’s black car in the driveway.
David rang the door at precisely 2:30 PM.
“That’s what you call punctual,” I said, holding up my phone so Claire could see the time.
“Not too late, honey. It’s a school night.”
“Okay. See you later, Mom,” I told her as I stepped out onto the porch.
David looked as piping hot as ever.
“Hey,” I said as he kissed both my cheeks, making the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. Hawt dawg, he smelled good!
“You look very beautiful.”
“Thanks,” I said.
We didn’t talk much on the way to his house.
As we pulled up to the estate, David’s face fell. I saw a black Land Rover in the driveway beside Nyx’s new Ferrari.
“I can’t believe she would do this!” David slammed the steering wheel, bending it in from the right side. I gasped at his sudden, violent outburst.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said as he tried to straighten the steering wheel with his bare hands.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, watching him with wide eyes.
Through clenched teeth, he said, “I’m being placed under surveillance.”
David put his head on the steering wheel. I could swear I heard him growl, but it must’ve been my imagination.
“Hey,” I reached over and touched his shoulder. “Calm down. It can’t be that bad.”
“Isis… I…”
“Yes?”
He shook his head.
“What do you mean by ‘being placed under surveillance’?” I asked.
“That my family is having trust issues.” He looked at the house for a moment, and then turned to me. “My twin brothers will be joining us for tea, it seems. We’d better not keep them waiting.”
David held the doorknob for a few seconds, but didn’t turn it. He glanced back at me before he opened the front door. “After you.”
He led me to the backyard where Nyx and her other two sons were sitting under a white pavilion surrounded by palm trees and vivid green plants. A peacock displayed its elegant feathers by a fountain.
Nyx met us half way across the yard and kissed my cheeks. The brothers rose and waited for us to join them⎯one blond, one brunette.
“Welcome, Isis.” The brunette stepped forward and shook my hand. “My name is Eryx. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” I said.
The blond brother took a few steps around me, inspecting me from head to toe; I felt like a strange creature as he scrutinized me.
“So this is she, the young enchantress?”
“Galen!” Nyx frowned. “You will mind the golden rule.” But Galen didn’t seem to hear her.
“Mhh hmm. You were right, Mother; she does wear the skin of a goddess.” He took my hand and touched his lips to my knuckles. “A pleasure.”
David glared at Galen with a tight jaw. “I see you still haven’t learned how to keep your mouth from making an ass out of you, brother.”
“Ah, little brother!” Galen put an arm around David. “And how are you doing these days?”
David pushed away his brother’s arm.
“Let’s take our tea in the dining room, shall we?” Nyx said. “I’ve prepared some tea biscuits and pastries. I hope you’ll enjoy them, Isis.”
We started walking to the house. It was a short distance across the back lawn. As we walked, I snuck a few glances at the twins. They both had green eyes and looked like adolescent gladiators with their huge biceps, wide neck, narrow waist, and broad shoulders; but other than that, they looked nothing alike.
“I did some research on your house,” I said to Nyx, hoping to break the tension. “I found out it was built in 1937 by some early settlers.”
“Yes it was. Did you learn anything else?”
“There wasn’t much information on it. The house and preserve sit on eighty-two acres of land,” I said. “There’s an abundance of birds and butterflies on the preserve that only…” I trailed off as we entered the dining room. Immense trays of pastries, cookies, and tea sandwiches had been laid out on the table. It was way too much food for five people.
“Well, that also sums the extent of my knowledge on the property,” Nyx said. “The mystery of its history only adds to the fascination.”
“Are you expecting more company?”
“No. It’ll just be us toda
y.” She poured tea into a cup and handed it to me.
Galen took the seat in front of David and me and stared at us with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Tell us about this school we’ll be attending, Dahveed.” Galen’s perfect teeth were slightly visible as he spoke.
“Oh no. You’re not enrolling in school, and please don’t call me Dahveed,” David muttered.
“Well, I’m sorry to rain on your parade… or rather, charade, but we are enrolling, and Dahveed is your given name. Grin and bear it, little brother.”
“You have no right to interfere in my—”
“That is quite enough from the both of you,” Nyx snapped. “Out of respect for our guest, hold your tongues, or I shall hold them for you.”
David and Galen glared at each other. David didn’t touch his food. Nyx looked worried, and I felt more out of place than a clown at a funeral.
Eryx smiled at me, attempting to ease my discomfort.
“Pay them no attention, Isis. You’ll get used to it sooner or later,” Eryx said. “The food is decadent, Mother. You amaze me with your culinary skills every time.”
Galen was still staring. He was starting to get on my nerves. What was his problem? No wonder David had gotten so upset in the car. I could imagine how Galen must make David’s life miserable. With a brother like that, who the heck needed enemies?
As I sipped on my tea, I noticed how fast the twins’ plates emptied. They piled their plates twice more in the time I took to eat three canapés. Then they dug into the pastries. Their indulgence didn’t end there. They wolfed down at least two dozen cookies each.
David handed me a tiny slice of bread with some cheese and pink stuff on it. “Try this.”
“It’s good,” I said. “What is it?”
“Pâté and aged gouda cheese. Would you like some more?”
“No, thank you. I’m full.” It surprised me that goose liver didn’t taste terrible.
“My mother made everything you see here.” Eryx said.
“She’s a master chef,” David added.
“Everything was delicious, Mrs. Chios. Thank you so much for inviting me,” I told her.
“Please call me Nyx, dear.”
“Nyx.”
***
Nyx, David, and I admired the antique furniture in the study while Galen and Eryx spoke by the fireplace. Galen’s brow was creased, as if in thought, nodding every now and then as he listened to Eryx.
“Isis,” Eryx said. “Would you say Galen and I would pass as eighteen year-olds?”
I paused to consider before I answered. “I suppose you would. How old are you two?”
“Much older than David,” Galen answered.
“And that would make you…?”
“In human years, about nineteen.”
“That’s not true,” David began. “They’re closer to twenty and too old for high school. Tell them mother.”
“David, please,” Nyx said. “Can we learn to live in peace? It would mean so much to your father and me.”
“As long as Gemini keep clear of my business, we will,” David said, making it sound like a warning to his brothers.
I knew Gemini meant “twins” because we had studied mythology in school. My zodiac sign was Gemini, too. I assumed David must have been addressing the both of them.
The twins exchanged glances, but said nothing.
“You’re making them babysit me, aren’t you?” David said to his mother.
“Stop being so paranoid,” Nyx told him. “And for goodness sake, stop jumping to conclusions. They won’t involve themselves in your… dealings. I only hope that you have the sense to keep out of trouble.”
“Of course. I just hope they can,” David said, pointing his chin at the twins.
“You leave me out of this,” Galen said. “I intend on getting myself into all the trouble in the world. And that’s a promise.”
“Ugh,” Nyx rolled her eyes. “I think I need a sedative.”
After that, Galen and David settled down. They joked and acted like normal siblings. Galen seemed excited about attending high school. He said it had been far too long since they were able to enter “the social pattern of adolescence”.
“Our high school campus is probably tiny compared to your school in Greece,” I said.
Galen laughed. “We haven’t attended school since the early 1800’s.”
“But what about your transcripts? You need them to enroll in school.”
“Ah, that…” Galen said. “Isis, everyone has a price. All our documentation is in rightful order.”
“What made you think they came from Greece?” David asked.
“You told my mom you had just moved here from Greece. I assumed that meant all of you.”
“We do travel to Greece often, and we own a house there, but that’s not our permanent residence. Our home is in Caelum.”
“Where’s Caelum?”
“Caelum is the realm of eternal life—land of the gods—otherwise known as the heavens by your kind. Even if we decide to live anywhere else, we’re obligated to return for gatherings of the Plenum or other affairs.”
“The Plenum?”
“The Plenum is the legislative group made up of the Council and other deities who serve as the audience and petition on behalf of the people.”
“So it’s a democracy?”
“Yes, much like a democracy.” Nyx ran her hand down my ponytail. “You’re very bright, young lady.”
***
It was a quarter past six when David and I arrived at my house. The porch light was already on. I knew my mom would be preparing dinner. I wasn’t hungry since I’d just eaten; I hoped she didn’t mind me skipping a meal.
“I had a good time,” I said, observing David’s thick black eyelashes. They made the indigo blue color of his iris more prominent.
“Even with the drama with my family, you still enjoyed yourself?”
“It was… interesting, I guess, but nice,” I nodded. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.” He turned off the car.
“Well, I was wondering, you know how you and your mother have these… these… abilities?”
“Right?”
“Are your brothers also gifted?”
“I was wondering when you were going to ask me about them. Where to begin? My brothers are unique. They co-exist, and when I say ‘co-exist’, I mean one can’t live without the other—literally. They’re inseparable. They’re the best of friends. Sometimes, I envy their closeness.
“They were great warriors at one time. Even in their early teen years, they showed prowess and valiancy in battle. They were born with the gifts of healing and inherited a fair amount of my mother’s empathy.”
“Were you a warrior too?” I could imagine him on a horse, but not with a weapon.
“Yes, I was. But those times are gone and, thankfully, I don’t have to anymore.”
“You killed people?”
“That’s what war is about, isn’t it? I’m not proud of it. The uprisings were inevitable and so was my summoning to defend our creed. War is never easy, but I had to stand alongside my brothers—the deity warriors. Those were very trying times.”
“I see,” I said, trying to sound calm. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard him admit. I just couldn’t imagine him killing anyone—well, not anymore. He might have been a three-thousand-year-old deity, but he was still just a boy.
“What about your dad? You don’t mention him much.”
“My father is a well-respected individual both here and Caelum. He’s accredited with being the first engineer. Invention and technology are his magnum opus. He’s the one responsible for gifting the caveman with the first wheel, if you can believe that.”
“How old does that make your dad?”
“Ancient. We’ve lost count. He’s as old as time itself, but not as old as Deus.”
“That old?” I asked, and David nodded.
&nb
sp; “My father is also an entrepreneur, a warrior, and a politician. He’s of the first generation of deities—the Primitus—to be entrusted with the protection of humans.” David gazed out the passenger’s side window, viewing the front door of my house.
“Why isn’t he here with you and the rest of your family?”
“Because he has to keep the universe in order, and he prefers our residence in Caelum. As of a few years ago, we hardly see him anymore.”
“I bet you miss him.” I looked down at my lap and straightened my dress skirt. “I miss my dad every single day.” I cleared the lump in my throat and changed the subject before I became Debbie Downer. “You know I’ve kept my end of the bargain, and I haven’t returned to Somnium, right?”
“Right.”
“That means you’ll be leaving as soon as you figure me out.”
“Is that a question, or is it what you’d like me to do?”
“Neither. I’m trying to understand why you’d buy a house if you don’t plan on staying. I mean, it’s kind of a long-term commitment. Is there some other reason you’re here?”
“There is one other reason,” he said. “The reason for the bickering between my mother and brothers and me.”
“And that reason is…?”
David stared at me. I waited.
“Feel free to fill in the blank anytime.”
“I’m going to have to hold that reason back from you because I’m afraid it may affect your judgment of me. It’s nothing I’m ashamed of. I would just rather keep it to myself… for now.” His eyes shifted to the house again.
“That only makes me think that you haven’t been completely honest with me, like you promised.”
“I’ve told you once, and I’ll repeat it: I will never lie to you.”
I stared at him for a long time, and he stared back. For an instant, I thought I saw him moving toward me, but it must’ve been my imagination and a lot of wishful thinking. It was him that broke eye contact to glance at his phone.
“But you’ll tell me when it’s not a huge deity secret anymore?”
“It’s not about telling, it’s about showing.”
Huh? Why did he have to be such a complicated person? I needed to know things, not figure them out like a labyrinth.
“I don’t understand⎯”
“It’s not appropriate for us to be inside the car this long outside of your house. Let me walk you to your door.” David grabbed the key from the ignition and circled the car. He took my hand and held it until we reached the porch.