Page 71 of The Demigod

That was why I’d woken up with such a start.

“What is that? What did you give me?”

“Ambrosia, dear,” Nyx said, setting the bottle on the nightstand. “The food of our kind.”

Ambrosia.

I’d seen that word so many times in the texts I’d read about the gods.

I’d never really given it much thought. I figured it was, you know, wine. Not actual sustenance.

“Did you truly think you only needed food? You’re half god, my darling.”

“I… I did just fine on food my whole life,” I said, brows pinched as I looked at the golden liquid, smelling its sweet scent.

“Perhaps,” she agreed. “But you didn’t need to use your powers then.”

“I didn’t even know Ihadpowers then,” I admitted, watching something flash across my mother’s face—confusion, anger? Maybe it was a combination of the two.

“When did your father tell you?”

“After he died,” I told her. This time, the look that flashed seemed to resemble pain. Maybe she really had cared for my father. That was sweet. And incredibly sad.

She opened her mouth to speak, but paused, head tilting, listening. “Your witch is returning. I must go.”

“Wait!” I said, heart surging.

“Yes?”

How could I tell her that I had a million questions, that I wanted to be in contact with her, that I would love to get to know her?

“How do I get ambrosia?” I asked. “When I run out,” I clarified.

To that, she gave me a soft smile. Almost like she could hear the words I was not saying.

“I will bring it to you. Can’t have you angering Hades again by sneaking into the Underworld, now, can we?” she asked.

Then she was all shadows.

By the time Aggy opened the door, she was gone completely.

Aggy’s nose wrinkled. “It smells strange in here,” she decided.

“Oh, that’s… my drink,” I admitted as she dropped an armful of snacks and drinks onto the foot of the bed. It looked like she’d wiped out the whole vending machine.

“Where did that come from?”

“Um, well, my mother,” I admitted.

“I didn’t see anyone leave.”

“You wouldn’t have. She has, you know, shadow powers too.”

“You’re one of them, aren’t you? Just not an evil dickhead.”

A surprised laugh escaped me at that. “I’m… partly them. A demigod, not a full one.”

“Hmm,” Aggy said, shoving a sour cream and onion chip into her mouth. “So, who’s your mom?”

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