Page 12 of Immortal Sun

I pause mid-bite and set my fork down. Did I offend them? I lick my lips and suddenly feel hot as all eyes fall to me. “I’m like anyone else I think. I love the fantasy of something that’s not the reality we live in.”

Cyrus leans in over the table, his smile almost. “Is there something wrong with the current reality?”

I scoff. “War, famine, more war, fighting, divisiveness. Everything is wrong with our reality. Why else would people jump to social media? Why else would we be consumed with technology? Reality sucks, it’s total chaos. Fantasy is our win.”

He leans back a bit. “Chaos and Fantasy are often one.”

I’m clearly a bit buzzed and in need of a nap, because I keep talking. “Well, why is this place called Styx other than Cyrus has a private collection of Egyptian artifacts. It’s his escape from the chaos I’m assuming.”

Everyone is silent. Did I say too much?

“It’s to piss off Anubis.” Tyrell snorts. “Such a softie these days, one would think he wasn’t even a god anymore.”

I frown in confusion. How am I not following this conversation? “I’m sorry, what?”

Cyrus flashes a tight smile. “He has a friend named Anubis, piece of work, right? Practically a demon.”

Everyone laughs around the table. Why is that funny?

“Cyrus, has a vested interest in this year’s eclipse, smartest one in the family,” Tyrell’s father adds.

“Wait, family?” I look around the table.

“Apologies,” he says. “My name’s Inti. You’ve had the unfortunate privilege of meeting my son Tyrell, and this is Daggon or Dag. We’re Cyrus’s brothers, sort of.”

“Brothers,” I repeat. “But you all look like you’re the same age and wouldn’t that make you his brother, and you his nephews?” Wait that’s not right.

“The mountain air,” Cyrus pipes up. “It’s some of the best air in the world, right Tyrell? Make sure to take a lot of walks during your time here.”

“I’m sure I will.” I need to find Jack anyways.

“It’s puzzling,” Inti says. “And sad. Seattle and the Olympic mountain range are no longer… well it used to be different. A lot of things used to be in this forsaken world.”

Cyrus clears his throat and stands. “Everything has a time.”

“And some of us are bored of it,” Tyrell says under his breath. “I’ll see you guys later. I’m out to hunt.”

Inti rolls his eyes. “Stop calling it that.”

“What?” Tyrell shrugs on a black peacoat and winks. “None of the women seem to mind when I say it to them.”

“Because they want to be your prey,” Daggon says in a bored tone. “How old are you again?”

Tyrell’s eyes flash. “Unless…” He turns those beautiful blue eyes toward me. “…I already have my prize right here?”

“Go,” Cyrus barks. “Before I break your neck and feed you to the Kraken.”

I laugh at his joke.

Nobody else does.

The table stills for a minute. The air buzzes with tension.

Tyrell swallows slowly, his once confident eyes waver before a forced smile appears on his full lips. “He’d probably rather eat her.”

Every muscle in my body freezes. Me? What?

He’s probably drunk, though he’s walking in a straight line and didn’t slur his words. Maybe it’s just part of the Seattle culture?

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