Page 134 of Stars in Umbra
23
Twin Blades And A Serpent
MOLAN
Mo fell in love with Rina’s parents.
It was inevitable.
Hanna was warmth incarnate, a woman who wrapped you in affection.
From her touch, to her generous plates of food, and a lilting laugh that softened the edges of a man like him.
Reth was the embodiment of quiet strength and easy wisdom that Mo appreciated.
The older man had an air about him, the kind of stillness that only came from living close to the land and choosing peace over noise.
Being around the mature man unlocked a deep ache in Mo’s chest.
A sense that this was what he had missed his whole life: a father’s steady hand on the shoulder, a voice of reason, someone who could teach him without needing to command him.
Their property, too, seemed to have been conjured out of a dream.
Horses in the pastures, the scent of wood smoke curling up from the chimneys.
Its gardens were rich with citrus and vegetables, and the rambling house was always scented with accents of cinnamon, rosemary, and fresh bread.
The fire crackled with inviting warmth, and the windows caught the golden light just right.
Even the stonework felt solid underfoot, and the wood beams overhead gave the home a spine of lived-in beauty.
He’d also eaten so well.
Every meal was a revelation.
Fresh-churned butter slathered on crusty buns still steaming from the oven.
Sharp cheeses paired with slices of sun-dried tomato.
Slow-cooked stews and fragrant herb roasts that made his eyes close in gratitude.
The food wasn’t just nourishment; it was care, memory, and tradition.
Later that night, the four of them sat in the family room, coffee mugs in hand, a creamy custard dessert cooling on the table between them.
Rina tucked her feet under her on the sofa beside Mo, her head resting on his shoulder.
Hanna curled into her armchair, her knitting forgotten in her lap.
Reth turned the conversation toward farming and climate patterns, sharing quiet insights about soil, weather cycles, livestock, and what made rich compost.
Mo, listening with half-lidded eyes, found his thoughts drifting.
Perhaps when the shitshow of his current reality was over, when he no longer had a freakin’ mysterious entity threatening to erase his life, he’d consider a life like this.
Maybe with Rina.
That thought took root with more savagery than he expected.
