Luna and Peri were already asleep, even though the sun had only just dipped toward the horizon.
With nothing else to do but eat and train, their days had fallen into a heavy rhythm. The endless drills left their bodies aching, so when exhaustion came, they gave in, letting sleep take them early.
What they didn't notice was the pair of warm eyes watching over them from the corner of the room.
Hades had returned, and the very first thing he did was check on his mates.
For a while, he simply stood there in silence, his chest easing at the sight of their peaceful faces. Then, as quietly as he had come, he slipped back out. He hadn't meant to leave without waking them—he only wanted to let them rest until he finished taking a bath.
His mother was not around. She had gone to tend to her duties—as one of the Dragon Kings, her responsibilities stretched far and wide.
The thought still left him shaken.
Dragon King… my mother.
