"You're late," Julius' voice filled the dining room as soon as Alaric entered.
"And good evening to you too," Alaric said, pulling out a chair. "Hello, Uncle Gerald."
His uncle was seated close to his father, but he had a smile on his face—unlike his father. "How are you doing? Congratulations."
"Thank you," Alaric replied with a smile of his own.
Nobody should ask about Nicolette.
"Where is the wife?" Julius asked, his voice carrying a tone of disapproval.
Alaric reached for the bunch of berries in front of him and plucked one.
Think of something.
"She's not feeling too well. She's resting," he mumbled.
"Or she doesn't want to spend time with our weird family?" Gerald teased.
But Julius didn't get the joke. "Weird family? Is her goddamn family better than ours? Her father is a thief."
Alaric rolled his eyes. "Mom told you?"
"Of course she did," Julius replied. "Which is why I'm ready to talk about Olympus. We—"
