Goddess Of The Underworld (Sheridan Hartin) novel Chapter 137

Chapter 137

“Elliot… sweetheart. This is your mother. Your biological mother.”

The words felt like glass breaking in the quiet, sharp and irreversible. Elliot’s spoon hit the floor with a small clatter, ignored. He stared, wide–eyed, chest rising and falling too fast. Macey pressed closer to his side, her little hand finding his sleeve, but even she seemed to understand this wasn’t her moment to speak.

“My… mother?” His voice cracked, the single word balanced between hope and fear.

Reina swallowed hard, stepping closer, slow like she might spook him. “Yes, baby. I…” Her breath caught, tears welling until her voice was just a rasp. “I’ve been looking for you. Since the day they took you, I never stopped. Not once.”

Elliot’s brow furrowed, lips trembling as if he wanted to believe and couldn’t. “But…

Envy’s my mum.” He darted a look at me, quick and desperate, like he needed me to anchor him. My chest squeezed tight.

“You’re right,” I said softly, steadying him with a hand over his. “I am. Nothing changes that.” Then I tilted my chin toward Reina. “But this is the woman who gave you life. The one who held you before Marcus stole you away.”

Reina’s face crumpled at the name, but she nodded, kneeling down to make herself smaller, less frightening. “Elliot… do you remember buttercups? Do you remember a song? Sleep, small star…”

He froze. His mouth worked soundlessly, then the words tumbled out, a whisper: “Boat on the barley, back to the bales… I’m here, I’m here.”

Her sob broke the air. She covered her mouth, then reached out trembling fingers but didn’t close the distance, waiting for him. “Yes. That’s it. That was ours.”

For a long heartbeat, Elliot didn’t move. His eyes darted between us, me, Reina, Macey, and then, slow as sunrise, he stepped forward.

“Are you really my mum?” he asked, voice so small it nearly broke me.

“Yes,” she whispered. “If you’ll have me.”

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Chapter 137

His hand lifted, trembling, and brushed hers. Just fingertips at first, as if he feared she’d vanish like smoke. But when she didn’t, when her fingers curled instinctively around his, Elliot’s whole body shuddered. The dam broke. He lurched forward, burying himself in her, a sob tearing out of him so raw it split me open just hearing it.

“Mumma.” The word cracked. Shattered. He said it again, harder this time, like it had been waiting all this time, locked in his chest. “Mumma!”

Reina folded around him like she had never let go. Her arms shook but they held tight, her face pressed into his hair, her tears soaking into the crown of his head. Their cries tangled, one small, one older, the same rhythm of loss finding its echo.

I felt Macey’s little hand slip into mine. I looked down to find her chin wobbling, eyes wide with something she couldn’t name. “He’s like the luckiest boy ever,” she whispered fiercely, “he gets two mums? I don’t even get one.” Her pout nearly undid me. I bent, lifting her against my hip, kissing the corner of her damp.cheek. Shhh, you know how loved you are, kiddo. You’ve got us. A whole family.

Her tiny arms hooked around my neck. “I know,” she mumbled, pressing her forehead to mine.

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When I looked back, Reina was cradling Elliot’s face in both hands, her thumbs tracing the curve of his cheeks like she was memorizing him one feature at a time. Her voice broke soft and reverent. “How does he still look the same? After all these years?”

I exhaled slow, steady. “He was kept in a stasis spell. Technically, he still is. His body ages, but so slowly you might not notice. And… he won’t ever be able to die.”

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Reina gasped. Her fingers tightened protectively on his cheeks, pulling him closer until his forehead pressed to hers. “Oh, my boy. I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry.”

14:03 Wed, Sep

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