Chapter 245: Deeper Family Ties

The quarters inside of the gerated ons were rather nice.

Styled after traditional ryokan, the floor had tatami mats that were soft to the touch and had a unique grassy sct that was neither overpowering or unpleasant.

Malachi had ev crafted himself and the girls little kimonos to rest in so that they could fully joy the experice, much to the delight of Bianca and Sei.

Although Malachi, Joanne, and Anna were slightly less unthused, because the last thing that they wanted to do right now was have clothes on.

But it couldn't be helped, because right now they were hosting.

"What gives you all the right to spy on us!? W-We were having a very private momt!" Sei yelled with a red face.

"Yea, real private ev though you all were out in the op." Serana muttered.

At her side, Nyx, Keres, Aisha, and Aubrey nodded in unanimous agreemt.

"T-That is not the point! We are loving adults who are titled to our private time after not seeing each other for so long!"

"We get it, we get it, so can you hurry up and forgive us now? I have questions."

"Q-Questions?!"

"Uh-huh!" Serana pulled out a short notepad from her back pocket and flipped to the first page.

Immediately, Malachi and the girls looked like they wanted to go home.

"W-We don't have time for any of your-"

"Question , this one's for Bianca. Are you eating out my mom too or just Anna's?"

"""S-SERANA!"""

Bianca was only seconds away from answering before Sei suddly clasped her hands over her mouth and pulled her face into her breasts.

But ev though she didn't answer, Serana still pulled out a p and started writing something down.

Aubrey leaned over to look at her notepad with a curious eye.

"Question forty-six for Malachi, has Joanne let you eat her ass yet?"

"A-Aubrey!"

"Tsk..no." Malachi grumbled and folded his arms like this was a serious point of conttion in their relationship

Joanne was seated within his lap lovingly before this, and she took the liberty of elbowing Malachi in the ribs.

"I-I'm just not comfortable with it! I don't know why you're so adamant about doing that!"

"Just try it once, mom." Anna replied with a sage-like look.

"Ma...We need to talk, don't we?"

Needless to say, Nyx looked like she'd be caught off guard wh Malachi suddly made it a point to address their last meeting.

Her beautiful smile contained slight hints of nervousness as she looked back and forth betwe her son and her daughters-in-law.

"N-Now my son, do we have to talk about something like that right now? I hav't se you in such a long time and I would rather not-"

"Ma, I'm not one for uncomfortable conversations either but this is for me and for you.

It hurts me to see you look like you're afraid of my every reaction whever you tell me something bad.

I'm sure you know that I can't hurt you, and I wouldn't ev dream of trying. So why does it feel like you are prone to forgetting?"

Nyx bit her lip so hard that she could have made it bleed if she had any actual blood to spill.

"I-I'm sorry, I.."

Keres placed her hand on top of her mother's as a means of comfort.

In the short but impactful amount of time that Malachi had known his sister, he had never se her display such a wide range of emotion.

"Brother... you truly know not what you ask. Our mother is powerful, yes, but ev she has laws that she is bound by. Promises she cannot break.

Telling you would be an admission of her... deeds.

As you have already se, there are certain gods who would do anything to try and condemn her by whatever means they are able.

I am sorry... it isn't fair, and you should certainly have a right to know about more than you do, but there exists a strong possibility that she will never be able to tell you."

Nyx crawled onto all fours until she had practically tak Joanne's place in Mal's lap.

With his head still spinning, she touched him on the cheek tderly while tears fell from her eyes.

Mimicking him, her skin turned completely black and her hair a whitish grey while her eyes retained their profound cosmic luster.

"I... am so sorry, my boy. Since you have bonded with your other family they have be able to tell you full truths and share honesties with you in ways that I have not.

But I should like you to know this if nothing else; I have always loved you and will continue to do so. If I have ever giv you the impression that I am afraid of you, I am sorry.

I suppose that my behavior is just a by product of my own fears and shortcomings. Because I am so afraid to let your family down again that I can hardly stand it."

Keres winced as if Nyx had already said too much.

A feat that did not escape Mal and the girls' notice.

"My fam-"

Just before Mal could demand a further explanation, Nyx placed the pads of her fingertips over his lips to seal them.

"Please... no more, son. All that you need to know is that you are my precious inkanyamba. And you, Aubrey, and my grandchild will have everything that your hearts could possibly desire until the last light fades out of the cosmos."