It took Aaron a solid moment to pull back from his new mother''s arms, the impulse to embrace his savior a bit muted. "Wait, I thought you hated heroes,  or people born out of wedlock. I was."


    She sighed, petting his hair. "Much has changed over the eons, my perspective being one of them. Time and circumstances allow for the greatest of development, even for gods. To maintain my existence, I had to learn. To grow. I rather appreciate the person that I am now."


    As she stood, he could not help but ask. "Are you why I can see the barrier over the campus?"


    "Yes, actually I am. I have sway over territory and the earth, you can see the boundaries of this territory, marked by the barrier. And the migraine you were getting earlier, it was from one of the other powers you can inherit as my son. I am the Goddess of Marriage, bonds and emotions are under my sway and now under yours. To be honest, though, I am not sure of your other powers. I''ve never had a demigod before, you are going to have to discover what you inherited on your own." She kissed his brow once. "I will see you later, my son,.. never think you are alone for I am always with you. Welcome Home. "


    And then she was gone, vanishing in a swirl of white light.


    The Legacies of the Pagan past, all looked at him with shock for a long moment, before they started to mill about nervously. Except for Edith Rose, who glared at him with something beyond hate. Something his own father would have run away from, the air filling with ozone and wrath.


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    "You will never find your peace here, that I will make sure of. Your Mother Ruined the lives of so many of my kin. Heracles, Dionysius, Lamia and her children! All your mother has ever done is make the ancient world a hellscape. I cannot punish her for that, but I can and will punish you. I give my oath on that." Her words, literally, thundered, creating an oath that he could actually feel weave itself into reality.


    ''How could someone hate me so much without knowing me/?'' Aaron shuddered, feeling genuine fear at her hateful eyes.


    Aubrey hissed at her. "What are you doing, you can''t undo and oath like that! Your father is the God of Justice, you are bound to your words."


    She turned. "I know, Freak." She got right in Aubrey''s face, looking ready to lash out.


    And that just pissed Aaron off, without thinking about it, shoved her away. Only, she literally flew away, dozens of feet until she slammed into the wall behind her. Everyone went quiet, but Aaron was not done. "Try me again. I am done with bullies and abusers. It''s beyond time I fight back." He turned to Aubrey. "Let''s go, I''ve lost my appetite."


    The two boys hurried off, toward the dorms, not looking back, even as the air filled with greater wrath and hate and the stench of ozone.


    Aubrey could not help but ask. "How''d you throw her like that?"


    "Mom''s milk gave Heracles super strength, so I guess her blessing did that for me. I have no idea... anyway, I need to learn to control that power, and magic Fast. I appreciate Mom saving me, but I need to protect myself, Edith was right. Mom made a ton of enemies, and I refuse to give into any of them."


    "Well, you have me in your corner, so there''s that."


    Aaron smiled at him, warm as the summer sun. "Thank you... now... where do we sleep, I am feeling a nap coming on."