Almost flinching at Adam's comment, Alec kept his head up, refusing to let his shoulders hunch the way they had whenever his parents had lectured him. By the Angel it'd been centuries since he'd thought of that. Time had softened his memories so he usually only remembered the kinder moments with his family.

He almost told Adam not to touch the artwork in front of them. The statue was too beautiful to be sullied by mortal or immortal hands, and then he reminded himself that he was no longer the caretaker of this place. He was the guard, nothing more. There were only two items that were his true responsibility.

"I hope she is, but I don't know. I haven't met her." His sister had believed Athena was real, but he couldn't mention her to Adam. Not to someone who reminded him of everything he'd given up and could never have. "I only met the Angel."