Chapter Nineteen: Confrontations

Hermie leaned against the iron door of the pit, his knees suddenly weak and unable to hold him up. In a flash, one of the Titans flew from the depths and wrapped his massive hand around Hermie’s throat, pinning him against the door. The Titan pushed on the door with his free hand while he strangled Hermie with the other.

Frustrated that the door wouldn’t budge, the Titan shouted, “What’s to stop me from ripping your head off?”

Before Hermie could reply, the six other Titans, all whose names Hermie did not know, joined his fellow prisoner.

“Let him speak, Uranus,” one of them said.

Hermie was relieved when the Titan released his grip on his throat and Hermie could breathe again. Then he nearly peed in his pants at the thought that Uranus, one of the first beings ever to exist, wanted to destroy him.

“Now answer my question!” Uranus said. “Why shouldn’t I rip off your head and swallow it whole?”

“Um, because other than my sister, who’s out there,” Hermie pointed to the door, “I’m the only one who knows the code that releases the locks on the door.”

“We’ll torture it out of him,” one of the others growled.

“I thought you might say that,” Hermie said. “Which is why I told my sister to bring a rescue team if I’m not out in an hour.”

“He won’t last that long,” another one said.

“Hold on,” the most luminous among them said. “If Poros and the others find out that you tortured him, you can kiss your second chances goodbye.”

“Shut up, Hyperion,” Uranus said.

“Do you really think Poros was sincere?” one of them asked Hyperion.

“He swore an oath, Crius,” Hyperion replied. “Why would a young god condemn himself to the Maenads?”

“I say we strangle him,” one of the others said.

“What if Poros strikes us down, like he did Cronos?” another pointed out.

“I’m willing to take my chances,” another said.

“Leave the boy alone, Menoetius,” another, beside Hyperion, said.

“Shut up, Iapetus,” Uranus said. “This will be fun.”

Hermie cleared his throat. “Speaking of fun, how would you like me to install your very own media room down here, complete with games, movies, books in digital and audio, music…you name it?”

“Did he say games?” one of them asked.

“I heard books, too,” another said.

“And music,” another said.

Hermie realized that the Titans had been in the pit for so long, that they had no idea what movies, video games, and digital and audio books were. “I’m the god of technology. I’m here to make your stay a whole lot better.”

It seemed to Hermie that if mortals in prison had access to games, movies, books, and recreational activities, it was only fair that immortals should have access to them, too. In fact, it seemed wrong to condemn the immortals to perpetual boredom for all of eternity—somehow inhumane. And it was only logical that happy prisoners would be less likely to revolt and more likely to be rehabilitated.

“Just let me show you,” Hermie said. “And if you still want to torture me after that, go for it, deal?”

The Titans backed off and watched him go to work. He used his powers to bring electricity into the pit. Then he set up computers with keyboards and game controllers, big screen televisions with both satellite and Netflix access, and surround sound. He also conjured cell phones, ebook reading devices, earbuds, and headphones, so they wouldn’t all have to listen to the same things. He spent at least an hour setting everything up and showing the Titans how to enjoy them.

He even showed a few of them how to take selfies and set up Facebook and Twitter profiles. Atlas went wild on Twitter. His favorite tweet? Don’t go through life holding the weight of the world on your shoulders.

To Hermie, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Titans were eating it up.

While they continued to familiarize themselves with their new toys, Hermie found a small, melancholy goddess, who seemed disinterested in his gifts. “By any chance, are you Arke?”

“Yes. Why?” she asked.

“The Fates told me that you wish you could give up your immortality,” Hermie said.

“It’s true. I pray to them constantly. I just want to be at peace.”

Hermie’s hands twitched with excitement. “My girlfriend just died. Do you think you would switch fates with her so that she can come back to life as an immortal?”

Tears filled Arke’s eyes. “That would be an answer to my prayers!”

Hermie’s smile could not be bigger. Risking his life to come into the pit was definitely paying off. “I’m so glad to hear you say that.”

“Well, my happiness ended the day Zeus took my wings,” she said.

“Why did he do that?” Hermie asked, thinking of Morpheus.

“I fell in love with another Titan and switched sides during the war. Zeus captured me and took my wings before throwing me in here.”

“And he never gave them back?” Hermie asked.

“I heard he gave them to another,” she said sadly as more tears formed in her eyes. “I’m just not me without them.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Hermie said. “You’re still you. Your wings aren’t what define who you are.”

“Yes, they are,” she said.

“But you can still fly without them,” Hermie said. “You can do almost anything you could do before. My greatest hero, Stephen Hawking, was a brilliant scientist who lost the use of his entire body, but he continued to do great things long after. And that’s just one example. There have been marathon runners with only one leg, baseball players with only one arm, poets and musicians who’ve lost their vision, and the list goes on. You don’t stop being you just because you lose one part of yourself.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter anyway,” she said. “Not if I’m stuck in here.”

Hermie realized he’d been doing the very thing the fates had predicted—trying to talk Arke into valuing her life. He hadn’t meant to. His argument had come naturally, without thinking, as one living being who feels compassion for another. But, fortunately, she still seemed to want peace, and that was good for him and for Mina.

“So, I can tell the Fates that you’ll switch with her?” he asked.

***

 

Morpheus sat beside Iris in Aphrodite’s chariot at the gates to Hades, where Cerberus glared at him as if Morpheus had grown two more heads.

“Easy boy,” Morpheus said to his old friend.

“Persephone!” Aphrodite shouted again. “I know you hear me! Please hurry, before my father comes!”

Morpheus hoped his father had told the others about Aphrodite’s deception in time. He prayed to everyone he knew in the Underworld, to warn them. For all he knew, one of their enemies could be sitting beside him beneath the helm of invisibility.

To Morpheus’s surprise, Dionysus appeared in his chariot beside Aphrodite on the Acheron River.

“What are you doing here?” the goddess of love asked him.

“I’ve come to join the rebellion,” Dionysus said. “Why are you here?”

“For the same reason,” Aphrodite said. “I’ve just rescued Morpheus and Iris.”

Don’t trust her, Morpheus prayed to Dionysus. It’s just an act. She means to betray us to Zeus.

Dionysus arched a brow and then did something Morpheus had not expected: He took Aphrodite’s hand and kissed it.

“You’re looking beautiful as always, my lady,” Dionysus said. “It’s nice that we finally have something in common.”

“Indeed,” Aphrodite said with a gleaming smile.

Morpheus rolled his eyes wondering what the hell was going on. Was Dionysus an enemy, too?

Soon Persephone was at the gate with Morpheus’s father and Uncle Thanatos.

“Greetings, sister,” Persephone said to Aphrodite. “And hello to you, too, Dionysus.”

“We’ve come to join the fight,” Dionysus said. “I’ve received reports that Ariadne and the Minotaur have been captured by Zeus and his followers. I need your help to rescue them.”

Morpheus frowned. Ariadne and her brother had stayed out of the fight, because they rarely left the labyrinth. It was their duty to protect mortals from becoming lost in the maze that, over the centuries, had led to countless deaths, in spite of Asterion’s efforts to frighten the mortals away.

“And I’ve rescued Morpheus and Iris,” Aphrodite added. “Hurry and let us in. Zeus and the others are on my tail, and they aren’t very happy with my change in loyalty.”

“We’ll let you enter,” Thanatos began, “but not through these gates. And the chariots will have to remain outside.”

“What?” Aphrodite complained. “Why?”

“We don’t trust you yet,” Morpheus’s Pops explained.

Persephone crossed her arms at her chest. “And even if what you say is true, an enemy could be hiding beneath the helm, unbeknownst to you.”

“So how will we enter?” Dionysus asked.

“Take your chariots along the Acheron to the Hydra’s Sinkhole,” Persephone said. “Leave your chariots and enter, one at a time.”

She can’t be serious, Morpheus said to Iris.

“The Furies are marking unique wards that will allow each of you in,” Thanatos said. “You’ll have to swim past the Hydra, but the Furies will be there to help you.”

Morpheus did not like the sound of this. The Hydra had never grown to like him very much, unlike Cerberus, who was sometimes friendly, depending on how recently he’d eaten cakes.

To Iris, he said, Don’t worry. We’ve got this.

Thanatos and Morpheus’s father helped to guide the chariots around the winding river, where the Furies were waiting outside the Hydra’s sinkhole. They were above ground, on a hillside, surrounded by ruins, the lights from the distant city miles away. Much to his annoyance, Morpheus was asked to enter first. He’d been hoping to go after Aphrodite and Dionysus, so the Hydra would be a little worn out by the time it was his turn. No such luck.

He god-traveled through the hillside to the underground caverns of the Hydra’s lair, water up to his ankles. The Hydra could be anywhere in the winding tunnels that stretched and bent in the darkness. The only way into the Underworld from here was to swim down the sinkhole to the other side. Alecto appeared, waving him toward her.

Morpheus’s first instinct was to go to her, but then he remembered Iris.

Telepathically, so as not to alert the Hydra to his presence, Morpheus said to Alecto, I want to wait for Iris, to make sure she makes it in okay.

It will be easier to sneak past one at a time, Alecto said.

I can’t go on without Iris, Morpheus insisted.

They waited quietly in the darkness for another minute before Iris finally appeared. Morpheus took her hand and flew to Alecto.

Go, the Fury said, pointing to the body of water where the Hydra always slept.

Still holding onto Iris’s hand, Morpheus jumped, and together, they swam down through the winding tunnel to the cave in the Underworld on the other side, where the Hydra, with her one ferocious head and eight hanging necks, was waiting.

Meg distracted the monster with cakes as Morpheus led Iris away, to the back entrance of Tartarus, where Pete was waiting.

Full of relief, Morpheus flew with Iris to the meeting room, where some of the other gods were gathered. He was happy to see Artemis back to herself, with Callisto by her side.

Hestie noticed him first. She wrapped his arms around his neck and said, “Boy, am I glad to see you.”

Poros gave him a nod. “Glad to have you back.”

“Where’s Hermie?” Morpheus asked.

“I haven’t seen him since he went to visit the Fates,” Hestie said, taking out her phone.

“The Fates?” Morpheus asked her just before his Pops came and gave him a hug.

“Welcome home, son,” his Pops said. “Your mom is with Scylla, but I’ve told her you’re safe.”

“Welcome, Iris,” Thanatos said.

Demeter, Artemis, and Callisto gave them a wave.

“Oh, no!” Hestie cried. “Hermie went to the Titan Pit alone! And he’s been in there for over an hour!”

Morpheus couldn’t believe Hermie would do something so stupid.

With a much paler face than usual, Thanatos said, “Let’s go.”

***

 

Once Aphrodite and Dionysus had made it past the Hydra and into Tartarus, Thanatos cuffed them to his sisters’ torture tables.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Aphrodite asked as she struggled against her chains.

“I came to you for help!” Dionysus shouted angrily.

“This is just a precaution,” Hip explained.

“We need to know if we can trust you before we let you roam free in our home,” Meg explained.

“And how are you going to know if you can trust us?” Dionysus asked. “Make us swear? Well, I swear on the River Styx that you have nothing to fear from me.”

“As do I!” Aphrodite said, though Than didn’t believe her. Perhaps Zeus had the power to make such oaths meaningless. “I told Zeus I was helping him—that I’d damage your wards once I was in—but I lied. I’m telling you the truth! I can’t stand my father’s vile ways another minute! I want to join the rebellion!”

“Not so fast,” Alecto warned, and the snake around her neck hissed.

“I swear on the River Styx!” Aphrodite said again.

Meg frowned. “People have been known to break oaths before.”

Than felt his cheeks grow warm.

“Without Apollo, we can’t know for sure if you’re telling the truth,” Tizzie said.

Tizzie’s wolf howled her agreement.

“But how can we help the rebellion if you make us your prisoners?” Aphrodite asked through the tears running down her cheeks.

“I’ll ask a seer,” Than said, thinking of old Tiresias.

Hip gave them a smug grin. “Once the seer confirms your position, we’ll let you go.”

“Easy peasy,” Meg said.

“And if the seer doesn’t?” Aphrodite asked.

“That’s up to our mother to decide,” Than said.

“But it’s likely the Titan Pit for you, in that case,” Hip said, still grinning.

“They’ll rip us to shreds in there!” Aphrodite cried.

Back in his father’s meeting room, Thanatos turned pale. Hermie had gone to the Titan Pit? Alone?

“Leave the prisoners here,” Than said to his brother and sisters in Tartarus. “We’re needed at the Pit.”