Chapter Twenty-Three: Preparations

Therese sat in a chair beside Hermie, where he lay on a bed in one of her old rooms in the Underworld, with Noodle curled beside him. She stroked Hermie’s dark hair from his face. His soul had returned to his body. He was breathing. The color had returned to his skin. Therese was just waiting for him to wake up.

Hermes had saved her son’s life—again. Although the swiftest god had meant to strike Ares and had missed, Hermes had provided enough of a distraction for Aphrodite to swoop in and capture her lover. Then Thanatos had been able to recover Hermie’s remains and the helm of invisibility, which had been dropped when Ares had eluded Hermes’s blade.

Therese supposed she could forgive Aphrodite for capturing her during the attack on Poseidon earlier in the week.

Hermie began to stir. He blinked and met her gaze. “Mom?”

She stroked his cheek. “Hello, my sweet boy. How do you feel?”

“Where’s Hestie?”

“Resting with Poros.”

“And Jinsoo?”

“With Prometheus.”

“What about Lynn and Grammie and Grampie?”

“Healed by Apollo. Grammie and Grampie are sleeping in the next room. Lynn is talking with Pete.”

“With Pete? Why?”

“He’s helping her work through a vision she’s had of Poros.”

“Oh.” Then he asked, “What about everyone else? Did Grampa Hades make it out okay?”

“Yes.” She smiled down at Hermie and stroked his sweet cheek again. “He’s home with your father and the other gods, planning our next move.”

“What about Mina?”

Therese frowned. “Mina?”

“I want to bring her back.”

Therese kissed Hermie’s cheek. “Don’t think about that right now, sweet boy. What you did last night was very brave, but it took a lot out of you. Try to rest and get some sleep.”

Hermie closed his eyes and pulled his covers up to his chin. She stroked his hair, recalling the many times throughout his life that she’d sat and watched him sleep after she’d read him and Hestie a bedtime story. Tears filled her eyes. Her tears weren’t of sadness or of joy but of a mix of overwhelming emotions. She hoped and prayed that her sweet children would have good and happy lives and that sorrow and conflict wouldn’t follow them for all eternity.

***

 

Hestie curled against Poros on the bed. Her mom was with Hermie just a few doors down from them.

“I can’t believe my parents let me be in my room alone with you,” she said.

“Is this your room now?” Poros asked her sleepily.

His stunning gray eyes were hooded, and his voice husky.

“I called dibs on it. It’s the coolest of the three we had to choose from.”

He stroked her hair. “So, you’re going to live here?”

She shrugged. “I guess so.”

He licked his lips, and she was momentarily distracted by his tongue.

“Hestie, I know we’ve only known each other for a few months, but…”

“But what?” she searched his eyes—those beautiful mirrors to her soul. She could never gaze at them often enough.

He smiled. “Your mind is an open book.”

“I don’t care. Why should I?”

He laughed and pulled her close. “Because you’re driving me wild with your lusty thoughts.”

She hit his bicep with her fist. “I don’t have lusty thoughts!”

“Owe! That hurt, you maniac,” he teased.

She tickled his ribs. “Does this hurt, too, you baby?”

He giggled like a little girl. “Stop! Stop!”

He fell on his back, and she climbed on top of him. She stopped tickling him and looked down into those gorgeous, brilliant eyes before she kissed him.

Suddenly, he flipped her over on her back and had his revenge by tickling her ribs, her armpits, her belly. She screeched hysterically. “Enough! Enough!”

“We’re even,” he said, falling over on his back.

She lay there beside him smiling, recovering from the laughter, wishing they could lay there together all day.

“We’re supposed to be sleeping,” he reminded her.

She nuzzled up against him, curling her legs over his.

He wrapped his arm around her legs and held her.

She sighed and closed her eyes.

“Hestie?” he said in that husky voice.

“Hmm?”

“Prometheus is going to get another ship when this is over.”

“I figured as much.”

“I’m going with him, like I said.”

She opened her eyes and gazed up at him.

“I want you to come with me,” he said. “Hermie’s going, you know.”

“That was before Mina…” She was still unable to believe that their friend was dead.

“Would you come with me?” he asked her. “When this is all over? You can visit the Underworld anytime.”

Chills of pleasure coursed through her as she smiled up at him. “Poros, god of the sky, I’d go anywhere with you.”

***

 

Hip watched his father, who was standing at the head of the table, and admired how he had so seamlessly returned to his role as leader of the rebellion. Persephone stood beside him, more fearless and determined than ever. Most of the other gods were there as well—even Demeter, who seemed to have embraced the rebellion now that its victory was imminent.

Hip was reminded of a time, not long ago, when the gods of Olympus rarely spoke to one from the Underworld; and now, most of them were gathered around his parents’ table.

Hephaestus had shown up at Cerberus’s gate with his wife and daughters late last night. The Charities had gone to rest, but Hephaestus was here in the meeting room with Hades.

Ares and Hestia were chained up in Tartarus. And although Hera and a few of her allies had escaped last night, Persephone, Melinoe, and Amphitrite had captured Ladon. They’d been surprised to discover his joy at having been liberated from Hera. He’d closed his two hundred eyes and had gone to sleep at his brother Cerberus’s feet and was still sleeping there, even now.

There was still no sign of Hermes. Hip had come to agree with Than’s theory: Thanatos had speculated that Hermes would be unwelcome on Mount Olympus after the role he’d played in helping the rebellion capture Ares, recover the helm, and save Hermie. But Thanatos had also said that the god of commerce and of thievery, of communication and of travel, could never act against his father; so, rather than join the rebellion, he likely fled somewhere to hide.

The other gods, including the three Titans from the Pit, were either sitting around the table or standing along the perimeter of the room. The younger gods had gone to rest. Iris was with Morpheus, Hestie was with Poros, and Therese was waiting for Hermie to wake up.

Hip stood not far from his parents, leaning with his back against the wall, arms and legs crossed. He wished he could sleep, like the one-hundred headed serpent, but there was no time for that now.

Jen had returned to Scylla in the cave at the Messina Strait. Hip was with them, lying on the bank, stroking Jen’s hair.

“I’ll wait outside the gates beneath the helm,” Hades was saying. “It may take days, or it may take minutes, but sooner or later, someone will either go in or out, and that’s when I’ll make my move.”

The gods around the table seemed content with the idea.

Poseidon, who stood beside Hip, said, “I appreciate your hospitality, Hades, but I think Amphitrite and I will go and round up as many of our people as we can, so they can help us when it’s time.”

Amphitrite added, “My sisters will want to be there, too, especially Metis.”

Prometheus, who’d just entered the meeting late, said to Poseidon, “I’ll go with you.”

Athena stood from her chair. “I’ll go, too.”

Hip smiled. The goddess of wisdom had never seemed clingy before, but she seemed so now. Hip glanced across the room at Aphrodite, who was also smiling and who seemed to have drawn the same conclusion about her sister: Athena was in love.

“Thanatos will tell you when it’s time,” Persephone said to them.

“Once I’m inside, I’ll wait until I’m alone with someone I can kill inconspicuously,” Hades said, ‘”to signal Thanatos. Then he’ll disintegrate and give everyone the word as I, still beneath the helm, open gates to let you in.”

“We’ll wait for your word, Thanatos,” Poseidon said before he and Amphitrite left, followed by Athena and Prometheus.

Alecto stroked her snake. “Zeus may have the help of Rhea and her Curetes and of the daughters of Ares, but there are few others at his side.”

“Hera is there,” Meg reminded her.

“And possibly Hermes,” Demeter added.

“I doubt it,” Hecate said. “Not after what he did last night.”

“This will be a piece of cake,” Crius said with a grin.

Apollo stood up. “Remember, our goal is to seize the palace, not to destroy it.”

Artemis nodded. “We want minimal damage and as few casualties as possible.”

“Because our goal is reform,” Hades said. “Does everyone understand?”

At that moment, Pete entered the room with Lynn.

“Any news?” Tizzie asked them.

“She saw Poros again,” Pete said. “Go ahead and tell them, Lynn. Don’t be afraid. Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

Lynn was trembling. All eyes were on her. She did as Pete had said and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. “It’s like before,” she began. “I see Poros approaching his father and asking Zeus to accept him.”

“You’re doing good,” Pete said, holding her hand. “Keep going. What else do you see? Tell them what you told me.”

“I see Zeus hurling a lightning bolt at Poros.”

Gasps filled the room.

Apollo said, “Tell them the rest.”

“Poros doesn’t fall,” she said. “He becomes illuminated with light.”

Hip noticed Apollo nod his head, as if he’d seen it, too.

“Keep going, Lynn,” Pete said. “Tell them what else you told me.”

“I see Persephone jump into another goddess’s mouth,” Lynn said.

“What?” Persephone turned pale. “But why?”

“Which goddess?” Hades leaned forward. “What else do you see?”

“I don’t know.” Lynn opened her eyes. “That’s it. There’s nothing more.”

“That’s awful troubling,” Iapetus said.

Pete squeezed Lynn’s hand. “Now we’re going to do that thing I told you about, okay?”

Tears streamed down Lynn’s face, and her lips began to quiver. “Okay.”

“Apollo?” Pete said. “Can you come stand with us?”

Apollo crossed the room and stood on the opposite side of Lynn from Pete.

“Apollo is the god of healing,” Pete said to Lynn. “He’ll heal you right up, as soon as we’re done. It’s going to hurt, I won’t lie, but you can do this, okay? It’s so important that we see all that we can.”

Hip had a bad feeling. He began to understand what Pete was going to do. He knew Therese wouldn’t like it, if she knew.

“Close your eyes, Lynn, okay?” Pete said.

Trembling like a leaf in the wind, Lynn nodded and closed her eyes, her face twisted with anxiety. “I’m ready,” she said bravely.

Pete conjured his daggers and, as gently and quickly as he could, he pierced both of her eyes at once. Her blood spilled down his hands and his arms as she cried out in pain—a blood-curdling scream—and began to tremor. Then he took the daggers and gouged his own eyes, wincing and trembling as his blood joined Lynn’s on his arms.

The two seers held hands, their heads bobbing. Apollo grabbed Lynn’s hand and closed his eyes, too.

Together, as if they had one voice, Pete and Lynn muttered, “One, two, three, four. She’s on the throne, she’s at the door. She’s in the sky, she’s on the stair. The Queen of Dead is everywhere. As when Melinoe first breathed, everyone will be deceived. One, two, three, four. She’s on the throne, she’s at the door.”

Pete and Lynn both collapsed, caught by Tizzie and Apollo. Apollo went to work, healing Lynn’s eyes, as Hades said, “Wait. Is there more?”

Apollo shook his head and helped Lynn from the room.

Melinoe looked at her mother. “Why was my name mentioned?”

“I don’t know,” Persephone said, appearing as if she was in a daze. “I’m so confused.”

“How can you be everywhere?” Meg wondered.

“Maybe she takes my place as Death, or Hip’s as Sleep, and disintegrates.”

“But what has that got to do with me?” Melinoe repeated.

“Hestie solved the last riddle,” Persephone said. “Maybe she can help us with this one.”

Hades took Persephone in his arms. “Than, bring Hestie here, will you? We can’t proceed with our attack until we bring this vision to light. We need to protect your mother at all costs.”

Demeter stood from the other end of the table and said, “For centuries, I’ve been wrong, my darling daughter, and I must apologize. Over these past few days, I’ve witnessed your devotion to Hades, to your children, and to the Underworld. I’ve watched as you’ve fiercely protected it despite my efforts to dissuade you. And I’ve seen Hades, whom I’ve despised until my heart has turned cold, fiercely protect you back. I apologize to you both for not seeing this before.”

Persephone flew across the room to her mother and wrapped her arms around the goddess’s neck. “Oh, Mother! Thank you for saying that!”

“This doesn’t mean I’m giving up my six months with you, darling,” Demeter added with a smile.

Persephone laughed. “But maybe we can come here and visit during the summer?”

“Let’s get through this conflict first,” Demeter said. “Then, we’ll see.”