Chapter Thirty-Three: Demeter’s Winter Cabin
Than fragmented and flew to Therese, and, with her consent, scooped her in his arms, and traveled to his grandmother’s winter cottage in a heavily wooded area near the base of Mount Kronos. As soon as he arrived, he laid Therese on a bed and left the house so as not to further endanger Therese’s life. Once he was a safe distance away, he hovered above the cabin ready to explode with frustration. Therese had almost succeeded. If only she hadn’t spotted him, she would have left through the gate and become his queen, accepted by the other gods, rather than exiled from Mount Olympus for all eternity. He’d tried to issue her a look of warning, to remind her of Hades’s one command—do not look back—but his expression had only bewildered her into watching him. He bellowed out his frustration, shaking the woods below. Birds darted from their nests, rabbits dashed into holes, and even humans turned their heads up to the sky, looking for thunderclouds. The tears gathering in his eyes fell like rain on a few treetops. He bit his tongue so hard it bled. So close. She had been so close.
Demeter and Persephone arrived moments later, also full of tears, but not for Therese. They flew to where he hovered above the cabin and threw their arms around him.
“They’ll rip you to pieces,” his mother said through thick sobs.
“And not just once,” his grandmother added. “But every year.”
His mother cupped his face in her hands. “Please don’t do this, Thanatos. I beg you, as the mother who gave life to you. I beg you with all my heart. Your pain will be unbearable, but so will mine when I hear your cries each year forever.”
“Please, Thanatos,” his grandmother added. “Heed your mother’s words. Those who love you will suffer for all eternity. Love is fleeting. Punishment for broken oaths is not.”
Thanatos pulled back from their suffocating embraces. He loved them, but this was hard enough without them reminding him every minute of every day. Having his one thumb ripped from his body had hurt like hell. Multiply that by a thousand. He shuddered. Yes, he knew what they were saying made sense, but he had to have Therese. “You don’t understand. Without her, I have no life. If you don’t want to suffer over my pain, then stop trying to talk me out of this thing. If I don’t do it, I’ll be miserable. With Therese at my side, you may hear my cries once a year; without her, they’ll be constant. If you love me, give it to me now.”
Demeter pulled a vial from the folds of her robe and reluctantly handed it over to Than. “The more you rub over her, the faster she’ll burn. Use it all to ensure a speedy death.”
“And son, you can’t take her soul from her body. If you do, the process is ruined.”
Than’s mouth dropped open. “But all along I planned to take her before I set fire to her body.”
Demeter lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry. It won’t work if you do.”
“Maybe now you’ll change your mind?”
Than chewed his bottom lip, which, like his tongue, trickled with blood from his own doing. “Therese must decide. Please go and put the question to her.”