While Odysseus slept, I walked invisibly beside the river, hoping to figure out what island he’d landed on this time, and whether he’d be safe here.

The river led to a city. Fine houses with flower gardens, fig trees, and grapevines lined the streets. Clearly my Persephone had been here!

I walked until I came to a white stone palace. Its gates stood wide open with no guards in sight. A sign over the gates read: WELCOME TO THE ROYAL PALACE OF PHAEACIA.

Ah, Phaeacia! So that’s where Odysseus had washed up.

The Phaeacian people had once lived on an island near Po’s one-eyed sons. As you can imagine, those cannibal Cyclopes weren’t the greatest neighbors, so one day the Phaeacians gathered up all that they owned and sailed off to find the most remote island in the world to make a new home for themselves. And this island was the spot they’d found.

I walked back the way I’d come beside the river, thinking.

The good news was that Odysseus had landed on an island inhabited by noble people known for throwing great parties and cooking up amazing feasts.

The bad news was that the Phaeacians disliked strangers. Oh, they were friendly and trusting among themselves, but few ships ever reached their faraway island, and they weren’t used to seeing strange faces. Would they welcome Odysseus? I wasn’t so sure.

I’d nearly reached the olive trees where our hero lay sleeping when a series of shrieks filled the air, and I saw three serving maids running toward a young noblewoman. They were screaming their heads off.

And then I spotted Odysseus. He’d stuck his head out from between the olive branches and was trying to keep the rest of himself hidden by the leaves. His thin face was burned red from the sun. Bright white sea salt was caked on his hair and beard. No wonder those serving maids were screaming!

“We were looking for your ball, princess!” cried one of the maids, gasping for breath. “And we came upon a wild man hiding in the olive trees!”

“Take me to him,” the young woman said, showing no fear. “We must offer him hospitality.”

This was a good sign! Maybe the Phaeacians would welcome Odysseus after all.

The serving maids shook their heads. They were too frightened to go near the wild man again, but they pointed to where he was hiding.

As the young noblewoman approached him, Odysseus called, “Hello there! Are you a goddess or a mortal?”

I tried not to laugh. After all these years at war and at sea, he still had the old Odysseus charm.

“I’m guessing you’re a goddess,” Odysseus went on. “You’re strong, yet graceful. Let me think . . . Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Am I right?”

The young woman smiled and shook her head. “I’m no goddess,” she said.

“Well, if you’re a mortal,” Odysseus said, “surely you’re a princess. “

“True,” the young woman said. “I am Princess Nausicaa, daughter of King Alcinous and Queen Arete of Phaeacia.”

Odysseus bowed, but he didn’t give his name. Even as he was being welcomed by a princess, he was cautious not to reveal too much.

Princess Nausicaa clapped for her serving maids. “Bring water for the stranger,” she said. “And those little cakes we brought for our snack.”

Odysseus gulped down the water. He ate all the cakes, too, but of course they weren’t nearly enough to fill him up.

“Thank you, princess,” he said. “I have been tossed onto your shores, having suffered mightily on my travels, and you have shown me great kindness.”

“That is my duty,” the princess said. “You can bathe in the river, stranger,” she added, blushing a little. “I will have my handmaids bring a robe and more food and water and leave them on the riverbank for you.”

“Thank you, princess,” said Odysseus.

“When you have washed and dressed,” the princess went on, “walk beside the river until you come to our city. Walk quickly and speak to no one. My family obeys Zeus’s decree to show hospitality to strangers, but most Phaeacians are suspicious and will not treat you kindly.”

Odysseus nodded. “Good to know.”

“When you reach the palace, go inside,” the princess said. “In the great hall, look for a noblewoman spinning purple yarn. That will be my mother, Queen Arete. Throw yourself down at her feet and say you are a stranger. Ask her for whatever you wish and she will give it to you.”

Odysseus smiled. “I have washed up on a fortunate shore indeed, princess,” he said. “I shall do as you say.”

The princess and her maids turned and walked away.

When he was alone, Odysseus waded into the river and washed the sea salt from his hair and beard. He dried himself in the sun and put on the robe that the maids had left him.

As he began to eat the bread, cheese, and olives that the maids had brought, it occurred to me that I hadn’t spoken to Odysseus since he’d come down to my kingdom to talk to Tiresias. I couldn’t see any harm in appearing to him now. Besides, I was dying to take off my Helmet.

FOOP!

Odysseus looked up. “Hades!” he cried. “What a surprise!” Then his face fell. “I’m not going to die now, am I? After surviving monsters and shipwrecks, I’d really hate to end it all choking on an olive pit.”

“I’m the ruler of the Underworld, Odysseus, not the god of death.” I said. Why could mortals never get that straight? I sat down beside him on the riverbank.

“I’ve been through it, Hades,” Odysseus said. He told me about his narrow escapes, and about his men slaying Helios’s cattle. “All I want to do is go home,” he added with a sigh.

“Maybe the queen will give you a ship and you can sail home,” I told him.

Odysseus frowned. “How do you know about the queen, Hades?” he asked. “Are you pals with her?”

“Oh, you know how queens are,” I said quickly, hoping that the wily mortal wouldn’t figure out that I’d been listening in. “They love to grant wishes.”

“I am going to ask the queen for a ship,” Odysseus said, flashing a grin. “And I bet she’ll give me one, too.”

For someone who only hours before had crawled out of the ocean like a dying sea slug, Odysseus was full of his old confidence. And I have to say, considering all the ordeals he’d been though, he cleaned up very well.

Odysseus rose to his feet. “See you around, Hades,” he said, and he began walking toward the city.

“Good luck to you, Odysseus!” I called after him.

I watched until he disappeared around a bend. He seemed carefree, but I was worried about him. The princess had warned him that some Phaeacians would not treat him kindly. What they’d do if they saw him walking beside the river was anybody’s guess.

Remembering what Hermes had told me about Athena being fond of Odysseus, I got out my phone and punched in her number.

“This is Athena, goddess of wisdom, war, and weaving,” she said.

“Hi, Athena. It’s me, Hades.”

“Oh, Hades, I’m relieved it’s you and not those crackpot Centaurs who’ve been prank calling me,” she said. “I don’t think it’s one bit funny.”

Having a sense of humor was not Athena’s strong point.

“You were a big fan of Odysseus’s during the Trojan War, right?” I asked.

“I was,” said Athena. “Still am. So?”

“So Po is making his trip home from the war really horrendous,” I said.

“Poseidon is such a nincompoop!” Athena shouted into the phone. “The way he tried to take Athens, my namesake city, for himself. Ohhhhhhh, it still makes my ichor boil.”

“I hear you,” I told her. “So, Athena, Odysseus could use some help. I can’t help him myself. Long story, but in a nutshell, I had to swear to Po that I wouldn’t.”

“What?” cried Athena. “That god of the seas is totally out of control.”

“Don’t I know it,” I said. “Anyway, if you’d give Odysseus a little assist, that would be super. He’s just washed up onto the shores of Phaeacia, and you know how suspicious of strangers some Phaeacians can be.”

“I know! I know! I wasn’t born yesterday, Hades,” said Athena. “Well, I wasn’t born at all, really. I emerged from Zeus’s head fully grown and wearing my suit of armor and my helmet.” She paused. “Uh, what were we talking about?”

“You’re going to help Odysseus,” I told her. “You’re going to get him safely to the palace to see Queen Arete.”

We exchanged a few more barbs about Po and hung up. I smiled. Athena was on the case!

I helmeted up — POOF! — and caught up with Odysseus. As he neared the city, a maiden carrying a water jug approached him. I knew right away who she was. Athena didn’t have the greatest sense of humor, as I’ve said, but like Zeus, she got a big kick out of appearing to mortals disguised as a mortal herself.

“I’ll bet you’re looking for the royal palace, stranger,” Athena the maiden said to Odysseus.

Odysseus nodded.

“Follow me,” the maiden said. “I’m headed there myself. But don’t speak to anyone as you go,” she warned, “for strangers are not welcome on this island.”

Odysseus nodded again and followed the maiden toward the city. As he went, a cloud-like mist surrounded him and he disappeared from view. I smiled. Athena had learned that trick from Aphrodite, who’d hidden Paris in a cloud whenever he was about to get killed in the Trojan War.

The maiden and the mist arrived at the palace gates.

“Thank you, maiden,” Odysseus said, but he said it to no one, for the maiden had vanished.

The mist remained around Odysseus as he strode into the palace and made his way to the Great Room. I was right behind him. Suddenly, Athena appeared not far from me. She looked around. I could see her, but I figured she’d chanted a spell so that mortals couldn’t. Some immortals have this power to make themselves invisible. Not me, though, so it’s a good thing I have my trusty Helmet.

“Hades?” she whispered. “Where are you?”

I moved closer to her. “Next to you,” I answered.

Together, we watched the cloud-covered Odysseus make his way over to the queen. As he knelt down at her feet, Athena lifted the mist.

“Ye gods!” cried Queen Arete when a stranger suddenly appeared at her feet.

“Your highness,” Odysseus said, “I am a wanderer washed onto your shores by the sea.”

“Whoa!” said the queen, staring at Odysseus.

“You look very kind, Queen Arete,” Odysseus went on. “Very kind and very, very beautiful. How about giving me a ship so I can sail back to my homeland?”

“Well, maybe, if . . . if you tell us your name and . . . something about yourself . . .” the queen stammered. She was really flustered.

“My dear Arete!” exclaimed the king. “Zeus decrees that we must never ask a stranger’s name! He will tell us when he’s ready. Now we must give him food and wine.”

“Oh, you’re right, my king,” said the queen, recovering herself. “What was I thinking? Sit at our table, stranger,” she added, “and we shall serve you a fine feast.”

Odysseus was only too happy to sit on a golden chair and have servers bring him bread, meat, fruit, and wine. After they had eaten and rested for a while, the king turned to Odysseus.

“Now tell us,” he said, “are you an immortal god come to test how we treat strangers?”

Hearing that, Athena elbowed me. We both knew that Odysseus might well pretend to be a god and see what that got him.

But to our relief, he said, “No, I am a mortal man. After wandering for way too long, I wish only to see the shores of home once more.”

“How came you to be dressed in a robe made from cloth woven by my own hands, stranger?” asked the queen.

Odysseus told the king and queen how the princess’s serving maids had spied him looking like a wild man and had run screaming to the princess, who was unafraid. He told how he had bathed in the river, and how the princess’s maids had left him food and water.

“Your daughter’s maids also brought me this robe, my queen,” he said.

“I only wish my daughter had showed you to our city right away,” said the king.

Odysseus smiled. “I don’t think you’d have liked it much if your daughter had dragged home a sun-baked, salt-caked wild man,” he said, still not giving his name.

“You may be right,” said the king. “But now that we know you, and you know us, why don’t you stay in Phaeacia and marry Princess Nausicca?”

“Well . . . I . . . uh . . . um,” mumbled Odysseus.

The king stood up. “It’s time for us to sleep now,” he said. “Think about it, stranger!”