by Molly Ringle
He shook his head, his gaze cutting her up and down, as if deciding she was a complete loss. “And you stand as our representative down here. You control our immortality fruits. How are those, by the way? I suppose they’re still failing.”
Hekate nodded, letting her gaze fall.
“Then that’s it.” He sounded cool, almost resolute. “I no longer recognize your authority here. It’s time to let someone else take over this realm. Someone who can properly use its powers and restore us to what we were. What we should be.”
“Give her time, Ares,” Rhea said. “She is doing everything she can, as we all are. And she is the one who understands the powers best. There is no one else.”
“We won’t know until someone else tries.” He marched out.
“He’s only upset,” Rhea assured Hekate. “He’ll cool down and see he’s making no sense.”
Fear stayed coiled inside Hekate, tangled with grief and rage. “Ares isn’t known for cooling down and making sense.”
“He doesn’t even like the Underworld. He won’t bother to make good on his threats.”
“I think he views us as an enemy country. And what does he do to enemy countries? He attacks and conquers them.”
Rhea looked troubled. “Shall I bring down some of the others who could help you, just in case? You can consult with them, if nothing else.”
Hekate hesitated, then nodded. “Please. If anyone’s willing.”
Rhea ended up bringing down Amphitrite and Poseidon that evening, and resolved to go out again the next day to talk to others. Amphitrite and Poseidon had planned to come to the Underworld soon anyway to see their many departed friends. So rather than discussing Ares and his hotheaded words, they spent the evening talking with the souls of Aphrodite, Dionysos, Hermes, and others, including their youngest daughter, whom Thanatos had killed years ago. Their other two girls still lived.
They all shared a meal in the Underworld, then Hekate arranged beds for Amphitrite and Poseidon so they could stay overnight. The next day they had only begun to discuss Ares when all of them paused, in their wander through the cave, and looked toward the entrance. They sensed him. He was returning.
“Shall we go see what he wants?” Rhea asked.
“No, let him find us,” Hekate said. But his presence troubled her, especially since he seemed to be lingering out there near the entrance, staying still for some reason. She exchanged another glance with Rhea, Poseidon, Amphitrite, and Hermes’ soul. Then she adjusted the cloth that strapped Eleusis to her back, and turned toward the entrance. “On second thought, I don’t trust him.”
They had been walking far from the river, out into the back reaches of the cave. When they finally crested a hill and got within sight of the river again, all of them sucked in a breath of alarm. Ares, in full gleaming battle armor and with spear in hand, was striding up the slope, having just crossed the river on some makeshift rope bridge he’d thrown across. And with him came soldiers: Hekate estimated twenty of them, all brawny and armored and swinging weapons. A few of them, carrying burning torches, turned and set off down the path toward the orchards. Hekate saw the immediate danger to the trees—especially the chrysomelia. She sent a quick arrow of wind magic at them. It hit its target, and blew out all the flames. The soldiers cursed, stopped on the path, and set about pulling items from pouches—probably flint and pyrite to relight the torches. She’d have to keep an eye on them to see if they succeeded, but in the meantime, Ares and the rest of the aggressors had to be dealt with.
“They must have dropped down a rope ladder to get in,” Hermes said. “That’s what he was doing out there. Switching his army into this realm and climbing down.”
Rage tingled in Hekate’s hands, as if her powers were ready to call lightning down upon Ares. “Well. This will be too easy.” She unstrapped Eleusis and handed him to Rhea. “Stay here, and keep him safe.”
Rhea took the child, but frowned at her. “Hekate—”
“Do it. Please.” Hekate looked to Amphitrite and Poseidon. “Are you two ready to use the river as a weapon, if needed?”
They nodded, and walked forward with her. Hermes came along. There was little he could do if it came to a fight, but his presence fortified her.
“All right, Hekate,” Ares called as they neared one another. He spoke with his usual cockiness. “You’ve been repeatedly warned. I’m ousting you. Cede control of the Underworld to me, or we burn all your trees and do our very best at killing anyone here who can yet be killed.” He sneered at Hermes, as if taunting him for being dead already.
“Ares, you haven’t thought this through,” Hermes said. “I know you’re looking around at all these pretty dead girls and lusting after them, but, thing is—you can’t touch them.” He whispered the last words as if confiding a secret to a friend. Hekate smiled in spite of her fear. Good to know Hermes could still make stinging remarks.
Ares only snorted, and returned his gaze to Hekate, tapping the end of his spear against his armored foot. “Ready to pack your possessions? We’ll see you out.”
Hekate filled her lungs with air to calm herself. “No, Ares. We will see you out. Turn and leave now.”
Ares made a hand signal to the men arrayed behind him. As one, they pointed their spears, blades, and bows at Hekate, Poseidon, Amphitrite, and Rhea. “Last chance, girl,” Ares said.
Hekate shot the magic at them without moving. It tore the weapons from the hands of the whole army—but this time they didn’t fly backward as she intended. They caught against some restraint, and fell back within the men’s reach, and each soldier seized hold of them again and aimed them at her with new determination.
As she stared in bewildered dismay, Ares smirked. “Yes, I remembered your little trick. I had the men tie their weapons to themselves in case you acted so predictably. See, Hermes? I do think things through.”
“Oh, I really don’t think you did,” Hermes answered.
On the heels of his last word, Hekate lashed out with a stronger wallop of magic. A sudden windstorm howled through the cave and knocked down five or six of the men. Ares staggered, but stayed upright and charged forward with his spear. His soldiers began unleashing arrows, and ran toward Hekate and the others.
Shockingly fast, the standoff became a melee. Knives and arrows flew; flesh thudded against flesh; people grunted and yelled. In the center of it, with every scrap of power at her disposal, Hekate wheeled from one side to another, knocking down soldiers or breaking their weapons, but too many got up again and kept fighting, and Ares himself had maneuvered past her. Thinking of her son’s safety, she spun and used the Underworld’s ready Earth magic to lift a boulder and knock him flat with it. Then a spear entered her back, and she screamed and had to tear it out, turn again, and pin down the nearest soldier with it through his meaty calf. Meanwhile, at her side, Poseidon and Amphitrite fought with their immortal strength and whatever confiscated weapons they could lay hold of. If they could get just a bit closer to the river, Hekate knew, the water magic would be within their grasp.
Though bloodied, they were almost there. The soldiers were edged back toward the river, and a moment later, Poseidon and Amphitrite called up a huge wave from its black depths, which crashed down upon the closest three soldiers, dragging them over the bank and into the stream. They shouted for help, struggling to stay afloat in their heavy armor, and the distraction made their companions pause long enough that Hekate, Amphitrite, and Poseidon were able to shove them farther back and wrap the next tendrils of water around them. That took care of all of them, except for the ones with the torches off by the trees, and of course—
“Hekate!” Hermes shouted. “Ares is going after Eleusis!”
Hekate pivoted, and sprinted toward Ares. He had shoved the boulder off himself, and though streaked with dirt and blood, had reached Rhea and Eleusis. The damage he’d done had been swift. Rhea lay writhing in pain on the ground, with Ares’ spear in her belly, and Ares held the wailing Eleusis aloft in on
e hand. He pointed his sharp bronze dagger at the boy’s neck. Hekate’s heart plummeted. All her powers sizzled and snapped, ready to shoot forth with damage of her own—but how to do so without endangering her baby?
Ares smiled at her. “Ready to surrender?” He poked the knife closer, and Eleusis wailed harder.
“Ares,” Poseidon said, behind Hekate. “He’s a baby. And mortal. This is the act of a coward. That’s not you.”
Hekate would have disputed that, but she stayed mute.
“Surrender,” Ares answered.
Hekate didn’t know if this magic would even work on an immortal. Nor if the Goddess would strip her of her powers again for doing it. She didn’t care. She reached out with her mind anyway, because her child’s life was worth it, and this was a mother’s wrath.
She found the seam where Ares’ soul connected to his body, and ripped it apart.
It hauled a great deal of power out of her, much more than she’d needed for the dying man. Weakened, she swayed and fell to her knees. But even through her temporarily blurred vision, she saw Ares collapse to the ground, leaving his soul standing in place, looking shocked. Eleusis fell from the lifeless hand and landed on Rhea’s lap. Hekate crawled to him and picked him up. Though he howled louder than ever at all this rough treatment, he seemed unhurt. She sent waves of calming and healing magic through him just in case, though her reserves were awfully low at the moment.
She pulled the spear from Rhea and helped her sit up. Poseidon and Amphitrite knelt by them. Hermes and the other souls who had witnessed the battle gathered closer, all gazing at Ares’ soul.
“What have you done?” Ares stared at his own body, face-down on the ground.
“I’ve removed your soul from your body.” Hekate’s voice was weak, her throat parched.
“But then—” He stepped backward, and looked at her in terror. “What’s pulling me? Is it—”
“Tartaros. Yes. I’m sorry, Ares.”
“Put me back,” he begged. “You were able to take me out, now put me back!” He fell back another step, though he visibly fought it.
Hekate considered. She picked up a scrap of willow-and-ivy rope lying on the ground, and tossed one end to him. He caught it, and his hands stuck to it. She pulled him forward, and climbed to her feet weakly, cradling Eleusis to her chest. “I don’t know if I can,” she said. “I’ve never tried, nor have I taken the soul from anyone but you, and one dying man.”
“Try. Please. I’ll do anything. I don’t want to go to that place.”
“Anything? Including never attacking us again?”
“Yes,” he agreed at once.
“And never attacking anyone else again either? No matter the circumstances?”
“Yes, I promise.”
“You must spend the rest of your life doing good deeds, the best you possibly can. Then maybe Tartaros won’t pull you down for so long when you do die. Maybe you’ll even get out of it, if you work hard enough.”
“I swear. I will.”
“I’ll hold you to that vow,” she warned. “You know now what I can do if you break it.”
He nodded at once.
“Then…” She drew in her breath. “I’ll try. Here. Lie down into your body again.”
He obeyed, lying on his front so his soul’s form fitted into his body’s. He still glowed around the edges, and when Hekate knelt to touch him, she found soul and body were indeed still two separate entities. It wasn’t as simple as placing them near one another, evidently. It would take magic again.
“Hold still.” She shut her eyes and concentrated. She rebuilt the seam, stitching it up all the way from his head to his toes. As she did so, she suspected that this would only work in the rare case where the body was still sound. Putting a soul back into a deeply diseased or injured body would surely be a lost cause. But this, perhaps…
His body jolted. He turned his head and sucked in a breath. The glow faded as his soul sank deep into him again.
Everyone watching drew back.
Ares pushed himself up to his knees and sat breathing raggedly. Wincing, hand splayed on his chest, he looked at Hekate. “I feel weak. Different.”
“Well, you were just dead.”
“But I…am I still immortal?”
She reached forward again and laid her hand on his shoulder to read his vital energies. Sobered by what she found, she let her hand drop and shook her head. “It seems severing the connection makes you mortal if you do come back to life. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Then—” With terror in his eyes, he looked toward the orchards.
Everyone else looked too, and Hekate hissed her breath inward. An orange glow of fire came from one side of the gardens—the side where the chrysomelia trees grew.
She found her strength and ran in that direction. Her friends came with her, and Ares followed, though he fell far behind, winded and weak in a way he’d never felt before.
The immortals caught up to the three soldiers who had set fire to the trees, and flung them all into the river, then used all the water magic within reach to douse the roaring flames. But when the fires died, Hekate’s whole body drooped in sorrow.
“They’re gone, aren’t they,” Hermes said quietly.
“Yes,” she said.
Ares had caught up, and stared in horror from them to the smoking remains of the trees. “They—they got the right trees?”
“Yes.” She nodded to the burned pomegranates and willows surrounding them. “Some others too. But all of the immortality fruits are gone.”
“How did they know which trees they were?” Poseidon demanded of Ares.
“They didn’t.” He looked shocked and crestfallen. “They just…happened to burn the right ones, I suppose. Bad luck.”
Hekate dropped to her knees, holding Eleusis. She closed her eyes, and buried her nose in his fragrant hair so she wouldn’t have to smell the acrid smoke.
“And what was your plan there, Ares?” Hermes asked. “How was that going to help you?”
“I thought I’d…start clean,” he said hollowly. “Fetch new trees from Asia. Succeed where you failed.”
“Yes, Hekate’s been trying to do all that,” Rhea snapped.
“Can’t you put them back?” Ares must have been addressing Hekate, though she didn’t look up. “The way you brought me back to life?”
She shook her head. “Their forms have been destroyed. There’s nothing to return life to.”
Everyone was silent for a spell. A few dying embers hissed and crackled.
“Well, get out,” Amphitrite said—surely to Ares. “Start your life clean, while we mop up here.”
Hekate lifted her face just enough to see Ares shuffle away without another word, escorted by the bristling, silent Poseidon.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Tracy let the week of preparation drag out an extra couple of days, because he was so right about the wondrous things Tenebra could do in bed. The sensations she could send into his flesh, the appearances she could take on—he honestly felt that in the space of a few nights, he’d had sex with every type of woman he’d ever been attracted to, all in technically just one woman. She seemed to enjoy it too, or at least found it empowering to hold him in such thrall. He let her indulge her smugness. He knew he’d get tired of even her before long. It would start to feel distasteful or fake, and he’d want actual innocent nubile flesh again, one of these weeks. But he liked to enjoy each partner as long as the pleasure lasted for him, so he made good use of their vacation-rental bed on Zakynthos.
Krystal worked hard at her physical therapy in the meantime, as promised. She had fought her way up to running on the beach, short jogs at first, but longer each day. She was young, strong, and determined, and like any good weapon, if aimed and used correctly, she’d unleash considerable damage.
So then, the plan for using his weapons. The sullen Yuliya was doing her part too, over on the mainland. This mission required special soldiers, not just street thu
gs. You had to pick people who wouldn’t fall apart in a panic when finding themselves in a cave full of glowing ghosts. At least the ghosts were no threat: according to what Sanjay had reported all too trustingly to his guru, and according to snippets of their Decrees too, the apparitions were passive and intangible, if unnerving. So all you needed do was select soldiers with iron nerves.
Today, the fifteenth of February, Yuliya texted him to say she had collected the requested fifty personnel. They were all in the region, inconspicuously staying in various places. They had collected the necessary firearms and explosives, and stood ready to converge upon the cave.
Does she have the means to open the door for them? Yuliya asked. The chilliness toward Tenebra came through even in text message.
Well done, he texted back. And yes she does.
He and Tenebra had again visited the Blue Caves here on the island recently, and tested her hand-crafted magical artifact: a knife-like object of stone and driftwood, the materials collected from both realms and wrapped up together with a bloody sinew from that walrus-hippo beast. That plus a few incantations and invisible forces on her part, and she was able to hold open the boundary between the realms when Tracy accessed it, at least for a minute or two. Her spell caused a shimmering door, like a sheet of water suspended in the air, which you could walk back and forth through, from one realm to the other.
Magnificent, that woman. And incredibly dangerous. He’d have to be bloody careful not to get on her bad side when he did tire of her, especially if she got her way and became immortal.
Then it’s time, he added to Yuliya in text. We’ll see you tonight.
He exchanged a nod with Tenebra, who read the texts over his elbow as they reclined together in bed in the morning light. He set down the phone, and they both got up and began to pack.
It would feel good to get this quest done: to accomplish at last what nearly every head of Thanatos had been unable to do. Imagine it, the Underworld and spirit realm at his command and Tenebra’s. They could begin reshaping the world the way they wanted, starting tomorrow if all went well. They would be unstoppable.