by Maz Evans
‘Right on, sister,’ said Jason. ‘It’s like I said in my Top 235 single – Hold on to Your Friends (While You’ve Still Got Some).’
17. Mother Dearest
‘Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t stuff you like a hunting trophy, you lying, cheating, treacherous scum!’
‘Because you can’t even kill a mortal child!’ yelled Hypnos. ‘And you swore on the Styx you wouldn’t kill me . . . so there!’
‘Only if you killed the child!’ shouted Thanatos. ‘You failed. So now I’m going to . . .’
‘You couldn’t catch me if you tried!’
‘I wouldn’t have to try! It would be too easy!’
‘Go on, then!’
‘Don’t tempt me!’
‘ENOUGH!’ roared Nyx, stunning both of her sons into silence as they squared off in the Cave of Sleep and Death. ‘Listen to you! You are Daemon royalty of the house of Erebus! Not a pair of screeching schoolgirls! Thanatos! Apologize for threatening to kill your brother!’
‘I’d rather have my kidneys scooped out with a teaspoon,’ said the Daemon of Death, eyeballing his twin.
‘That can be arranged,’ said Nyx. ‘Apologize. Now.’
Thanatos’s face twisted into a scowl as Hypnos smiled smugly.
‘I apologize,’ he muttered, then added, ‘for not annihilating you while I had the chance.’
‘Hypnos – say sorry for betraying your brother to Zeus!’ barked Nyx.
‘But, Mumsie – it’s not fair! He gets all the best stuff and he’s not even the eldest . . .’
‘Don’t make me ask again!’ snapped his mother.
‘Sorry, Thanatos,’ sulked Hypnos, crossing his fingers behind his back.
‘Now let that be an end to it,’ warned Nyx. ‘You are the sons of the greatest immortal who ever lived. What would your father think of you, brawling like a pair of common Harpies?’
‘He started it,’ muttered Hypnos.
‘I’ll finish it too,’ snarled Thanatos.
‘Not another word!’ said Nyx. ‘We have far more important problems. You’ve already let the Earth Stone slip through your fingers. We need to get it back and reunite it with the other Chaos Stones. Hypnos – where are they?’
‘Not telling,’ said Hypnos folding his arms.
‘Tell us, or I’ll pull it out of you!’ said Thanatos taking a step towards his brother.
‘You’re not the boss of me! You see!’ squealed Hypnos, appealing to his mother. ‘He’s going to kill me.’
‘No, he won’t,’ said Nyx.
‘Yes, I will,’ smiled Thanatos.
‘You will not!’ shouted his mother. ‘I forbid it.’
‘Forgive me, Mother,’ said Thanatos. ‘But, to quote my pathetic excuse for a brother – you’re not the boss of me. The moment I am able, I will tear him limb from limb.’
‘So there,’ huffed Hypnos. ‘I’m not saying a word. Not to you, anyway . . .’
‘What do you mean?’ snapped Nyx.
Hypnos grinned at his brother.
‘I just met your little mortal friend – nice kid – Elliot, is it?’ smiled Hypnos. ‘We had quite the chat . . . the weather, the latest bands, where I hid your Chaos Stones . . .’
‘YOU DID WHAT?’ Thanatos erupted, to his brother’s obvious delight. ‘That’s it, I’m going to—’
‘Thanatos – leave us,’ said Nyx firmly.
‘What?!’ said Thanatos.
‘Go – I need to speak to your brother privately,’ his mother said.
‘I will not!’ said Thanatos.
‘YOU WILL DO AS YOU ARE TOLD!’ roared Nyx, spreading her wings and forcing her son to cower backwards. ‘I am your mother and you will respect me! Wait outside.’
Thanatos looked hatefully at his smiling twin.
‘Go,’ ordered Nyx. ‘Now.’
‘Fine,’ said Thanatos, storming towards the cave’s entrance. ‘But you can’t watch him for ever. I’ll get him in the end. I swear it.’
‘See ya!’ said Hypnos as Thanatos pushed past him out of the cave.
Nyx looked squarely at her eldest son, before sitting on Hypnos’s sable-covered bed. She gestured for him to join her.
‘Come to Mother, baby,’ she cooed softly.
Hypnos grinned like a toddler and skipped to his mother. She encircled him with her winged talons.
‘I missed you so much, Mumsie,’ said Hypnos with his head on her shoulder. ‘Don’t leave me again.’
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ lilted Nyx, stroking Hypnos’s head. ‘Mother’s here now.’
They sat quietly for a moment, with only the sound of Nyx’s claws scratching the cave floor to pierce the silence.
‘It’s not my fault – I didn’t have a choice,’ sulked Hypnos. ‘I had to give Zeus the Chaos Stones, or I would have ended up in Tartarus like those other loser Daemons. You’re not cross with me, Mumsie?’
‘Of course not, my angel,’ said Nyx. ‘You were a very clever boy.’
‘I was?’ said Hypnos, snapping up like a happy meerkat.
‘Yes, you were,’ smiled Nyx, pinching his cheek. ‘You always were the smart one. That’s why Daddy gave you your trumpet. Let me see it again. It’s been so long . . .’
Hypnos eagerly handed his weapon over.
‘It’s so beautiful,’ she sighed, turning the curved ivory trumpet in her claws. ‘When Zeus killed your father, he broke my soul in two. I will not rest until Zeus knows that pain.’
‘I wish Daddy was here,’ pouted Hypnos.
‘I don’t,’ said Nyx.
‘What do you mean?’ gasped Hypnos. ‘He was everything to you!’
‘Which is why I’m glad he hasn’t lived to see his son shaming his memory with secrets and lies.’
‘But you don’t understand!’ squealed Hypnos. ‘Everybody’s threatening me and whatever I do, someone wants to kill me! I’m so scared, Mumsie!’
‘Shhhhh, my baby,’ soothed Nyx, wrapping her talons around Hypnos’s hand. ‘I understand why you didn’t want to tell your brother.’
‘Ahhhhh – thank you, Mumsie,’ sighed Hypnos, putting his head back on her shoulder. ‘I knew you’d understand.’
‘I do,’ said Nyx. ‘But, Hypnos?’
‘Yes?’
‘You have to tell me.’
‘But I—’
‘Hypnos,’ said Nyx firmly, stroking his face with a claw. ‘You don’t want to make Mother cross, do you?’
‘No,’ pouted the Daemon.
‘So I’m going to ask you one more time. Where are the Chaos Stones?’
Hypnos shifted awkwardly on his seat and looked into his mother’s green eyes.
‘I can’t tell you,’ said the Daemon of Sleep. ‘I swore not to on the Styx.’
Nyx’s finger froze on Hypnos’s throat. ‘Why would you do that?’ she said softly.
‘They had my trumpet!’ whined Hypnos. ‘And Hades was keeping me prisoner just because I owed him some money and I just wanted to get out and they were going to hurt me and made me swear on the Styx not to say anything, so you see if I tell you then I’ll die . . .’
‘Shhh. Calm yourself, my child,’ soothed Nyx. ‘These things happen.’
‘You . . . you’re not angry?’ said Hypnos cautiously.
‘Anger is futile,’ said Nyx. ‘You were right to tell me the truth.’
‘I was?’
‘You were,’ smiled Nyx. ‘Besides, you won’t go telling our family’s secrets again, will you?’
‘No, Mumsie, I promise,’ said Hypnos. ‘My lips are sealed.’
‘I’m glad to hear you say that,’ said Nyx. ‘Because Mother’s going to help you glue them shut.’
‘What?’ said Hypnos, sitting up in alarm.
‘You lied, Hypnos,’ said Nyx darkly. ‘You betrayed our family and cost your brother his throne. And now you’ve betrayed us again. I can’t risk that any more. Your brother is right. Your father was right. You’re a liability. It’s time for Mother
to punish you.’
‘No!’ cried Hypnos, leaping away from her.
‘Be a good boy now,’ said Nyx, unfurling her wings. ‘Mother knows best. Time for a little nap.’
‘I’m sorry!’ shrieked Hypnos, flying into the air. ‘Don’t do it!’
Hypnos darted towards the cave’s mouth, but Nyx swooped ahead of him with a single flap of her black wings, blocking his escape. Thanatos appeared behind her with a twisted leer.
‘Mumsie! Thanatos!’ cried Hypnos, retreating towards his bed. ‘Please . . .’
‘Night night, baby,’ said Nyx, raising Hypnos’s trumpet to her lips. ‘Sweet dreams.’
With a great breath, she blew a curl of thick black smoke at her son’s head. Hypnos hung in the air for a moment as his own magic sucked every last atom of consciousness from his body. His head lolled to his chest and he dropped to the cave floor, landing in a crumpled heap.
Nyx stalked towards her son’s comatose body and lifted a hand. He was out cold. She leant down and gave Hypnos a soft kiss on his feathered head.
‘You’ve been a very, very naughty boy,’ the Goddess of the Night whispered in his ear. ‘I hope you’ve learnt your lesson.’
‘You always were the strict one,’ said Thanatos, walking over and kicking his brother on to his back. ‘What now? You can’t kill the child. He’s the only one who knows where to find the stones.’
‘I need to get him here, to the Underworld,’ said Nyx, crouching beside Hypnos. ‘We need him to talk.’
‘Like he’s going to tell you,’ scoffed Thanatos.
Nyx’s green eyes flashed with malevolent delight.
‘By the time I’m finished with him,’ she leered, ‘he’s not going to have any choice.’
18. Unhappy Returns
Despite another bad night with Mum, Elliot had a spring in his step as he came down for breakfast on Tuesday morning. He paused on the bottom step, wondering what craziness his immortal housemates had cooked up for him on this special day. He strolled into the kitchen.
Josie was sitting alone at the table. Was everyone hiding?
‘Hi, Mum,’ said Elliot deliberately.
‘Hello, Elly,’ said Josie happily. ‘What are you doing today?’
‘Why?’ asked Elliot with a sly grin.
‘Because I’m your mum, silly!’ laughed Josie, ruffling his hair. ‘Now, what are you doing today?’
‘Nothing special,’ said Elliot grumpily as he started to assemble her breakfast. He thought she would at least have remembered today.
At least she isn’t raving about plants and keys, said his dark voice.
‘So – what are you doing today?’ asked Josie cheerily.
‘Dunno,’ said Elliot, pushing a bowl of cornflakes in front of her.
‘Have you locked the door?’ Josie said, suddenly anxious.
Virgo skipped into the kitchen. ‘Good news,’ she said. ‘Athene thinks she’s found a way to shield you from mortal legal consequences – we’ve got to . . .’
‘I’m going out,’ said Elliot, suddenly desperate to be alone. ‘I’ve got some . . . stuff to do.’
‘That won’t be possible,’ said Virgo. ‘I’m under strict instructions from the Gods to give you the illusion of freedom while in fact reporting back to them on everything you do. This is highly confidential, of course.’
‘So were Zeus’s custard creams,’ said Elliot.
Elliot couldn’t help but enjoy Virgo fumbling for an answer.
‘So be it,’ said Virgo. ‘But ensure you are home shortly. I will go and write a report on the Sewage Renovation of 1932 – you need to be back by the time I have finished.’
‘Have you watered the plants?’ Josie asked.
‘No, I haven’t,’ snapped Elliot, slamming the front door behind him.
With no particular idea where he was going, Elliot had no particular idea why he ended up outside Kowalski Gems. He’d never been inside before – Mum always said that jewellery was for people who didn’t have enough inner beauty – but now he realized that perhaps there was another reason why she had always rushed him past the twinkling window.
He hesitated outside. Walking through this door ten years ago had changed his dad’s life for ever. Should Elliot go through it now?
He pushed the old wooden door open a crack. He couldn’t see anyone inside, so he gave it another push.
DING-A-LING-A-LING!
The bell betraying his arrival made him jump. He considered turning and running, but before he could, a young man in a suit appeared.
‘Can I help you?’ he said, his voice tinged with suspicion.
‘I’m doing a school project,’ Elliot gabbled. He quietly thanked his lying tongue for coming to his rescue again.
‘About Kowalski Gems?’ the man asked doubtfully.
‘About local heroes,’ said Elliot more calmly. ‘I read there was a shooting here once and I just . . . wanted to talk to someone about it.’
‘I see,’ said the man with a warmer smile. ‘Then you’d better come in.’
Inside the dimly lit shop, spotless glass cabinets displayed sparkling trinkets. Elliot’s eyes lit on a picture hanging above the counter of three men, including the young assistant.
‘I am Piotrek. That is my father and my grandfather,’ Piotrek explained. ‘Three generations of Kowalskis in this shop. My grandpa fled Poland during the war as a child. He worked his way up from nothing to buy this shop. He was a world authority on gemstones – he was obsessed. Even my name means “rock” in Polish. Kowalski Gems was his life – may he rest in peace.’
‘Was he here when—?’ Elliot asked nervously.
‘No. Thank God,’ said Piotrek. ‘That was my father. It’s a shame – you just missed him, he’d be able to tell you more than I can. He . . . saw it all.’
‘That’s fine,’ said Elliot hastily. He didn’t fancy meeting the man his father tried to rob.
‘I was upstairs with my mother,’ said Piotrek. ‘We heard two men shouting, terrible shouting . . . Then we heard the key turn in our apartment door – my father had locked it.’
Elliot swallowed down the sicky feeling in his throat. Someone else trying to lock his dad out.
‘There was more shouting – so much noise. We heard Constable Simpson arrive and thought everything would be all right. And then . . .’
‘What?’ said Elliot.
‘We heard the gun,’ said Piotrek. ‘My mother screamed. I didn’t know if my father was . . . We just waited. We didn’t know what for.’
‘Must have been awful,’ said Elliot quietly.
‘It was,’ said Piotrek. ‘It felt like we were in that room for hours. Eventually, a policeman opened the door. There were police cars, ambulances – people everywhere. My father wasn’t there. Constable Simpson wasn’t there. The men weren’t there. But the blood – that was there. That might have been the worst moment of my life.’
‘But your dad was OK?’ Elliot whispered.
‘He was,’ smiled Piotrek. ‘He had gone to get help for the wounded policeman – he came running back into the shop and we all hugged like we’d never see each other again. That might have been the best moment of my life.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ said Elliot, without thinking, his head drooping with shame.
‘You’re sorry?’ said Piotrek, as the shop doorbell jangled. ‘I didn’t catch your name . . .’
‘I don’t believe it – I get to the car – no keys!’ An older man with a heavy accent bustled in. ‘One day, I will leave my head and . . . Get out!’
Elliot flinched as the man strode towards him.
‘Papa?’ said Piotrek.
‘I said – GET OUT!’ roared Piotrek’s father, grabbing Elliot’s coat and shoving him towards the door.
‘Papa!’ said Piotrek, grabbing his father’s arm. ‘What are you doing?’
‘I know you,’ shouted Mr Kowalski. ‘I’ve seen you and your mother, walking past without a care . . .’
‘No, you don’t—’ Elliot began.
‘You can tell your father that he can rot in his jail! I will never forgive him for what he did! Never!’
‘You’re his son?’ said Piotrek. ‘You tricked me . . .’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Elliot. ‘I shouldn’t have come—’
‘Next time, I call the police!’ said Mr Kowalski, giving Elliot another shove. ‘Now GET OUT!’
Elliot stumbled his way out of the door and ran down the street.
As soon as he was far enough away, Elliot stopped to catch his breath. With every pant, his shame turned to anger. He knew it wasn’t the Kowalskis’ fault, but if it weren’t for that place, he might still have his dad. Rage boiled up from his stomach. He kicked a stone on the pavement with all his might, accidentally hitting a homeless man huddled in a doorway opposite.
‘I am so sorry,’ he said, rushing over to him.
‘Nice shot,’ said the homeless man in a familiar drawl. He raised his thin face and stared straight into Elliot’s soul. Elliot’s blood cooled.
It was Thanatos.
‘What do you want?’ growled Elliot, strangely pleased to have a new reason to be angry. He clutched the Earth Stone in his pocket watch. He was in the perfect mood to give the Daemon another kicking.
‘Merely to wish you many happy returns,’ said Thanatos. ‘It is your birthday today, isn’t it?’
Elliot’s heart skipped a beat. How did he know that?
‘It’s in my best interests to know everything about you, Elliot,’ smiled Thanatos, making Elliot wonder again if Thanatos could read his mind.
‘Then you’ll know I’m not in the mood for you right now.’
‘I won’t keep you,’ said the Daemon. ‘I’m sure your friends have all kinds of plans . . .’
Elliot said nothing. He wasn’t prepared to admit to his enemy that this was the worst birthday ever.
‘But perhaps you would accept a birthday outing from me?’ said Thanatos. ‘I thought we might take a pleasure cruise?’
‘Why would I do that?’ Elliot demanded.
‘The last time we met, I said I could return your mother to you.’