a Queen of Butterflies

Chapter 17: I think I'm about to die

"Come on Ada," I call. We have been looking through the texts in the small library for a little while now and still haven't found anything. I assume the others will be here soon and though I don't mind Matt or Giulia knowing what we're up to, I don't think our feathered friend will appreciate us snooping around. Again.

"Auch." 

How is it possible for someone that good at stealing stuff to be this clumsy?

"Can you stop tripping on-" As I turn to face Ada I immediately stop speaking. Not necessarily because of Ada herself but because of the person standing behind her. My luck has to be the worst luck ever in human history.

Ada turns around as well. "Ah."

Thanatos casually leans against one of the bookshelves. "What are you doing?" He only directs the question at me, which is at least slightly unfair, I guess Ada is just his favorite.

"Ada get out," he adds. She complies. I sigh. Great, that's how far our whole 'let's stick together because we're a team' plan went. 

"What do you want?" Thanatos raises one of his eyebrows, no doubt confused by direct tone. I don't feel like acting kind, I'm tired after dozens and dozens of conversations with gods who believe that the universe evolves around them, last night. I get why so many gods decided to come to the Underworld instead.

"I don't want anything," Thanatos points out irritably, "Lord Hades on the other hand..."

I stare at him. He stares right back

"Fine," I give in eventually, "What does he want?"

Thanatos smiles. "He wants me to train you in hand-to-hand combat."

The fact that he says that in the same way someone else might say 'I want to teach you how to make pancakes' is genuinely upsetting. 

"Who says I want to be trained in hand-to-hand combat?" by you. 

Thanatos tilts his head and gives me one of his snake's smiles. "No one says that, but I don't care."

Rude

"Let's get going now." He turns around on his heels without sparing me another glance.

"Aren't you going to say anything extra or...?"

"Nope. You either follow me now or get lost later. I honestly couldn't care less."

Lovely

I jog a few paces so that I fall back into step with him. Then, Thanatos flicks his wrist and the door that once led to a different part of the library now opens up into a small sparring room. I stop right before crossing the threshold.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Thanatos turns around, wide-eyed. "What... Why? I-eh..." He falls silent and simply enough looks at me - perplexed.

"I just wanted to see how you'd respond to that question. Your reaction was better than I expected." I can tell by how Thanatos' expressions rapidly change that that answer was neither correct nor smart. 

"Well then, little witch," he purrs, "I can tell you have more questions brewing up in that clever little mind of yours. I'll make you a deal; you beat me in a fight and I'll give you an answer to one of them."

"Aren't you supposed to teach me something about fighting first? You know, before you attempt to murder me."

Thanatos dart around the brick walls for an excruciatingly long period of time before settling back on me. "That's a question, little witch."