The Forgotten Witch

15 ~ Hades

Hades laid in bed and stared at the rafters. Something had woken him; a feeling more than a noise, he guessed. Both his wife and infant daughter were sleeping peacefully beside him, and his dreams had not been unpleasant. He was revisiting Lexi's birthday celebration.

While Valencia's fall from the balcony had nearly destroyed the festive mood, Lexi shone like the brightest star in the cosmos, reviving Val's fragile body and reaffirming her benevolent presence among the gods. No, those thoughts had not woken him. The sudden call from sleep had come from somewhere else.

Taking care not to disturb the sleeping beauties, Hades slipped out of bed and padded to the curtained balcony, moving quietly as he opened the door. The Bonsai tree was the first to catch his eye as he stepped outside. The lanterns glowed powerfully, as if they had been freshly stoked, emitting tiny bursts of flame like canaries trapped in a cage. Were they reacting to his presence, or was it something else? He could not tell, and this bothered him. If Elm had not been the one to present the gift, the infernal thing would be downstairs on the patio, away from living things.

Hades crept up to the tree, giving it a closer look, and he was surprised by the intense heat. His fires rarely burned so hot, and only when his emotions were high. He put his fingers on his pulse and counted. Maybe it was a bit fast but nothing significant. So, why did the flames seem determined to burst through the glass? And who was that whispering behind him?

Hades turned to the open doorway, but only the drapes stood in the frame. He was alone...or was he? He distinctly heard a voice. Two voices, if he wasn't mistaken. Hades knew the cries of the deceased. These were spirits calling to him. But where were they? In the tree? Hades listened intently to what he thought was an argument between two souls. One appeared to be whining about his predicament, while the second threatened to vanquish the other with his fist.

The sound of breaking glass interrupted their fight, and Hades stumbled back as a lantern exploded with a swift – Pop! Splinters sprayed the air, and he felt their stings as he tripped over the balcony chaise. Grabbing the armrest, he righted himself as another shrill – Crack! – echoed from the tree, and the second lantern shot out a potent mixture of sparks and shards. By the time the third lantern burst, Hades was prepared for it, taking refuge behind the chaise cushion to shield against the onslaught.

"What in the name of Zeus's wrath is going on?" Hades cursed as he watched the tree vibrate. The limbs creaked and flailed, as if they were being animated by something beyond their control. By magic, perhaps?

A sudden gust of air erupted from the pot, spewing dirt and spirits upward and forcing Hades further back. Was that the scent of patchouli under his nose? He watched, open-mouthed and dumb as a slew of ethereal bodies coalesced over his head and took the form of an unruly mob. The sound of lament filled the evening quiet.

Before Hades was able to use his gifts to calm them, a spirit dove for the drapes, and they billowed inward as the rest of the spirits followed suit. Amid the mass of shapes, Hades swore he saw wings, but his focus was quickly rerouted to chasing the souls out of his bedroom.

After wrestling with the drapes far too long, Hades found spirits bouncing in all directions, and the shrieks of an unhappy infant joined the chaos. Lexi was already on her feet, bending across the railing of the crib to fetch Juniper.

"What's going on, Hades? How did all these souls get in here?"

"I believe your birthday gift is to blame," Hades said as he stood at his wardrobe, tucking himself into a pair of pajama bottoms.

"The Bonsai tree?"

"Yes. The lanterns exploded one by one. Then spirits erupted from the tree itself. It was quite an impressive trick."