Dead of Night

Chapter Two

The god's cursed flames die in the absence of his presence, but the blacked floor remains as evidence of the encounter.

"I felt a presence. Is everything okay?" Hades asks after he bursts into Thanatos' tower. I hold back a rueful chuckle. When is anything ever okay anymore?

"All is well, brother. Bel stopped by for a chat is all," I reply stiffly, still seething from Bel's threatening words.

"I see," Hades mutters as he takes in the blackened floor and the pungent smell of smoke that still lingers in the air. By the tension in his shoulders and the tightness in which he clenches his fists, I can tell that my brother is nearly as angered by Bel's appearance as I am.

He's growing stronger, this I cannot deny. Even with his most desperate attempts in the past, Bel has never been able to enter my realm of his own accord. This new development bothers me immensely. Even in my own realm I can't keep Bel from Thanatos. If he can get here without a problem, what's to stop him from appearing to my goddess?

Hades notices my mental distress and gives me an empathetic frown. "How long's it been?"

"Fourteen days," I murmur dully, restraining myself from telling the exact amount of time it's been since Thanatos turned from me. Fourteen days. Two hours. Thirty two minutes. Fifty eight seconds. I don't need him worried about my sanity on top of everything else.

Hades nods slowly and purses his lips as if deep in thought. "You never did tell me why she told you to stay away," he says by way of a question.

That's because my wife telling me to stay out of her business isn't exactly number one on my list of things to talk about, I think bitterly, but keep my thoughts to myself. I can't afford to lose anyone else. So, I bite back any sarcastic comments that I might have had prepared and lean back against the window.

"She doesn't want my help," I start slowly, hating the bitter taste the words leave on my tongue. "I tried to protect her from Bel but she refuses to let me. I wanted to take her into the Underworld so that she would be safe while I vanquish Bel myself. Thantaos would have none of it. She said that she had to do this herself. Then she left and I haven't seen her since."

The earth-shattering despair comes back full force and I have to fight not to let it consume me again. I can't afford to spend the next century in spiralling depression. Now that Thanatos isn't here to help me battle the darkness within me, it's only a matter of time before I lose myself completely.

"Did you know that Persephone left me once?" Hades asks, moving to sit on Thanatos' love seat. He eases himself down gently, as if in pain. Maybe Bel's poison is finally getting to him.

This pulls me from my dark thoughts. Persephone left Hades? No, that can't be right. I would have known if something like that happened. Wouldn't I?

He pats the seat next to him and I sink down into it reluctantly. I can't help but think this is Thanatos' spot.

"It was during one of the times you and your goddess were spending time in the mortal realm," he begins slowly, as if dredging up a painful memory. "I was just like you when it came to protecting Persephone. I wouldn't let her out of my sight. I figured that if I kept her here I would be able to protect her so much better-"

"You would! If she stayed here she'd never be in danger," I interject with a frown.

Hades gives me a patient look that hints at the many years he's lived. "Maybe so, but I would have eventually lost her forever. . . She loved me, just as Thanatos loves you, but she wanted to face her own problems and be free to make her own mistakes. I didn't give her that freedom. I was so fixated on keeping her safe that I drove her away.

"Although she loved me, she couldn't stand to be trapped any longer. So she left and told me not to follow her. She nearly broke our Warrior bond over it. We fought and fought and, as much as it hurt, I knew she was right. I trusted her with my life but not with her own. That's no way to treat the person you've vowed to spend all of eternity with.

"I hated it, but we needed distance to get to a place where we'd both be happy. I learned to trust her and she learned to accept that my protection is necessary at times, which is exactly what the two of you need to do. A love without trust will not last, brother, " Hades ends his tale with a meaningful look.

My frown is immediate. I trust Thanatos. I do. I just can't bear the thought of not being there to protect her. Especially now that she's in constant danger. I've spent thousands of years as her protector. I can't stop now.

Hades smiles sadly and pats my shoulder, obviously seeing my retort in my expression. He walks towards the door, then turns around with an age-old sadness in his gaze.

"If you don't learn to trust her, brother, you'll lose her."