Summoning Bones

36. Discoveries in the Yard

It was the truth, the bare, horrible truth. It stung and pricked her soul as if it were the glass that still littered the library floor.

"No, no, no, no, no," Eirene stumbled to her feet, clutching her head, muttering the whole time. Selene stood, holding her hands to help steady Eirene.

"Melinoe? Are you okay? I thought you, never mind that now. What can I do for you? Just tell me," she said, approaching Eirene. She flung out a hand making a cascade of books fall off the shelves.

"It can't be, no, no, no, no!" She screamed. The shrill sound making another wave of books fall. A particularly large book nearly hit Selene on the head, but with a quick wave of her hand it flew in the opposite direction.

"Please, just sit down and I can explain, I promise I can," she said.

"I'm not mortal! I am a Goddess, a Queen! I am feared and respected. I have power to bring back the dead, I can-"

"When was the last time you brought someone back?"

"Day before yesterday," she growled.

"I mean really bring them back? Not just hold their souls in their body?"

"I-"

"You don't remember, that's because it's been a year. Melinoe-"

"No! I can do it, I'm going to do it. I have to, Makaria, oh Makaria." Eirene's plan crumpled before her eyes.

"Just sit down, I can explain," Selene said, trying to coax Eirene to peace as if she were a lion gone wild.

"You did this! If I never had Cadmus, I wouldn't be here. I would still be a Goddess!"

"This is not my doing, your father, he wanted to return to him. I merely gave one of my soldiers a mate, as I do all of them. I thought you knew you were mortal and planned to stay in this form? But no?"

Eirene glared at her, her teeth bared in a growl.

"No, I would never purposefully stay this way!" She let seep emotion from her body, letting her glamour fall, which she had kept for years, but her gaze hardened as she faced Selene, her gal put falling back into place just as quickly as it had fallen.

"Even if it meant you lost Cadmus?"

"I- you are a cruel goddess," spat Eirene.

"I am, but what, pray tell, did that make you?"

"Does that make me? I will not stay mortal!"

"Tell that to Hades."

"I will, I am meeting him later today." Selene paled.

"Do not dare do such. He can manipulate you more than before, you are weak."

"I am not weak! I still have my magic, my power, the wolf. I will force him to make me immortal again!"

"How, by leading his army? Leaving Cadmus?"

"Can't I have both?"

"Both what? You will lead Hades' army into a battle already lost?"

"No, I will never stoop so low to do such, but can't I have Cadmus and immortality?"

"These things don't work so simply-"

"We care for each other, won't he still want me?"

"The mate bond is scared to wolves. If it is lost, I do not know what he will do. He may search to find another mate, or stay with you. I know not. Melinoe, please have a seat." Selene beckoned back to the loveseat. Eirene stared up at her dark eyes, shaking her head.

"How?" The word came as a whisper, barely heard over the rustle of pages as the books began to fly themselves back onto the shelves.

"Hades, he thought if you spent so much time in the mortal realm, you should become one. I am sorry, your mother tried to talk him out of it."

"And failed," Eirene muttered.

"Yes, and failed. Please sit," Selene said again. Eirene conceded and sat herself on the loveseat. She held herself tightly, refusing to relax. "Now, you must have a plan of attack to face Hades. What do you want?"

Eirene blinked slowly, tasting the ideas. What did she want?

"I want my immortality, Cadmus, and to leave here as I planned."

"A tall order, but doable if we play our cards right." They spent another hectic hour going over situations, plans, attacks, responses. Hades despised physical attacks, so through Eirene's words he could grant her anything, no need to risk death. Death. A foreign concept to Eirene. She had never had to fear for her life before. Yet, Hades was a desperate god, although not as desperate as a goddess stripped of her title.

"Thank you," Eirene whispered, looking over the papers scattered over the library floor.

"Of course Melinoe. And Cadmus is already testing is new abilities, and before you or him asks," she said holding up her hand to stop Eirene's question before she had a chance to say it aloud, making her smile, "yes they are permanent. Now go and give Hades hell."

They rose, embraced, and Eirene left the mansion. She walked back through the trees, her tumultuous meeting wound through her head as sick vision. It all came back as one question.

Would Camus still want her?

How could I not? A voice joined Eirene's thoughts.

Who are you?

Eirene, my love, I am Cadmus. Our link finally opened.

What does that mean?

There was a barrier between us, that for others, does not exist. Other pairs can communicate without words, yet for us it took longer to form.

Why are you mentioning this now?

Because it just opened?

Eirene rolled her eyes at his response. Of course he didn't see fit to mention he could read her thoughts.

Only when you want me to.

I don't want you to now.

It takes practice.

Get out of my head.

Of course my love, I'm sorry.

For what?

Your mortality. How cruel it is to now face death. It is torture I never wish for you to bare alone.

Thanatos is cruel. But I was never threatened by him.

Was?

I never had to fear death. It was never a possibility.

I'm sorry.

Eirene felt in her mind, splitting the link before she thought something she would regret. She needed a moment to process. How did mortals do it? How did they contemplate death and get up every day, knowing their life could end?

For once, Eirene felt out of her element.

She emerged from the trees to see a gigantic wolf in her front yard. It towered over her, its back four absorbing what meek light was in the Underworld. The wolf's tail wagged and it bounded towards her, knocking her to the ground. It dragged its pink tongue up her face and sat back, letting her stand. At sitting, the wolf was able to look her in the eyes.

"I see you are already comfortable with Selene's gift?" The wolf waged its tail making the tension leave Eirene in a breath. "I'll see you inside Camdus." She left the wolf to chase a butterfly that had landed on its nose and entered her house where Makaria was sitting at the table, bent over a book.