“Thor, you can't back down now,” Re snarled.
“Not about Nyx; about Hades.” Thor held up a calming hand.
“Nyx?” Blue looked at me. “I thought you were after a god named Aion?”
“And Nyx,” I explained. “They are partners.”
“What about Hades?” Re asked Thor. “You think we should tell him?”
“I think the proof is right before us.” Thor waved his hand at Re, Blue, and me. “The three of you, what you've experienced and what Vervain knows; it's too much to be fantasy or coincidence. And if this is true, then I think we can assume that this being speaking to Vervain is telling the truth about Nyx and Aion.”
Blue nodded. “I agree. If I were Hades, I would want you to come to me first. Let's go speak to him.”
“Just like that, huh?” Pan laughed. “You do know that Nyx is in Tartarus; the Greek version of Hell? That's where we'll be going next if we tell Hades about her.”
“It's why I'm so eager,” Blue said with a wicked grin.
Pan gaped at Blue, and Blue laughed.
“I'm teasing, Pan,” Blue said. “But I have no fear of entering Tartarus. It shall be fascinating to see if the Greeks are as bloodthirsty as the Aztecs.”
“You may be surprised,” Pan said in a rare, serious tone. “Greeks are an innovative people; and that creativity wasn't left out of Tartarus.”
“Creativity.” Thor grimaced. “That's not the word I would have used.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
We traced directly into Hades' palace. Thor led the way from the tracing room and through a series of long hallways; several of which were open passages leading to magnificent gardens. I gawked at both the flora and fauna in these outdoor spaces. The plants were alien and monstrous... and so were the creatures. Although, the flying horse we saw coming in for a landing—near a bed of giant petunias—was more beautiful than monstrous.
We reached another wing of the palace that was guarded by a massive, carved door. Above the door were the words; Abandon hope all ye who enter here.
“Funny.” I grimaced at the carving.
“Hades does have a surprising humor.” Thor smiled fondly. “But Persephone's death has done away with that.”
“Of course, it has,” I whispered. “How tragic for him to lose the woman he loves.”
“Indeed.” Thor stared at me; his expression shifting into a confused scowl. Then he cleared his throat, “This way.”
Thor opened the door and led us through a luxurious home. The furnishings were extravagant, the artwork was priceless, and the style was Old World. But the rooms were empty and cold; not a sound to be heard besides those that we made as we searched for Hades. We finally found him in a sitting room; a bottle of wine in one hand and a picture of Persephone in the other.
“Give me a moment,” Thor said to us.
Thor went into the room, and the rest of us waited in the hall. You'd think that Hades would have heard us coming, or at least noticed Thor approaching him. But he was startled when Thor spoke.
“Hades, I need to talk to you.”
“Thor?” Hades blinked up at Thor until Thor crouched before him. “Thor, she's gone; I can't find her anywhere. Where did she go?”
Tears sprung to my eyes, and my throat constricted as I blinked them away rapidly. Even if I hadn't felt anything for Hades and Persephone, I'd be affected by his pain. I knew it had been years since his wife had been murdered, but Hades looked as if her death was still fresh for him. It was hard to see.
“Persephone was murdered,” Thor said gently as he laid a hand on Hades' shoulder. “Don't you remember?”
“Of course, I remember,” Hades growled and tossed the bottle of wine into the fireplace.
The wine bottle shattered and flames flared up into an explosion. Okay, maybe that hadn't been wine in that bottle.
“I've searched the Underworld for her soul, Thor,” Hades went on. “Persephone's not here. Where is she? Humans have souls, we must have them too. So, where do our souls go?”
“The Void,” I said as I stepped forward.
Hades gaped at me. “Who are you?”
“I'm Vervain; I've come with Thor to tell you that we've discovered who murdered your wife.”
“What?” Hades stood, stumbled, and then righted himself. “What did you say?”
“It's been a strange few days,” Thor said gently. “This human witch knows things about us and our world that she can't possibly know. She speaks to an entity who calls himself the Consciousness of the Void; that's the place where he says our souls go upon death.”
“It's where human souls were meant to go as well,” I added. “Before Gods gave them alternatives.”
Hades frowned and tried to process it all through his inebriation. “I don't... I can't... just tell me who murdered my Persephone.”
“Nyx,” Thor said. “It was Nyx.”
Hades' jaw slowly fell open, and his expression went dazed. He ran a hand over his face and then shook his head like a dog shakes off water.
“Teharon? Are you here?” Hades called out.
“Yes.” Teharon came forward and laid a hand on Hades' shoulder. “Do you want me to heal your—”
“Sober me up, man,” Hades growled.
“Of course,” Teharon murmured.
A pale blue glow emanated from Teharon's hands and into Hades. The scent of fresh water filled my nose as a memory returned to me. I was in a dank cave with chains on my wrists and ankles. My insides were on fire, but then Teharon had cooled me with his magic.
Blue did that to you, Alaric said. He possessed you and tried to force you to go to him. Thor had to chain you to stop you from leaving. Then Blue burned you from within.
What? I glanced at
