A cold shiver coasted down my arms as I saw exactly what Chronos was talking about; Time laid out before me. I saw the spirals of it and the frayed pieces that had been severed too many times.
“It was scarred,” I whispered. “I had to heal it with Aion's magic and piece it together.”
“Yes,” Chronos said simply. “It's not your fault; you gave it everything you had, but you simply didn't have the power you needed to succeed.”
The temple was silent for one brief second before all the Gods began yelling again.
“Enough!” Athena stood up as she shouted. “We will hear all of it before we condemn our fellow gods.” She looked at Chronos. “You have made your testimony, and we, of course, believe you; especially after hearing Vervain's response. But if we are to dispense justice, we must have more proof than the testimony of a single god; even if that god is you. Do you have anything more to offer us, Chronos? Any evidence or additional witnesses? Your wife, perhaps?”
“I call upon Macaria, Goddess of Blessed Death, and on Erebus, God of Darkness and Shadows, to give testimony,” Chronos declared.
We all gaped at Macaria and Erebus as they strode down the aisle and came to stand before the Olympians. Macaria looked at me and nodded grimly and then stared at her father with an apologetic expression. Hades leaned forward as his free hand slid over the table; as if it would reach out to his daughter.
“No!” Nyx screeched as she tried to step forward. “You cannot, Macaria! Please, don't do this. I'm your mother; do not betray me!”
Several gods came forward to restrain Nyx as Aion hung his head.
“My mother confided in me,” Macaria said. “She told me of her plans to change the past. I've made more than my fair share of mistakes, but I did it all believing that I was in the right. I knew I could not be a part of Nyx's new plan; it was obviously evil. Persephone is a good woman. She's the best thing that ever happened to my father, and I refused to allow her to be taken from him. Ask Vervain”—she waved a hand at me—“I warned her about my mother and Aion.”
“You traitorous child!” Nyx screamed. “I curse the day I brought you into this world. I curse the day I let your pathetic father touch me.”
“Is this true, Vervain?” Athena ignored Nyx's outbursts to ask me. “Did Macaria warn you?”
“You know that she did,” I said with a frown. “We told you about it; you were trying to find Nyx and Aion for us.”
Athena rolled her eyes. “Yes, Vervain; I know that, but it needed to be stated now for the benefit of the other gods.”
“Oh,” I whispered. Then I added in a strong voice, “Macaria did come to see me and warn me of her mother's intentions.”
“Erebus, do you have something to add?” Athena asked.
“My wife confided in me as well,” Erebus admitted sadly. “It's as Macaria says; I swear it.”
“You son of sea slime,” Nyx hissed. “You would betray me? I gave birth to your children.”
“And I've always loved you, Nyx,” Erebus said. “But I draw the line at changing Time to satisfy your need for vengeance. You were wrong, and you nearly destroyed us all.”
Nyx shook her head in disgust and hissed, “You're weak! In every altered timeline, you abandoned me when you discovered my plan. I should have killed you before I went back.”
“Before?” Erebus growled; his eyes gone wide. “Did you kill me too, Nyx?”
“You're a traitorous cur,” she said venomously. “You deserved it.”
“You evil bitch,” Erebus whispered as he shook his head in amazement. “Thank you for making this easier on me.”
Nyx clenched her teeth and lifted her chin.
“Do you have anything to say in your own defense, Nyx?” Athena asked her.
“I did as any goddess would do when attacked; I used the magic available to me to bring myself justice,” Nyx declared.
No one protested this, but no one accepted it as an excuse either.
“Aion, what say you?” Athena asked.
Aion shook his head and muttered, “I can still feel her taking my magic. I can still feel mortality coming for me.”
“Chronos, you have our deepest gratitude,” Athena said. “You have saved us all, and when I announce our verdict to the rest of the God World and send word to the Fey, I shall include a report of your heroism.”
“It's my responsibility to look after Time,” Chronos said. “I am not a hero, nor do I wish to be regarded as one. You will leave me out of it, Olympian, and that shall be gratitude enough.”
“An honorable attitude that humbles us all,” Athena bowed her head to Chronos again. “So be it. The Council will discuss this and—”
“Is that really necessary?” Hermes asked. “I think we are all of one mind here.”
Hermes looked around the table, and the other gods nodded; including me.
“Very well,” Athena said. “In the matter of Nyx and her crimes against the realms, the Olympians, and the Greek Pantheon, the Olympian Council finds her guilty. I vote for execution. Who agrees?”
Everyone raised their hands except for me.
“Vervain?” Athena asked in shock. “She hurt you and Hades the most.”
“I know; just give me a second to think it over,” I said. “This is going rather quickly for an order of execution.”
I looked over at my men, and they stared steadily at me. Nyx had tried to take them from me; them and our children. She and Aion had tried to destroy everything that
