“Not sure how?” she asked cautiously, as if she were bracing herself to hear bad news.
“He’s probably the most accustomed to dealing with humans. He’s always delivering messages and making deals.” Thanatos chose his words carefully. “He seems to like you, but I am uncertain how far that extends. He is not malicious, but…”
“But?”
“He has done things in the past that obscured the line between mischievous and cruel.”
Iliana went very still. “What things?”
“Well, he once played a trick on a mortal, redirecting him on his journey and causing him to wander lost for days. Many saw it as a harmless prank, a test of wits, while several considered it as cruel—proof of a god’s disregard for mortal suffering.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“He’s made his name causing trouble. Stealing. Playing pranks. Not all were harmless.” He paused. “Many of those acts were at another god’s command. Zeus, usually. It is not easy to refuse him.”
She absorbed that, then asked quietly, “Hypothetically, if Zeus ordered Hermes to kill me, would he?”
The question hit Thanatos unexpectedly hard, his hands curling at his sides. He didn’t want her to fear Hermes—at least not until the god proved untrustworthy.
“No, I do not believe he would.”
Iliana didn’t look reassured, so he steered the conversation toward Hermes’ better traits.
“Hermes has often been a helper to heroes such as Perseus and Odysseus. He has used his powers to resolve disputes and negotiate the release of prisoners. He’s not an evil or even a harsh god.”
She stared out the window before shaking her head. “I’ll stay cautious around him, but, weirdly enough, I feel like I can trust him.” She pursed her lips. “Even if he can be…intense.”
Chapter thirty-one
ILIANA
The thought of Hermes being ordered to kill her turned Iliana’s stomach. She couldn’t explain why, but deep down, she knew he wouldn’t harm her. Just as she believed Thanatos, Anubis, and Hypnos wouldn’t. But that certainty only raised more questions. Why was she so sure?
Sorting through her odd feelings about Hermes and his intentions would have to wait, though. There was still so much more she didn’t know.
“Let’s get back to the Fates.” The thought of meeting them sent a ripple of unease through her. “I should know more about them before I walk into their lair and find out what they have in store for me.”
“What do you know of them?” Thanatos asked.
Iliana searched her memory. “I know there are three…sisters? I think I remember something about them being old women and sharing an eye?”
His laugh startled her—deep, warm, and unexpectedly unguarded. He seemed surprised by it.
“Sorry,” he said after composing himself, still looking mildly surprised by his own amusement. “They have presented themselves as hags before, but that is not their true form. And no, they do not share a physical eye, only a shared sight regarding visions of destiny. You are thinking of a different trio of sisters, the Graeae. Clotho loved startingthat rumor among ancient poets.” His lips twitched. “And that confusion still lingers in the world.”
Iliana cocked her head. “Clotho, is she one of the Fates?”
He nodded. “Yes. She’s the spinner. She weaves the thread of fate when a mortal is born.”
She tried to picture it. “So, everyone gets a thread? Like, literally?”
“When they wish it, yes. Most are metaphorical,” he clarified. “But yes. Your thread was spun the moment you came into the world.”
The thought of her entire life being reduced to a string made her shiver. “And the other two?”
“Lachesis measures the thread. She determines how long it should be—your lifespan. She places the trials you will face.”
“She sounds fun at parties,” Iliana muttered.
