“I mean, I was afraid at first,” I admitted. “But only until I realized he wasn’t trying to kill me. After that, I just wanted to get to know him. And as I did, my feelings became very different.” I shrugged, my smile spreading wider. Then I remembered something else.
“Oh! And it all makes sense now, doesn’t it?” I added excitedly. “Why I’m such an awful prophet? It’s because my gift seems to work differently than all of yours. Instead of granting visions of the future, my gift lets me seehim.”
“But you’re not an awful prophet,” Alex replied, frowning. “Have you forgotten your cursed boy, and your hero’s valor?”
I snorted. “I was seven years old, and nothing even happened.”
“It still counts.”
“That’s not the point,” I complained. “The point is that IseeThanatos where no one else can. I met him during the rite of passing, and we just…I fell in love with him.”
It looked like they needed a moment to let my words sink in, so I nervously returned to picking at my lunch. I glanced up at their expressions while I waited, but for now my sisters’ thoughts were unreadable. Eventually, though, Zoe piped up to ask me more.
“So…you know secrets of the Underworld, then,” she guessed. “I mean, has he told you about the afterlife?”
That was a question I hadn’t expected, though perhaps I should have. “Uh, yes. But I don’t think he would want me to tell you about it. You weren’t even supposed to know about him, about us.”
“But surely you can revealsomethingto us,” Sophie cut in. “Any of the knowledge you’ve gained through your sight?”
“What? No!” I protested, my brow furrowed. “Why isthatwhat you care about? You’ve looked into the eyes of a god, and you want more? Just…be happy for us.”
“I hardly think it a blessing to look on the face of Death!” Zoe retorted, her voice rising to a higher pitch. She scooted over to rest her hand on my knee, in what I found to be an exceedingly patronizing motion. “Your sight might not be like ours,” she pressed, “but look—it still granted you such precious knowledge! More precious than ours, even. This is your chance as an oracle, but you won’t share your gift with the world?”
I’d never thought about it that way before, but the way she phrased it only emphasized the betrayal I would be enacting. “No, I won’t,” I said plainly. “Don’t ask me about it again.”
“You would truly chooseDeathover the three of us?”
“Don’t speak of him as though he’s a curse,” I snapped. “Letthisbe the knowledge that I give to you. Thanatos is more than what you consider him to be. Leave him alone!”
“Alright, alright. I’m sorry.” Zoe took her hand back and shoved some bread into her mouth. The four of us returned to eating in awkward, heavy silence. I knew there was more they wanted to hear, but now I had nothing else to give. I’d wanted—no,expected—to hear giggles and girl talk, but it seemed they were still hung up on the whole ‘Death’ bit. Dear fucking gods. I had to acknowledge my disappointment. Maybe they just needed more time.
So I resigned myself to that, and I said nothing more of it, not even as dinner came and went and we were locked in our room once again. Silence ruled our chamber until the sun set, when the hushed sound of wings finally reached my ears. I grinned when Thanatos appeared, and I jumped up to throw my arms around him.
“Hello, my love,” he said, giving me a squeeze. He pecked my lips in greeting. “Is everything okay?” His gaze fell on my sisters’ stupefied faces, then back to me.
“Could he maybe not be invisible?” Sophie squeaked out from the couch.
“Oh. Right.” Thanatos fluttered his wings. To me, nothing changed at all, but in unison my sisters twitched in surprise. Alex mumbled a hello.
“Don’t worry. They won’t say anything about us,” I assured him. “Right?” I added pointedly in their direction.
“Of course,” Sophie agreed. Despite their reservations about my relationship, I was grateful of my certainty that they would never put me in danger.
“That is a relief,” said Thanatos. He shot another glance in their direction. “Perhaps this is fortuitous. They know now, right? And you are safe. So…can we…?”
I blushed; of course that was the first thing he thought to ask. Well, I supposed I was guilty of thinking it, too. “Will you cover for me?” I asked meekly, turning to my sisters. “Just for the nights? You won’t even know I’m gone, I promise.”
They exchanged glances. “Sure, I guess,” said Zoe slowly.
“Yay!” I giggled, then bit my lip. “I mean, I’m sorry to put you through such trouble. Thank you for being on my side.” I received nods in return.
“Come with me,” said Thanatos. The room was already twisting around us, but I managed a little wave of goodbye before we plunged into the dark.
And then, all at once, we were finally,finallyalone. I lunged to kiss him as soon as my mind registered it, rocking up onto my toes to close the distance. He responded with ferocity, his kisses rough and hungry, and all the needs I’d been neglecting burst free from their shackles.
“Oh, gods, I can finallyspeak,” I celebrated between his ravenous kisses.
He cradled my face firmly, his eyes dark, his breathing ragged. “And what is it that you wish to say?”
