The three immortals descended to the stair steps, materializing once more. Erebus felt another pang in his chest as he remembered the last time that he had been here. He felt nothing as he wound up those gleaming steps, a cold feeling rushing over him as Zeus’s pantheon came into view. The one thing that he did notice, however, was how quiet Zeus and Hades were being. Erebus knewhewas conflicted about his decision, but spending more than a few minutes with some of the trio without a spat or a friendly jest was unheard of. He filed that information away, realizing that he was once again entering a world of politics. Erebus froze his expression and let some of his shadows trail out behind him, refusing to enter the god’s court as anything else than a primordial.
Hades pushed the doors open to the grand hall, producing a loud shout as his personality flipped. The doors flew open and banged against the walls, Hades’s laugh echoing off the rafters and mosaicked tiles. All the gods, and a few select titans, were milling around the room as if they hadn’t even moved from the last time that Erebus was there. They all turned at the commotion, but as soon as they saw Hades, most of the immortals turned their attentions back to their side conversations.
“Hello, Olympus,” Hades’s grin was almost lecherous, his eyes raking over the gods closest to the door. In this case, it was Aphrodite and Apollo. “You get prettier every time I see you.” Erebus watched in slight awe as he saw Hades slip into his role of the quick-tongued charmer.
“Which one of us?” Apollo laughed loudly, looking… shiny. That was the only way to describe him, a lyre tossed over the crook of his arm for no apparent reason other than he was Apollo. He wore a shorter tunic than the rest of the gods, partially out of vanity, Erebus was convinced.
“Do I have to choose?” Hades turned his head to the side, a soft expression in his eyes contrasting the devilry in his smile. It was a deadly combination and Erebus was beginning to understand that some of Hades’s mythos wasn’t mythos at all. Apollo’s laughter broke his thought process.
“Have you ever?” He grinned in response.
“Why would I want to?” Hades quipped right back, and he leisurely departed Erebus’s side for Apollo and Aphrodite’s company.
Erebus watched Hades grab Aphrodite’s hand and press a kiss to it out of the corner of his eye. Erebus turned and looked at Poseidon, who had also watched the interaction and gave Erebus a soft roll of his eyes. He tilted his head to the side, indicating that Erebus follow him, and they both walked off to the side. Erebus stood close to Poseidon as they surveyed the room. The gods were a cliquey bunch.
Zeus was nowhere to be found, but the gods intermingled amongst themselves in small groups of two or three. Erebus could nearly smell the backhanded dealings and alliances that were being made over each cup of wine. The only person who seemed to be moving effortlessly around the room was Hermes, who flicked about the gods, popping in and out of conversations like breathing. There was a small spark of light that caught Erebus’s eye, so minuscule only he could see it, as it called out to him. There was stardust on Hermes’s feet—just a little.
Nyx.Erebus’s heart soared at the faintest echo of her presence. Hermes had just come from her presence; stardust would fade quickly in the mortal daylight. He had half a mind to go inquire after her, but he knew that Hermes would likely play up the separation between them or use it as currency. He held his tongue. Erebus turned to Poseidon.
“Who do you normally talk to at these things?” Erebus ran a hand through his hair and felt his shadows slip a little farther away from him.
Fine. Spread out, let the gods be warned.Erebus’s encouragement to his shadows only spurred them on. Poseidon looked to Erebus and then down at the shadows, chuckling softly to himself.
“No one. I listen to my brother wax poetic about the new world order while I wait to get back to the sea.”
“Has Zeus always been…” Erebus trailed off, turning his back to the crowd and engaging Poseidon in a more private conversation.
“Been Zeus?” Poseidon gazed at Erebus and after a second, started laughing. It was a rich baritone that made the lines on his sun-drenched face stand out. There was something wild about Poseidon, something in his eyes, that Erebus knew the other gods—not even Zeus or Hades—could replicate completely. Erebus felt the humidity in the air around them rise slightly as the water in the atmosphere amplified with Poseidon’s mirth. He clapped a hand on Erebus’s back, the heady weight of it nearly jostling Erebus forward, unprepared.
“Yes,” Poseidon continued, chuckling as his laughter died down. “He’s always been this way. Ever since we were children.”
“Why do you think that is?” Erebus scanned the room once more, confirming that Zeus hadn’t shown up. Poseidon only shrugged.
“It’s who he is.” There was something in his tone that gave Erebus pause. Poseidon said it as if there was no hope, no changing that fact, as if he had resigned himself to it. It seemed like a heady feeling to have about Zeus’s antics. What didn’t Erebus know?
Poseidon leaned in closer as if he was going to say something when an ear-splitting giggle cut through the air.
“Poseidon! Darling, you’ve made it.”
The God of the seas immediately pulled back from Erebus and sighed, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment in a look of total disdain. Erebus turned around to find the source of the cacophony and was face-to-face with Hera.
It took him a minute to place her, and if it wasn’t for the surprise, he would’ve likely attacked her on the spot. His shadows, however, were quicker and almost immediately flared to life around his legs and wrists. Hera was standing in front of him, her peplos dyed a bright pink color, with massive, coifed brunette curls flipped over one shoulder. If it wasn’t for the deadly look in her eyes contradicting the saccharine smile, Erebus would have had to admit that she was beautiful. The sharp planes of her face left no room for debate, even as her lips pursed forward. Hera looked down at Erebus’s shadows and let out a smallhmph.
“I guess I should be thrilled that you’ve joined my husband’s cause,” Hera said it out loud like she was reminding herself. She eyed Erebus’s shadows like he had brought an unwanted dog in with him.
“Are you and Zeus still together?” Erebus quipped, cocking his head to the side in impressive mock curiosity. The barb landed, and the grin melted off Hera’s face, her lips tightening into a thin line.
“Funny you should ask. How’s Nyx?” Hera spat right back, the news of their separation had spread fast and was only confirmed when Erebus arrived alone. Erebus fought to keep his shadows restrained after they stood in darkness for a just a moment. Poseidon immediately stepped in front of Erebus and gave Hera a small smile.
“Hera,” he said it respectfully in greeting. Erebus watched with a twisted sensed of awe how quickly Hera’s face morphed. She lit up with a thousand-watt grin, her manicured hand coming to rest on Poseidon’s arm.
“Poseidon, I’msohappy that you could come. Thank goodness, too, we need all thegods’power that we can get.” The way that she emphasizedgodslet Erebus know that she wasn’t too thrilled his power was involved. There was a wiggle to her eyebrows as she took another step closer to Poseidon, who immediately took one step back.
“It’s what is best for us all,” he said diplomatically, gently removing her hand from him. His statement pledged no unnecessary allegiance to her or Zeus, Erebus noted. Hera only deflated slightly before looking over to Erebus.
“I’m glad thatsomeof the immortals have a sense of responsibility for the mortal world,” she jeered, her face twisted up in nasty contempt.
“Shouldn’t you be more concerned with Zeus’s sense of responsibility for the mortal world?” Erebus grinned at Hera as he watched her face go red. “Let me rephrase. Shouldn’t you be more concerned with Zeus’s sense of responsibility for mortalwomen?”
