“You two haven’t seemed out of sorts. I haven’t noticed.” Hecate moved around the kitchen counter and took a seat next to Nyx.
“We came to a bit of an…understanding. We’ve been working together, but that’s it.” Nyx flushed as Hecate’s eyes went wide.
“You don’t mean…?”
“I do.” Nyx shrugged.
“You haven’t…in a year?”
“No. I didn’t really think that’s what we were agreeing to, but he can’t seem to look at me for longer than he has to.”
“Thatcan’tbe true!” Hecate shook her head fiercely, grabbing Nyx’s hands in hers. “Erebus loves you. More than that. You two… You twoareone another.”
Nyx finally let a few tears fall.
“I think that’s the problem now. He doesn’t want to be.”
3
Nyx stayed in Hecate’s kitchen longer than she had intended, even though she wouldn’t speak of Erebus anymore. The conversation drifted to mundane topics as Hecate kept a careful eye on her friend. If Nyx and Erebus’s relationship had diminished to a working relationship over the past year, the repercussions could be disastrous. Hecate knew how much the world needed both night and darkness to merge. The primordials had been together since they engineered their own creations, and if they weren’t together as a couple, there was little hope they’d be able to keep that hurt at bay.
“I should go.” Nyx stood, the dark shadows of her power already blurring across her skin. Her feet had already started to dissipate when Hecate stopped her.
“Why don’t you stay?” Her voice was hopeful. Nyx had never spent more than an afternoon in her home. Hecate knew that Nyx much preferred her primordial form, being in Tartarus, and didn’t enjoy being in the human residence, but the situation was unprecedented. Hecate watched carefully as Nyx’s feet became solid and her power vanished.
Okay. Well, she’s staying… That’s good. But also, she’s staying. That’s new.Hecate had to struggle to keep herself from overanalyzing each of Nyx’s moods. She knew it wouldn’t be helpful, but she tended to jump to women in need of aid.
“I suppose that for a while—”
Nyx’s voice was cut off by a crash in the courtyard. Hecate and Nyx were both on their feet and running out in a moment, trails of black and red power flickering behind them. It was still light out since Nyx hadn’t departed to relieve Hemera, Goddess of dusk. One of the columns had been knocked over, and pieces of the heavy stone were scattered on the ground. The dust was still settling, and from it emerged a mop of blonde curls and the golden face of—
“Hermes, forfuck’ssake,” Nyx growled, sending tremors out from under her feet. Hermes’s only response was a loud, jovial laugh as he shook some of the dust from his shoulder. Hecate rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress her grin entirely.
The dust settled as Hermes stepped over a piece of marble and crossed the courtyard to the women. He was taller than them, permanently looking like he had come from a beach somewhere in Greece. His golden chiton hung off one shoulder, and he perpetually wore pteruges, even though he was barefoot.
“You know I’m helpless when there are two beautiful women in once place.” His smile was infectious as he winked at Hecate. He was smart enough to keep his flirting to a minimum around Nyx—only to a minimum, he couldn’t turn it off.
“What are you doing here, Hermes?” Nyx’s voice was cold. He was the opposite of Erebus in every way; she didn’t like being reminded that regardless of their arguments, Erebus was all she wanted.
“One of these centuries, you’re going to warm up to me, Nyx.” He rolled his eyes playfully.
“I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
“That’s okay.” Hermes shrugged, devilishly nonchalant. “I can hold it for a very long time.”
“You destroyed my courtyard.” Hecate raised an eyebrow expectantly, trying to distract Hermes off Nyx before she swallowed him whole.
“I will fix it promptly, goddess.” Hermes grabbed a hold of Hecate’s hand and pressed it to his lips, getting a scoff from Nyx and a shake of the head from Hecate. “I did avoid the mosaic and the altar.”
“Nyx would’ve killed you before the dust cleared if you had run into it.”
“I am notthategotistical,” Nyx snapped. “I don’t even care if Hecate has the damn thing. I’m not Zeus.”
“Ah.” Hermes grew somber. “That is what I’ve come to talk to you about.”
“If you’re here to talk about Zeus, then you can—”
“Nyx.” Hecate’s voice took on its ominous echo. Besides Erebus, she was the only person who wasn’t afraid to push back against Nyx. Nyx didn’t respond but turned her head away. “Go on, Hermes. What have you come here to say?”
