²Olden Crown, heroes of olympus

006.

OLDEN CROWN
━━ chapter six

━━ DELANEY DREAMT OF her father. Which was not wanted. Don't get her wrong, she didn't hate Erebus, but he was still a godly parent. And godly parents weren't good parents—ever. That is just who they are. They're too busy wrapped up in themselves, in their godly duties, or just entirely forget your existence to be good parents.

Despite letting her stay in the Underworld at one point, helping her escape Camp Half-Blood, and helping her master the powers of darkness and Mist, Erebus and Delaney were not close. They weren't complete strangers, but it was awkward between them.

It was supposed to be a memory, but it felt more than real. It was the last time she had ever spoken with her father. Their conversation wasn't long before Hera visited her on the cold balcony in November.

"I'm warning you," the god said, his tone defeated. "Things are stirring. The gods aren't saying anything, but they know. Zeus is worried. And you know how Zeus can be."

Delaney rolled her eyes, looking at the shroud of darkness in her bedroom. She couldn't see her father within it, but she knew he was there. She could hear his voice, feel his terrifying presence. "You've said this already."

"And I'm telling you again," Erebus said. "You can't visit the Underworld. Hades will have it under lockdown soon. I'm sure of it. He's not saying anything, but the dead do talk. They'll do anything to be heard, even if that means giving away sensitive information."

Delaney frowned. "What's happening?"

"I'm not sure." Erebus's tone stiffened. "But I'm asking you to stay safe. And to stay out of it."

Delaney tried to smile. "You don't have to ask me twice."

"This is not a time to joke around," Erebus chided her. "Communicating with you from here on out will be harder. Communications will be blocked."

Delaney hadn't said it, but had certainly thought it. Erebus had never been a good communicator before. She wasn't sure why he was warning her now. After all, he had an excuse for ever talking to her now. Frankly, he could've just never spoken to her again and the daughter of Erebus wasn't sure if she was ever going to notice.

In the swirling darkness, she could feel Erebus's eyes bore into her. She shifted, turning to face the darkness properly.

"Why even warn me?" she prompted. "I'm all the way in Arizona, Olympus is in New York. I'm trying my hardest to remove myself from it all."

"But you will never be able to," Erebus pointed out. "Not completely. Not ever. Our world will always draw out to you. You are like it, it is like you."

"Do you always have to talk in riddles?" she asked dryly.

"That was not a riddle."

Delaney rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Promise me." Her father's voice took a desperate tone. "You will heed my warnings. Do your best to stay out of it. Dangerous things are stirring. And if it finds you, stay safe. And right your wrongs."

Delaney looked at the darkness. "Right my wrongs? What—?"

"I must go," Erebus said, the darkness clouding him bubbling nervously. Delaney couldn't tell if that was his energy, or if the Underworld was growing more and more anxious with the 'things stirring'. Honestly, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.