First Lie || Deception Book I ||

Death's Love Pt. 2

"Y-you," I stammered in shock, trying to stand up. "Do you realize what you just did?"

"Yes," Thanatos replied dryly. "Since it was my power I lent. I'm fully aware of the consequences. Sit down, Clari," he added. "You're in no shape to stand."

I sighed and slumped back on the floor. "But you know that now-"

"Yes, yes," Thanatos said, cutting me off. "It's not a big deal."

I gaped at him. "Your power is not a big deal? Thanatos-"

"Clarianna, we're not discussing this further. It's not like I can go back and reverse what happened."

"Why?" I whispered. "Why would you do that?"

Thanatos rustled his wings, causing them to shimmer different shades of blue, black, and purple, flickering hypnotically in the torchlight. "I've been alive for over five thousand years. Those five thousand years, my existence has been the same. Don't get me wrong; I would not choose a different life. But it wasn't until three hundred years-" Thanatos stopped talking abruptly. "These halls, even when Hades had children, were empty of life. Until you walked in the doors, ten years ago, with Cerberus wrapped around your finger in less than five minutes."

I blinked back tears I didn't know had formed. "Thanatos," I started.

He shook his head. "You were the first one to bring a smile to Lord Hades' face other than Persephone for over a thousand years, Clari. I couldn't simply just stand there and watch you burn yourself out just to avoid a war between the Olympians over a misunderstanding."

I stared at him and tried to imagine what five thousand years of existence, four thousand of those just reaping souls, was like. I couldn't.

Thanatos sighed. "I need to get going. I have . . . someone to meet." He whistled sharply. "A hellhound will bring you to your rooms, where you can wait until Lord Hades arrives."

I nodded silently and climbed to my feet, just as a hellhound materialized in front of me.

"Clari, meet Fox. Fox, Clari," Thanatos said as he introduced the hellhound to me.

I blinked. A hellhound named Fox? That was new. I pat Fox on the head, who panted happily, and pulled myself on. "Thanks, Thanatos."

"No problem," Thanatos replied, and dissolved into the shadows that lurked out of the torchlight.

I stared at the place where Thanatos had disappeared, the tears I'd blinked back rolling down my face. I'd been an idiot. I'd never, not even once in my life, ever stopped to wonder what five thousand years of existence would be like. Granted, the Olympian gods were only about four thousand, but Thanatos, the Fates, my mother, were older. Did they ever want to just simply stop existing? Become tired of their life? I'd heard of it, since Pan, the nature god, was gone, but . . .

Fox whined and nudged me with his wet nose, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Right," I said as I stroked his ears and hopped on. "Let's go."

Fox barked and bounded straight into the shadow of one of the pillars.

I grimaced as ice washed over me, chilling me down to the bone. The shadows whispered as I passed, trying to pull me to their depths. I shivered. Damn, I'd forgotten what shadow-travelling, not shadow-walking, had felt like. Thankfully, after a split second, we arrived at my room in Hades palace. I slid off Fox and patted him on the head. "Thanks."

Fox barked in response and nuzzled me one more time before he disappeared again. As soon as he left, I whistled sharply. Waiting would help no one. I might as well do something useful. A moment later, Avalanche materialized in front of me. "Sorry, girl," I said, stroking my fingers through her fur. "I need assistance."

Avalanche bobbed her head and I grinned. "Take me to the gates of Asphodel. By the way, Cerberus missed you."

She yipped in sympathy and bounded out of Hades' palace. The skeleton guards didn't try to stop me, knowing that I technically outranked all of them, and clung on to Avalanche. After a few minutes, I arrived at the edge of the Asphodel fields and slid off her. "Thanks. Wait here for me," I added as Avalanche tried to follow me. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

My wolf snarled in disagreement but listened, sitting at the edge of the tunnel. I nodded and headed down towards the entrance to Tartarus.

Call me stupid to go there, but I needed to scout the area. Besides, Kronos was stuck in Tartarus. How bad could it possibly be?

I crept down the smooth rocky tunnel, the dim light from the stalactites above and my enhanced night vision guiding me. As I continued down, the tunnel became darker and colder, sending waves of chills rolling down my spine. Maybe I shouldn't have come, I thought apprehensively. The hairs on the back of my neck were raised, and I held my shadows ready, slipping my knife out, though I doubted that it would be much use against him.

I shivered. It even smelled evil down here, and images, unbidden, flashed through my mind. The blood of a primordial god spilled on an ancient, sacred stone altar, the silver flash of a scythe, the foul aura of a murderer, the roaring fires of Tartarus.

I stopped in my tracks as the tunnel widened into a huge cavern, the size of a city block in New York. I scanned the cavern. I could feel the darkness in the pit and it chilled me to my very core.

For the first time in my life, the darkness did not feel like home.

I need to get out of here, I thought. Just then, I heard a faint whisper and a ripple of ancient, evil magic.

Shit, shit, shit. Instinctively, I flung out my power, masking my aura, and shadow-walked out of the pit not a second too late before Kronos could discover who I was. I collapsed on the grass at the edge of the Asphodel Fields, startling several spirits, who chattered in annoyance. Avalanche snarled at them and bounded over, whining and nosing me in concern.

"I'm fine," I muttered, taking a moment to compose myself. "Let's go back."

So, that had been the entrance to Tartarus and the pit I'd seen in my dreams. I shivered again as I recalled the way I'd felt. I'd never felt that way, not even when I'd faced off Echidna three years ago. I sighed. Life had been so simple back then, when I didn't have to worry about Percy, Ally, Zeus's bolt, Hades' helm, Kronos rising, and Luke. Yeah, I definitely had not had that problem. I shoved all worries about him to the back of my mind. It was probably about four now, and tomorrow was the solstice. I had to focus. The deadline was drawing closer. It was now or never.

I felt sick. How could anyone possibly defeat him? The first Titanomachy had lasted a decade, a decade of destruction, blood, and war. If Kronos rose, it would be just as destructive, if not even more so, with likely all of North America wiped off the map, and no guarantee that the gods could win this time. I couldn't allow it to happen.

One step at a time, I reminded myself as Hades' palace loomed closer. One step at a time.

"Has Lord Hades returned?" I asked as I slid off Avalanche once I'd entered the courtyard.

The skeleton warriors guarding the hallway towards the throne room nodded. "He will see you now," one chittered.

"Thank you," I replied, and strode towards the throne room, Avalanche following. Let's hope that Hades will listen to me, I thought fervently. He should have more sense than Zeus. Then again, he's also a god, and gods have a terrible habit of only listening to their egos.

I sighed as I stopped in front of the door, braced myself, and pushed it open. I stepped through the threshold, the door closing behind me, and bowed to the god of death and the Underworld lounging on the throne.

"Hello, Lord Hades."

***
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