Descent into Desire (10 page)

* * * *

Aphrodite fell face first into the sand as the giant wave crashed over her. She sputtered and spat as she wiped the sand off her face and coughed up salt water. She couldn’t stand up though because Poseidon was on top of her.

He stood and extended his hand. “Sorry. You didn’t seem to want to talk, but I do.”

“Sure Layla would approve?”

“My wife’s not your biggest fan, but she knows anything we had going on ended when I met her. Being best friends with your daughter-in-law probably helps her trust you though.”

Aphrodite sat down on the sand. “What do you want?”

Poseidon looked down at both her hands. She wasn’t concerned because she knew he couldn’t see the ring Hephaestus had given her.

“I want to know what’s wrong. You have no reason to worry about Hades, I’d say, and by now you should be over what happened with Ares, even if you aren’t quite back in Hera’s favor yet.”

“I’m not likely to win it back any time soon.”

“I see. There must be something more then. All that could add up to a ruined day or week, but you’ve been distant a bit too long.”

“Everyone notices when I stop fucking every man in sight, it seems.”

“That’s a little unfair. No, it’s very unfair. No matter what has happened, we love you. You don’t like being alone, but lately you’re avoiding everyone. That’s what we’ve noticed.”

“I know.” Aphrodite thought quickly. She needed to distract Poseidon. He wouldn’t let her go until he felt he’d done something to help. “I went looking for Hestia recently. I couldn’t find her.”

Poseidon thought for a moment. “I have no idea where she is. Why did you want to see her?”

Aphrodite pulled her legs up against her chest and patted the sand beside her. Poseidon sat down.

“We’re alike in some ways. She feels as useless as I do. The home is a very different thing these days. The hearth has been replaced by the microwave. Domesticity isn’t very domestic. It’s very rushed and busy and impersonal.”

“Not always. People still make it all work in the end. They make time for each other. Parents can’t help it when they both need to work.”

“And get married three times and shove their kids back and forth.”

“You’ve expressed this before. Why get worried now? I prefer a world in which people can divorce and have another chance at happiness. Your own son is divorced, and he’s found happiness with someone who’s also divorced. I’m divorced. You complain about this all the time. It’s one of your pet peeves maybe, but it doesn’t upset you like this. Not usually.”

Aphrodite wanted to cry very desperately. “This is why I ran away from you. You’re too smart and far too good at seeing things.” A few tears fell, and she pushed them away.

“It’s really this bad?”

Aphrodite tried to smile. She’d already told Alala, but she couldn’t tell Poseidon. He would tell her going to Hera and revealing all was the “right” thing to do. His own ideals of morality made him overbearing at times. Something else had been bothering her. Maybe if she told him about that she’d be able to keep her secret and get his help. It was worth a try.

“Apollo and Daphne. I want to fix my mistake.” It wasn’t a lie. She really did want to do something.

“How? Daphne refused to let you lift the spell.”

“If I can convince Zeus she doesn’t know what’s best for her because the arrow has poisoned her soul, he might say yes.”

“Is it true?”

“No. It would happen if we broke the spell keeping her a tree though.”

“She’s said she wants to stay as she is. It won’t work.”

“Her father must miss her. Maybe he could say something.”

“He would’ve done it by now.”

Aphrodite drew swirls in the sand between her and Poseidon. Not her best plan, but he seemed to believe this was what she’d been so upset about. “There has to be a way.”

“Is this why you wanted to see Hestia?”

She jumped at the chance to explain that away. She didn’t want him to suspect she’d wanted to see Hestia for any other reason. She especially didn’t want him to know she’d been wondering if she and Hephaestus could really live together happily. “Yes. I thought she might have a different perspective.”

Poseidon looked doubtful. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

Hestia was responsible for the “proper” ordering of the home and the family. Aphrodite didn’t need someone to confirm Hephaestus loved her, as she was the only one who had that power. She needed someone to confirm what was right. She already had a family, her son and daughter-in-law. She and Ares were not meant to be, even after having a son together. Hera was the goddess of marriage, but going to her was the last thing Aphrodite could or would do.

“I think it’s logical. Daphne being a tree separates a family. Her father’s alone. Apollo will never have a family because he loves her.”

“Okay, I can see that. Why not petition Zeus to remove the spell from Apollo?”

“The arrows were forged together. It’s impossible.”

“Will Daphne really object? Would we notice if she did?”

“We can’t lift it while she’s a tree.”

“Did Hephaestus make them? Perhaps he’d have an idea.”

Aphrodite nodded slowly as if she were thinking about it.

“Are you two still not talking? I know he rarely talks period, but surely he’d talk to you.”

“We talk,” she replied quickly. “It’s just awkward sometimes. He probably can’t do anything, but I’ll ask.”

“What if he shattered the molds he made the arrows with? Didn’t something like that work before?”

Aphrodite considered this. “He set Prometheus free by destroying everything he used to make his chains with. Zeus would probably remember because it pissed him off for months.”

“That’s what I was thinking of. You have to admit it didn’t look like Zeus would ever let Prometheus go.”

“Then it didn’t, but now none of us would hesitate to attempt changing his mind about something. Zeus is capable of changing too. He’s a bit slow about it.”

“Could it work?”

“I don’t know. The molds weren’t special. The magic added to the metal made the difference in the arrows.”

“But that sounds like a good place to start. Find out if it’s possible and then petition Zeus. It can’t hurt. I’m sure he’d listen if he knew worrying about Apollo and Daphne was why you’ve been acting like this.”

Aphrodite smiled and hoped it looked genuine. “It’s a good idea. I’ll see what I can find out.” She stood up and brushed sand off her clothes and legs.

“You glad I chased you down now?” he asked as he stood up.

“Yes. I needed someone to talk to.”

“Anytime.”

“Thanks.” She snapped her fingers and materialized in her living room. She slumped down on the couch. She really was concerned about Apollo, but she wasn’t optimistic about finding an answer for him and Daphne. Poseidon’s idea wasn’t bad, but she didn’t exactly want to talk to Hephaestus about working out a “happily ever after” for another couple. He’d want to know if she was considering his offer, and he might even make her saying yes a condition of his helping her in any way.

She curled up on the couch and turned the television on, hoping something vapid enough was on to make her brain shut down for the rest of the day.

* * * *

Persephone sat beside Hades. She wore the Helm of Darkness so no one would see her. She wasn’t sure what to think yet. Instead of a line of people looking desolate and forlorn, she saw perfectly normal people standing in small groups talking. Hypnos brought each person up to Hades individually. The person then sat down next to Hades to answer questions. Everyone else continued talking, barely taking any note of which direction the others were being sent. The river Styx split just before the Valley of Dreams, and the Acheron flowed by a few hundred feet away from where they sat. Hypnos was taking the people to stand by two different boats. Charon sat in the first one, and thus far only one man stood by that one. Everyone else stood by the second one. The woman Hades was questioning now was talking about her husband. Hades had explained they all thought they were dreaming, but their calmness still seemed odd to her.

Hades smiled at the blonde woman sitting next to him. “And what was your son’s name?”

The woman smiled back, looking sad. “Adam. He was just four years old.”

Hades nodded slowly. “Yes, that’s right. You’ll be seeing him very soon.”

Hypnos came over and the woman stood up as if she knew they were done. He led her to the group by the second boat.

Persephone leaned over and whispered, “Her little boy died?”

“Yes.”

“Why did talking about that matter?”

“Pushing her husband away after her son’s death was the only bad thing she ever did in her life.”

“You just know that?”

“When I talk with them, I know everything about them. It’s not exact, but I judge them based on their reactions, more or less.”

“So this is something I could never do?”

Hades looked up as the next person drew near. “You’d never have my power, but if you wanted to plead for someone, I’d consider it and change my judgment if you convinced me.”

Persephone started to reply, but the next person arrived.

“Harold, tell me about your sister.”

The man sat down and shrugged. “Not much to tell. She’s dead.”

“Why?”

“I killed her for being a greedy bitch.”

“The money your parents left you? She wanted more?”

He nodded and smiled. “Exactly. She thought I’d done something dishonest. I hadn’t.”

“Since you hadn’t done anything, you were in the right. She couldn’t do anything legally.”

“But she was buggin’ us. My wife and me. It was drivin’ us crazy.”

“So it was a relief when you got away with it?”

He nodded again. “Yeah. It’s been nice and quiet.”

“That will be all.”

Hypnos led the man to the first boat.

“So if he’d regretted it, what would have happened?” Persephone asked.

“He gave her sleeping pills, and she was very unhappy in her life. Some humans would say he did her a favor, so I take that into consideration. She was in fact happier dead. However, he killed his sister because she annoyed him. Even if he’d regretted it, I’d have sent him to Tartarus for ten years.”

Persephone thought about it. Considering how long eternity was, ten years wasn’t bad. He’d probably have spent longer in jail, depending on where he’d lived. “So he’ll go to Tartarus and there he’ll feel regret?”

“Yes. Good and evil are black and white in Tartarus. You feel guilt for anything that caused harm. You then learn.”

“So when he sees his sister again, he’ll be sorry and apologize?”

“Yes. And he’ll see her very soon.”

“Why?”

Hades looked down and sighed. “She killed their parents to get the inheritance in the first place.”

“Oh.”

A little boy sat down next to Hades.

“Hi,” Hades said. “What’s your name?”

“Jamie.”

“Well, Jamie, of everyone who’s gone to heaven, who do you want to see the most?”

Jamie thought. “My Nana Myrtle.” He smiled brightly. “Is she here?”

“Yes. We’re going to take you to her right now.”

The little boy hopped up and followed Hypnos away.

“I guess children are easy,” Persephone said.

“Yes. Very rarely has anyone younger than ten or eleven done anything worth judging.”

She watched the little boy who would never grow up walk away. “How do you deal with all of this? It seems very sad.”

“It can be hard, especially during wars or disasters when so many come at once. But once judgment is over, I forget all of it. I can recall it if I need to, but mostly I forget.”

“But you knew that little boy’s grandmother was here?”

“Yes. She’s been dead less than a year, plus knowledge of her came with my knowledge of him.”

Persephone nodded. She listened and didn’t ask any more questions as the rest of the people were judged. Hypnos had been right. Hades was fair. One man had cheated on his wife, but when she’d died in a car wreck he’d regretted it. He still did. Persephone had wondered where Hades would send him, but after a moment he sent him to the Elysian Fields. He told the man his wife had been waiting for him there for five years. It seemed people who had only harmed themselves or who had already atoned for their wrongs went to the Elysian Fields, but those who had hurt others went to Tartarus.

Hades went with Charon in the first boat, taking six people to Tartarus. The others continued to talk by the river while she sat with Hypnos.

“What did you think?” he asked.

She removed the Helm of Darkness and rubbed her neck. The helmet was heavier than it looked. “It seems like a great burden. I couldn’t do it. I’d second guess myself so often.”

“If you had his knowledge, you might not think so. It might come just as easily.”

“Maybe. I’m not sure I’d want the responsibility.”

“How is everything else going?”

The personal question surprised her, but in a good way. “Well, I think. He seems more relaxed.”

“And you?”

“I definitely feel more at home. I could be happy here. I don’t want to stay because of that though.”

“You’ll know when the time comes.”

Persephone thought carefully before she asked, “So what do you think about the Fates? Alala and Eris believe in them so strongly. Others never think of them. They do assign destiny, and they can see the future, but how much power do they really have? Do they let us do one thing and then lead us somewhere from there? Do they do something and then let us make what we will of it?”

Hypnos thought for a long moment. “That’s a hard question. I don’t think anyone can answer it.”

“Well, if Hades sometimes questions where we came from and why we’re here, couldn’t he ask?”

“The Fates won’t always answer. Or they speak in riddles like the Oracles.”

“So we’re just as lost as humans in a way?”

“Not quite to that extent. Not really.”

After a moment, she asked, “So, can you marry?”

“Yes.”

“Would you?”

“We’d be separated. She couldn’t live here, as you will if you marry Hades, and I can only stay away for so long.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Does it have to be? If I loved someone, I’d be happy just to have my love returned. I must return here for the darkest part of the night. It’s only four hours. I could return to her by dawn, but I do have many responsibilities.”

“People can’t sleep without you?”

He laughed. “They can sleep. They can’t dream.”

“How do you do it? There are so many people.”

“My presence in the Underworld allows people to dream. You can go a long time without dreams, but if you go too long, you’ll lose your mind. It would be irresponsible for me to stay away too long.”

“And you can visit people in dreams?”

“Yes. And I can do anything I want.”

She blushed. “Yeah, you told me that.” After a moment, she asked, “Does that make you happy?”

“I never hurt anyone. When they wake, they know I’m not real. I leave women alone if I sense they could become attached.”

“But are you happy? What if you fell in love?”

“I try to avoid that too. Thus far I have.”

Persephone nodded her head slowly, but again she thought he looked sad. He always looked like that when they talked about love. “It would be interesting to get to know your brother. You’re a hard guy to understand.”

Hypnos frowned. “As I said before, I’d avoid Thanatos if I were you. He’s been in a dark mood lately.”

“Really? The god of death in a dark mood? Imagine that.” She laughed.

Hypnos started to speak again, but Hades returned for the other boat and passengers. When Charon and he exited the first boat, it vanished. Hades looked at her for a moment before they left again.

“I should take you back to the palace.”

Persephone stood up. “I could use a nap.”

“It’s being here. If you stayed, you’d be asleep soon enough.”

“I’m sure I will be anyway.” She stretched and followed Hypnos. Something touched her shoulder, but she saw nothing when she turned around. She thought happily about spending the evening with Hades and talking about what she’d thought of the judgment. She smiled because she knew he’d be interested and actually listen to her thoughts. She hoped they’d end up snuggling in front of the fire. She kept thinking about how she’d felt when he made her come, and she longed for him to touch her again.