From the Darkness

“Hekate.” I stood on a stone, waiting. This should not have happened. It should never have come about. “I see you are well.” My teeth ground against each other. My knuckles turned white. I should have seen this coming. It was so clear now. So very clear.

“Yes. I am. But I fear that may change.” I felt my skin crawl. I didn't not want to be here. Not anywhere near him.

His hand grasped a few strands of my hair, caressing it softly. “It may very well be so.” I couldn't look him in the eyes. I couldn't meet his gaze. “I am so close. So very close to achieving what I had set out to do. And I thank you for your part in it.” Slowly I lifted my gaze, locking with his. A gasp fell from my lips.

I woke up.

I was in my bed, with Hekabe and Galinthias there with me. They must have sensed the dream I had. Sighing softly, I sat up and slowly got out of my bed. Then I realized I wasn't in my bed. I was in someone else's bed. A large thing with pillows strewn across the plush mattress. The colors were light, not matching the darkness around me. It wasn't dark enough to not be able to see, but not light enough to be outside. I had to be in the Underworld again.

Then it came back to me. I went to Hades. I went to talk with him about Askalaphos and everything I knew. Everything I had about what was happening.

And Hades was there, sitting upon his throne. He looked depressed. Persephone was not with him any more for Zeus' judgment made her return up for half the year before returning to him. Hermes had delivered the message. A while back now.

I felt for him. He was newly married and just lost his wife.

“What do you want, Hekate?” his voice was smooth, but held an edge to it. It seemed he did not want to see me. He wanted nothing to do with me. At least that was what it felt like.

I bowed, showing my respect to him. “I may know where Askalaphos is.” I did not want to jump into my theories and ideas with Hades as he was now. It would do nothing to benefit me or him. But he needed to know about his servant.

“Askalaphos? You have found him?”

Sighing, I nodded. “Yes. I believe I have, but it is not something I can deal with. Since he is not a servant of mine.” Hades sat up straighter. I knew that look. He wanted to know more, but he was thinking of different scenarios already. “He is a spotted lizard stuck beneath a rock. I believe Demeter is punishing him out of anger.”

Hades stood. His clothes draped over his form. “Show me.” I ducked my head and turned. My heart was pounding. We walked by Cerberus, him whining as we passed, and over Styx. I glanced into her waters, seeing her gave me some courage. Slowly, we walked up and into the last light of day. It wasn't my time for there was a sliver of the moon left showing. Of Selene.

I showed him where Askalaphos was. Or where I believe he was. I pointed to the large rock, pinning the lizard. Hades stared. He didn't move. He just stood there. Then the rock shook. I stepped back, not knowing what the chthonic god was doing. Slowly the rock rolled off of the lizard. It scurried away, looking around as if it was in danger. Then a rock came up from the ground, trying to trap the lizard once again.

With a wave of his hand, the lizard transformed. An owl. A small gray owl with little tuffs of feathers on its head. A screech owl. It or rather Askalaphos flew to Hades' shoulder, sitting on the broad man. “It is good to have you back, Askalaphos.” The owl made a sound as Hades turned to me. “Thank you, Hekate. You have done nothing but help me and Persephone since the beginning.”

I would have shone him my erubescent cheeks, if I didn't bow to him. “It was not a problem.” I didn't want to tell him that I had no say with most of it. But at the same time I did. And I wanted him to listen to me.

“Speak.” I lifted my gaze. He locked eyes with me, waiting for me to say something.

“I just have some things on my mind,” I muttered. I was scared to tell him. I was scared what he would do after I tell him. It wasn't something that can be kept secret if it was true. But I wanted him to keep it to himself. At least for now.

“Let us retired to somewhere more comfortable.” He snapped his fingers and moved us back to the Underworld. We were in the same room as before. He sat in his chair and I sat in the other. “Now,” he moved his shoulder slightly to get Askalaphos off of his shoulder and onto the chair's back. “what do you want to say?”

“I think,” I exhaled. I needed this out, but I didn't want to. “someone is doing all of this. A plan. Someone has a plan and is moving their pieces around.”

“This happen?”

I looked at him, realizing then that he may not know what I was talking about. “You, Persephone, me down here with her. All of it was someone's plan.” I gestured to the cavern around us. He nodded, accepting it for now. “And I may know who is doing this.” His gaze harden.

“Do not stop there, Hekate.” Hades intertwined his fingers beneath his chin, waiting.

“Perses.”

He looked surprised. “Your father?” Then confusion came in. “How? He is in Tartarus, trapped like most of the Titans.”

“And he wants out. You know how he is. He is not someone that accepts what is given to him or what is done to him. He wants revenge. Not on just the gods, but the ones that betrayed him.”

Hades stood, angered. “And he can not get out of the pit.”

Sighing heavily, my shoulders sagged. I knew what this must sound like, but I believed it might be true. “But what if he got help? From someone outside Tartarus?”

He had to think on that, because it could be possible. It could happen. Someone could release Perses. “And do you have an idea whom this person is?”

“Me.”