Out of Excuses Aphrodite (The Goddess Chronicles Book 8)

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Out of Excuses Aphrodite (The Goddess Chronicles Book 8) Page 18

by S. E. Babin


  “Did you ever think you’d be following me in Heaven jumping into my husband’s memories?”

  “Can’t say that I have, darling. But if I’m going to have one last grand adventure, I’m glad it was with you.”

  I reached over and grabbed his hand. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For being here. For saying yes.”

  He laughed uncomfortably. “You can’t really say no to a Fate.”

  “You could have,” I said. “Clotho would have let you. You’d gotten away from it all and yet here you are.” I straightened. “Did your father see you?”

  His grip on my hand tightened. “Excuse me?”

  Maybe not. “Errmmm. Your dad is here.”

  “For the love of all that is good and wonderful in life…” he muttered under his breath.

  “Maybe we won’t see him again.”

  He snorted. “And when have we ever been that lucky?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “Never. But he says he can’t hurt us.”

  Hermes and I both had to laugh because Zeus wasn’t exactly known for his honesty.

  We crept through the shadowy area, and I tried to keep myself from gawking at Hades making out with another woman. I had no idea what to do or how to help him.

  “Hermes?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Do you have any idea what to do next?”

  He fell silent for a moment, the only sounds the murmurings of conversations of Hades’ memories. “Can’t say that I do,” he said after a minute.

  I took a sharp left and tried to find the edges of his memories, Hermes close behind me.

  Seconds later, my feet fell out from underneath me and I landed in a tangled heap with Hermes. “Oookay,” I breathed. “That was unexpected.”

  Hermes grunted and I shoved myself off of him. Baby Draco gave me a strong kick in annoyance. I shoved my hair out of my eyes and looked around only to realize I was in another one of his memories. It was the first moment I really began to think Hades and I could work, but this was his memory and not mine. I was looking at myself through his eyes. Even though I should have been creeped out that he was somehow spying on me, I wasn’t. I’d married the man after all.

  It was after the ordeal with his wife. He’d sent me more money than I’d seen in my life and a sweet note. I’d sat there stunned and a little embarrassed and a whole lot pleased.

  Hades was in his library watching me through some kind of looking glass. His face ran a gamut of emotions - from nervousness, to hope and finally...to wonder. It seems that maybe this was the moment Hades had begun to really believe we could stand a chance, too.

  He sank down in his chair after my reaction to the note and muttered, “thank the gods.” He scraped a hand over his bearded face and let out a long sigh.

  “Please don’t let me screw this up,” he whispered to himself, a haunted expression on his face.

  If I could have reached out and touched him then, I would have. “Hades,” I said softly.

  Hermes cleared his throat. “Shall we move on?”

  His voice shattered the memory. My throat knotted together and I gave one short nod.

  We explored in silence for awhile. The memories floated above us, nothing overly traumatic or unusual yet. Until we fell through another memory. I was able to catch myself this time and land crouched. Hades and his father were arguing.

  Viciously.

  Hades had snow white wings. I gasped in surprise.

  “You cannot think to know my plans, son. You come in here prideful and fierce and think you know what’s best for everyone. Especially the humans. They are my creation -”

  “You expose them to the worst of trials, Father. You cannot punish all for the sins of one.”

  “Of course I can. You forget your place.”

  “My place is as your advisor.”

  God shook his head. “No. Your place is to do my bidding. I am the ruler here. I am also your father. You cannot hope to think you will sway my opinion. Free will was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made.”

  My husband sighed. “It was also one of the most beautiful.”

  God waved a hand and scoffed. “Art. History. Who needs it?”

  Hades stared at his father, stunned. “The humans have a word for what you are.”

  God laughed. “Oh do they now? I’d love to hear it!”

  “Philistine,” Hades said and abruptly disappeared from the room.

  Anger spread across God’s face and the room rumbled underneath us.

  “Burn,” I whispered when the memory faded away.

  Hermes shook his head. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

  “As long as everything stays the same, it will be fine.”

  “It’s already staying the same, Abs. So why are we still here?”

  I didn’t know. It was strange. “Maybe he’s trying to change something?”

  “Do you think he’d be so foolish?”

  “I’m not sure. If you had the chance to go back and change something in your life, wouldn’t you?”

  His face darkened and his gaze held mine a little too long. “Of course I would.”

  I swallowed. “Let’s keep going.”

  Hermes said nothing else thankfully. Less than five minutes later, another memory came to us. I sucked in a breath. There was a dark door behind Hades and he was struggling to keep from being sucked into it.

  Hades told me about this moment in his life one night after I lay tucked into the crook of his arm gazing up at the stars. He told me about the pain and despair he felt and how he was convinced if he had just pleased his father more it never would have happened. He’d taken in a deep breath then and let it out slowly. Then he confessed that he’d always known there was something off about his father. That although there could be kindness and light, there could also be extreme darkness and pain, especially for those who displeased him. Not always with humans, but definitely with his children and his angels.

  I’d squeezed him tighter and told him how glad I was that it happened even though it had caused him so much pain. He’d flipped me beneath him and shown me how glad he was too.

  But something about this scene was...off.

  Hades had told me about the door. He’d told me about God standing there and the look of disappointment he’d wore. But he never said anything about the angels. Angels were everywhere and all of them were firing celestial magic at Hades.

  He...my husband was dying.

  “No,” I whispered. What was going on? I stepped forward. Hermes held me back.

  “Do not interfere,” he said in a harsh tone.

  “They’re killing him,” I insisted.

  “No. It’s an illusion.”

  It didn’t feel like it. The room had taken on a different feeling than the other memories. The wind whipped around us and the magic boomed. Heat poured over me.

  I ripped myself out of Hermes’ grasp and rushed toward him.

  My husband turned to me. His eyes widened in horror.

  “ABBY! NO!”

  His roar made me stumble, but I still reached out to push him out of the way. My last glance before everything was black was the self satisfied smile on God’s face.

  Chapter 35

  “Oh you brave, foolish, lovelorn child,” said a woman’s soft voice.

  I blinked and opened my eyes. I was back in the Underworld. I turned my head. Clotho sat beside my bed, her mouth turned down and her eyes sad.

  “Is Hades back?” I breathed, flinging the covers off of myself and jumping out of bed.

  “Abby.”

  I was wearing a nightgown. I frowned, patted my rear end to make sure it was a decent length and rushed out of the door.

  “Abby!” Clotho’s voice was urgent.

  I waved back at her. “It can wait. I need to see Hades!”

  I scrambled around the corner and skidded into his library. He sat there wearing a smoking jacket...weird..and a pipe was in his mo
uth.

  He stared at me quizzically.

  “Oh thank the gods,” I breathed and I rushed over to him and plopped in his lap.

  A woman’s screech took me off guard.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Persephone was standing in front of me, looking extremely displeased with my place on Hades’ lap.

  My brows knit together. “Ummm...I’m greeting my husband.”

  Her eyes widened and she burst out laughing. “I’ve heard stories about you, Aphrodite. I find you charming, but I’m going to have to ask you to remove yourself from my husband’s lap before I take it as a personal insult.”

  “Husband?” I murmured to myself.

  Clotho screamed around the corner and rushed in, her hair and eyes wild. “My apologies,” she mumbled. She manhandled me off Hades and shoved me out of the library.

  I stopped in my tracks. “WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?” I bellowed.

  She grabbed me by the elbow and dragged me back to one of the guest rooms. “Shhh,” she hissed. “I’ll explain everything in a minute.”

  “Oh you better, old woman. That’s my husband sitting in there and I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow some prissy bitch to claim him!”

  Clotho snorted but began to curse profusely under her breath. Some of the words weren’t fit for a lady’s ears but others were idiot and fool and how could you not listen to me.

  She shoved me in the room and slammed the door behind me. I spun, put my hands on my hips, and glared at her.

  “Explain,” I demanded. “Now.”

  Clotho sighed. “That’s the one and only time I’m going to allow you to talk to me that way.” She straightened the covers. “Sit down.”

  I sat, anger reverberating through every cell in my body.

  She stared at me for a moment until the air shifted and her two other sisters showed up.

  Fear spiked in my veins.

  “That bad?”

  Atropos was grim. “So much worse.”

  She gripped my wrist and we were gone.

  Chapter 36

  I was back in Asheville with the Fates sitting around my kitchen table. Lachesis made me a cup of coffee and handed it to me, and it was at that point that I knew something had gone horribly wrong.

  My hands shook as I accepted it.

  “What?” I whispered.

  “There have been some complications,” Clotho began.

  My hand crept down to my stomach.

  “Your child is fine,” Atropos said, a glint of sympathy in her eyes. “I have no idea how or why, but that’s what you get when magic is involved.”

  Baby Draco kicked viciously.

  “Okaaaayyy. Why is Persephone pretending to be married to Hades?”

  Lachesis glanced at Atropos before looking back at me. “She isn’t pretending.”

  I burst out laughing. “I didn’t know you had a sense of humor, Lachesis. Good one!”

  Clotho put a hand on my knee. “She isn’t joking, Abby.”

  I blinked at her and the smile slowly fell from my face. “What do you mean she isn’t joking?” My hands began to shake. “I’m the one married to Hades! We are having a child together.”

  “Yes,” Atropos said gently. “You are having a child, but you are no longer married to Hades. Because Hades isn’t...the same.”

  “You’re beginning to scare me,” I whispered.

  Clotho swallowed hard. Tears shimmered in her eyes. “You fell right into God’s trap. He trapped Hades in his memories because he knew you would come to rescue him.”

  “Okay. What does that mean?”

  Clotho continued. “When Lucifer fell and merged with the soul of an Olympian, God was enraged. He felt the bloodlines had been sullied and that any children would be abominations. But he left him alone because Hades never interfered with his plans. He was content to be by himself with only the power of the Underworld.”

  Her gaze sparked silver. “But God managed to uncover another prophecy through Raphael about a massive well of power he could access, but he needed his son back. He figured out that he could use your magic and the baby’s to erase his actions.”

  My brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”

  Lachesis stepped in. “God couldn’t undo what he had done because he wasn’t strong enough and he knew Hades would never return willingly. So he laid these elaborate plans to force you and his son together. He knew a child would be conceived and he knew that when you married your magic would merge.”

  “So he tapped into all three of our powers?”

  Atropos nodded.

  “But I don’t understand what happ -” My hand crept up to my chest. “He made me...erase time. I stepped in and he harnessed our magic to change events. He made it so Hades would never fall. How did he do that? Hades is just...Hades.” I lowered my head. “I -”

  Clotho sighed. “And Lucifer is just Lucifer.”

  My hand rested over the slight swell in my stomach. “How am I still pregnant?”

  “I’m not sure how he managed it,” Lachesis said, “but as long as you and your child live, you are not safe from him. He wants the powers you have, and when the child is born, he will cast you aside and take the baby.”

  Atropos spoke again. “The baby’s power is beyond measure. God would not have squandered that simply to enslave his son.”

  “He has no memory of me,” I said flatly.

  All three sisters exchanged a look. “No,” Atropos said after a moment.

  I looked at all of them, resolve in my stomach. “Then I will find a way to fix this or I will make him fall in love with me again.”

  “Abby -” Clotho began.

  “No,” I whispered through choked tears. I disappeared from the room.

  Chapter 37

  Hermes was waiting for me outside. He didn’t say a word, just opened his arms to me. I fell into them and sobbed for what felt like several minutes. When the sobs quieted to hiccups, he spoke.

  “If anyone can find a way to fix this, you can.”

  “I don’t know if I can,” I whispered, even though I’d just sworn to the Fates I would.

  “I would pull Artie in on this. You need information, Abs. You need to know who gave him the know-how to do this. Raphael might have given him the prophecy, but someone allowed him the capability to spare your child and harness its magic.”

  “It’s not an it,” I sniffed.

  “I disagree. All babies look like aliens, so I’m right on this one.”

  I let out a half laugh half sob. “I’ll let you have this one.”

  He patted my back. “So generous.”

  From the corner of my eye, soft light caught my attention. I frowned and stepped away from Hermes.

  Fairy lights.

  I looked at him.

  His smile was both soft and sad. “Remember when you caught me and Hades talking?”

  It seemed like a year ago even though it was only a couple of days ago. I nodded.

  He offered me his hand. I took it and let him lead me in the direction of the light.

  “This was already set up before -”

  I squeezed his hands. “Before I screwed up phenomenally?”

  He fell silent. We stepped through some trees at the back of my property. Fairy lights twinkled from every single tree and feel in swoops surrounding the small intimate area. The Fates sat outside along with Hera, Atlas, Artie and Keto.

  A sob burst from my throat. In front of me was a small gazebo decorated with lilies and white roses, and a pupil where the reverend would have stood...had there been a groom here. Two large tables overflowed with food both from Olympus and here.

  Soft, ethereal music played around us.

  Tears streamed down my face before I took another step. My hand touched my mouth. “It’s beautiful,” I murmured.

  Clotho stood and came over to me, her arms opened. I stepped into them and let her embrace me.

  “We will overcome this. Our intel tol
d us the woman, Helena, coerced Hades into returning to Heaven to try to end the war. But, Helena was no longer the woman your husband remembered.”

  “Who was Helena?” I asked through my tears.

  Clotho rubbed circles on my back. “His nursemaid. Teacher.” She huffed out a soft breath. “Someone who meant very much to him.”

  Atropos joined Clotho and embraced me. “There has to be a way to restore him.”

  Lachesis wrapped her arms around all of us. “When he is returned to us, we will rejoice with something even more splendid.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  They left me and Artie took their place. Her face held a world of sympathy but also resolve. “You were tricked. I will not rest until we find a way to reverse this.” She gripped me in a fierce hug.

  I walked over to Hera’s table and sat down beside her. The Fates must have stepped in because, although she still looked wan, I could no longer see the serious damage the angels had done to her. I would ask Clotho about it later. Knowing Hera as well as I did, she no doubt had some tricks still left up her sleeve.

  We said nothing for while. As the candlelight from the centerpiece flickered, she exhaled and reached for my hand. I was surprised but didn’t jerk away.

  “I cannot even begin to imagine how this feels, Aphrodite. Zeus and I…” she stopped for a moment as she gathered the words. “We were complicated. So very complicated. But I can’t recall a single time where he had forgotten me.” Tears shimmered in her eyes. “He forgot what we had in the way men do sometimes when they’re distracted, but never did he just not...know me or forget the trials we’d gone through to be and stay together. You and I have our problems, Aphrodite, and do not think this is an overture of forgiveness. But what happened here...what he did to you was a travesty, and if you need an ally, a powerful person there to assist you as you find your way back to each other, I will be that ally and offer my services to you. No strings. No attachments. Simply as a woman who once loved fiercely and who wouldn’t be able to live if it was all erased.”

  My lips wobbled and I knew she was going to hate it, but I laid my head down on the table and cried.

 

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