Gilded Ruins

by Chantal Gadoury

  With ease, he lifted the strands off the floor and approached the woman with the large spool of thread, stopping only to kneel before her. With tenderness, he lifted my broken pieces up into the air before her.

  “With the permission of Zeus, my brother and Lord, I ask for you to hear my request, Clotho.”

  What? What was he doing?

  The woman named Clotho gazed at him with curious wonderment. Had this been the first time a God had come and knelt before her with a request? I had to admit, it was a little different to see him so open and vulnerable; even in his true state.

  “I’ve come to take back what rightfully belongs amongst the stars and sky. A Goddess displaced by cruelty and despair. I wish to bestow the gift of life; a gift only agreed upon by you and the power of the Gods,” he continued. “I’ve come to lay claim to this woman’s life.”

  “But the strings are cut, my Lord,” she said gently.

  The darkness that followed him began to swirl around his form. The red-hot lines on his arms glowed in the strange hue of the room.

  “I wish to bestow the gift of life upon her once more,” he continued. Darce bowed his head as he lifted the strands close to her.

  My heart ached at the sight.

  “What is the reason, my Lord?” she asked. “Why should I give this mortal creature a never-ending life?”

  At the sound of her words, Darce lifted his head; a small smile crept upon his lips.

  “She sacrificed her life for my own. She gave not only her heart and soul—but her life. And for that, I owe a debt.”

  Clotho watched him for a moment, weighing his words on her mind, taking in the request he presented to her. As her curious eyes met mine, I wondered what she saw as she gazed at me. Did she find my own gaze full of longing? Of desperation to return to what I had ultimately given up?

  Did she see the love I felt for the man who was on his knees for me?

  “I lost her,” Darce continued. “I searched the world for her. I spent my years longing only for her. Do not allow those years to be for naught.”

  I wanted to go to him. I wanted to pick him up from the floor and cradle his face between my fingers. I wanted to once again feel his lips press against mine. I knew only to remain in place; to wait. After a long moment, Clotho finally released a breath and slid a finger over the tops of his shoulder.

  “Life is a rare gift bestowed upon a soul already departed. But if she wishes to take your hand, and travel once again by your side, I shall do Zeus’ bidding.”

  She took the two strands from his hands, and with careful precision, molded them back into a long, glowing string. My feet suddenly began to move, and I was by his side in an instant. My arms were around him, my lips pressing against his cheek and neck. His hands cradled me, as though I might break at any moment.

  “Take my hand,” he said against my ear. “And never let go of me again.”

  Epilogue

  Three Weeks Later

  Arae growled under her breath as she stood silently beside me. Thanatos was brushing a strand of her hair away from her neck, remarking on a small, light blue bruise on her skin.

  “It almost resembles a battle wound,” he said softly, almost too softly—as though it were truly only meant for her ears. I couldn’t stop myself from grinning, as I peered down at my hands. Despite our close proximity, I wanted to at least give Arae the courtesy of some privacy; I could pretend I hadn’t heard anything.

  “That’s what you’re going to get if you don’t stop,” she hissed, swatting his hand away. He stood behind her; a looming Prince of Death. He was dressed in his normal Underworld attire; a black tunic with the silver swirling emblem, while Arae was dressed in a tight-fitting, rose-gold gown. With a plunging neckline, and a slit in the skirt, Arae wore her gown better than any run-way model I’d ever seen.

  I slid my hands over the fabric of the gown Arae had picked out for me. While I had tried to fight for an outfit of comfort with every tooth and nail of my being, I couldn’t go against her insistence on looking more. . .like my new role.

  “You’re the Queen,” she said, doing nothing to keep the annoyance from her tone. “And tonight, you’re going to look like it.”

  “Didn’t you say that before?”

  “I meant it then, and I mean it now,” Arae replied, wrinkling her nose. “Just trust me.”

  “I do!”

  “Then wear the dress.”

  The gown had length, with long sleeves, and a high neck collar. The skirt was layered with blue and pink tulle and flowed around my legs with every step I took. The bodice of the gown was covered in small, embroidered flowers that draped all the way down to my waist.

  “Where are they?” Arae asked, her question laced with irritation. “They’re going to be here any second now, and Morpheus and his Lord are going to be missing.”

  “He said he’d be back in time.”

  “Doesn’t he always say that?” Arae asked, wrinkling her nose as she darted her gaze back to Thanatos. He only responded with a wicked smile.

  “Besides. They’re coming here to see Summer—not his Lord.”

  Arae crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.

  “Minthe better not be with them.”

  “Don’t worry,” Thanatos murmured. “Even if Minthe showed her face, no one would pay her any mind. You’ve made sure to be the most beautiful woman in the room.”

  Arae turned again; I didn’t dare to see what sort of eye she gave him now. Thanatos bit back a laugh just as Morpheus and Darce emerged from one of the dimmer halls. Morpheus was smiling at Darce as they both appeared; both dressed similarly to Thanatos, though Darce wore a silver band on top of his head.

  He flashed an approving smile as he caught my gaze.

  “It seems Arae won after all,” he teased, giving a small nod of his head in Arae’s direction.

  “Of course I won,” she retorted. “I wasn’t going to have her meet Zeus and Demeter in her human attire. Now that she’s not human—”

  “That just sounds weird,” I interjected, shaking my head. “I’m still me.” To me, I still felt the same. I was still Summer Mavros. I still enjoyed bacon cheese fries, and hot, steamy showers. I didn’t feel as though I weren’t alive in the same capacity as before.

  Darce only smiled in reply, lifting my hand to his lips.

  Before Arae could reply, we saw the glimmer of the incoming boat; Erebos, the God of Darkness, pushing the boat with the long oar. Inside, Zeus and Demeter appeared.

  As soon as the boat reached the launch, Zeus was the first to rise from his seat and step out onto the dock.

  “Brother,” he said, looking at Darce with a small smile. It was the first time I’d heard him use the endearment genuinely. Darce replied silently with a firm nod. Zeus’ blue gaze met mine, and he reached for my hands.

  “I’m happy to see you here.”

  I found his words hard to believe; the last time I’d seen him, he’d tried to send a ripple of doubt in me. He tried to dissuade me from choosing Darce. He squeezed my hands for a moment, as though he could guess what I was thinking.

  “I know that we hadn’t left off on good terms,” he murmured. “I know we have much to talk about. But. . .I know when I’ve made a poor choice.”

  That sounded dangerously close to an apology. Perhaps being the God of all Gods, he didn’t know how; he’d never had a reason to truly apologize to anyone.

  As I continued to stare at him, I could see the sincerity of it in his eyes.

  “When I saw what Minthe had done…I knew of only one way to fix all of this.”

  He’d given Darce his blessing in retrieving me from the Fates.

  I smiled, turning to look up at Darce for a moment. Darce—who had come to the Fates in his true form—the ancient God of an old mythology. His dark gaze met mine before turning back to his brother.

  “Come,” Darce murmured. “Let me get you some wine.”

  Zeus’ eyes brightened and he lau
ghed. “Show me this cavern of yours,” he replied, releasing my hands. “Gods know I haven’t been here in ages.”

  My heart felt full as I watched the two of them walk away together, down the hall leading to the dining room that awaited all of us. They shared a closer brotherly bond now, which was unlike their prior interactions on the boat, which had been cold and unwelcoming. I was glad for the reprieve and the jovial laughter. I broke my gaze away from them, finding my mother still sitting in the boat, watching the group of us. Her eyes seemed so torn. Heartbroken, and yet relieved.

  “I’m so sorry, Summer,” she said, shaking her head as she slowly rose from her seat and moved onto the dock. “I’m so. . .” She paused and lifted her hand to her lips.

  My heart twisted in my chest as I watched her struggle. I wanted to find the right words to say to her. I wanted so much for the two of us to make amends.

  “I wanted only the best,” she continued. “You must know that. I just. . .wanted to keep you with me, always.”

  Deep in my gut, I’d always known that. I wanted to hate her for all that she had done and caused. . .and yet, I wanted to hold her. I wanted to forgive her. We had so much more time now to right the wrongs of the past; I only hoped she could see that given the new situation.

  “I know,” I managed with a nod.

  “The pact,” she said, gesturing towards the hall that Darce and Zeus had disappeared through. “We no longer owe anything to each other.”

  “He’s a good man,” I replied, doing what I could to keep my composure.

  Morpheus’ hands slipped over my back, startling me; I’d forgotten he was there.

  “What matters now,” he said to the both of us. “Is how we move on from the past.”

  His words rang in my ears as my gaze trailed over his features. In the days since our time on Mount Olympus, Morpheus had kept a careful eye on me. When I was alone in the library, Morpheus would come and sit in the adjoining chair, keeping his gaze on the book in his hands. But his presence felt necessary, and perhaps, my own presence had been necessary for him too. He’d lost Persephone once—as they all had. It was as though he was afraid of being too far away from me, lest his absence would cause me to disappear for good. He wouldn’t admit to it, but I had a feeling he blamed himself for letting me slip away to the Fates the night I died.

  It was clear we all had to move on from the past.

  “Together,” I added, moving my gaze from his, back to my awaiting mother. She lifted a hand to my cheek and brushed her thumb over my skin.

  “Together,” she repeated softly with a nod.

  Erebos intervened politely and offered his arm to her. “Would you care for a glass of wine, mil’ady? I believe his Lord has a feast prepared for all of us.”

  My mother took his arm and went on, walking slowly beside him. As I drew my attention back to Arae and Thanatos, I noticed they were watching me.

  “Well, that went much better than I expected,” Arae said, letting out a puff of air. Thanatos snorted behind her.

  “I believe you owe me ten danakes,” Thanatos said, extending his hand out to her. “Or a kiss.”

  Arae sucked in a breath, turning on her heel to glare at him. “It was three, not ten,” Arae retorted. Thanatos lifted a finger to his cheek and smiled; a faint hint of dimples showing.

  “Come. . .just a little peck here will do. For now,” he teased.

  “I could kick you,” she hissed.

  “Don’t tease me with a good time, Arae. I might hold you to it.”

  Her face went red and she turned to look at me before marching off.

  “You really shouldn’t tease her like that,” I murmured to Thanatos, as soon as she was out of hearing range.

  “She adores it. I get her all riled up, and she can’t resist me by the end of the day.”

  “If you hurt her,” I started, narrowing my eyes with a small grin. “I might just use you as a test dummy for all these powers I’ve been given.” I lifted my fingers, wiggling them playfully.

  Thanatos snorted and winked. “I’ll keep that in mind.” He gave a nod to me and Morpheus before trailing off after her.

  I slid a hand over my other arm as I shook my head with a laugh. “I suppose some things will never change.”

  “Thank the Gods for that,” Morpheus said gently beside me. I felt his eyes on me; felt him watching me as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

  “I’d hate for too much to change,” he added. I lifted my gaze to his and smiled.

  “I would too,” I replied.

  For a moment, we stood silently together—considering each other. There was no need for spoken words between us—not that there was ever really a need for them. His was the silent, comforting kind of companionship that I appreciated.

  “Thank you,” I finally said.

  He raised a brow curiously.

  “For?”

  “Believing in me. Being there for me; in all of my lives. For always loving me,” I elbowed his arm gently, “in your own way.”

  Morpheus’ cheeks turned a soft pink, and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling more.

  “I know she loved you. But I think I love you more,” I added.

  He swallowed; his jaw clenching tightly before he nodded.

  “And I, you, Summer Mavros.”

  “Good,” I replied and jerked my head towards the hallway. “Now come on, I’m starving.”

  “Aren’t you both coming?” Darce’s voice pierced the still quietness between us. I turned my gaze down the hall, to find Darce watching the both of us with an amused smile.

  “We’re all waiting for you.”

  “Yes, my Lord,” Morpheus said with a slight bow and started to move forward.

  Darce held up his hand, stopping Morpheus before he walked past him.

  “You’ve been a loyal friend, Morpheus,” Darce said gently. As Darce watched him, it was clear there was forgiveness in his eyes. “Thank you for being there for her, when I could not.”

  “Summer is—”

  “In all of her forms. You were always there, and I never truly thanked you.”

  Morpheus straightened for a moment before nodding again. “Yes, my Lord.”

  “I wouldn’t be here without you.” Darce reached for Morpheus’ arm and drew him into a tight hug before releasing him a moment later. Morpheus bowed, excused himself, and quickly disappeared around the corner. Darce then turned his attention to me and smiled.

  “Are you going to keep me waiting?”

  “I wouldn’t dare,” I teased.

  “This is going off a lot better than I anticipated.”

  “That’s exactly what Arae said,” I replied as I crossed the space between us.

  “I was thinking…” Darce continued as he reached for me, circling an arm around my waist as I drew nearer.

  “Oh no, now what?”

  “Perhaps after everyone leaves, as long as everything goes well. . .you and I could go to Athens. Just the two of us.”

  “A date?” I asked with a soft giggle.

  “Yes,” he laughed, flashing me his brilliant white teeth. “A date.”

  “Then I suppose,” I began, “we should go back into the dining room, and make sure this goes off without a hitch.”

  “I’m sorry this has taken so many years…” Darce said as he released his hold on me. I took his hand in mine and shook my head.

  “I’m not. I’m glad it’s happening now. If it had happened before. . .I wouldn’t have met you. I might not even be here.”

  Darce studied me for a long moment before nodding in understanding.

  “You’re right. You wouldn’t be here.”

  “And I’m not exactly thrilled at the idea of sharing you with anyone else. Not anymore.”

  “You never will,” Darce promised softly. “I’m yours, Summer.”

  “Not Persephone. Not Winnie. Not any of them. . .just me.”

  “Just you,” he repeated. “Just as I am yours.”
r />   He lifted my hand again, pressing a tender kiss against my knuckles.

  “Come, let’s not leave them all waiting for too long.”

  “I suppose it’s been long enough…” I murmured in agreement. “I have kept you waiting for too long, after all.”

  “It’s alright, I forgive you.”

  I brought our entwined hands to lips and pressed my lips against his knuckles. I’d never imagined my life would lead me down such a strange and unusual path - but I was grateful. Grateful for him, for his friends, for this world. . .

  For the love that had always been waiting for me.

  Here in our own strange, gilded ruins.

  Acknowledgments

  I don’t know how I feel in ending the story of Darce and Summer. Blinding Night and Gilded Ruins has been so close to my heart, for such a long time - it truly feels sad and strange to finally finish it completely. Back in 2009, for a novel class I was taking in college, I came up with the story idea of a modern-day girl meeting the God of the Underworld, and being a piece of his past. Now, nearly 10 years later, it’s finished and will be in my hands as a published book. It’s always sad to put away another set of characters - voices and personalities that I’ve become so familiar with, and Gilded Ruins will be no different.

  So I suppose, this is where I begin to say my thanks. When I write these, I try to picture myself on a stage, much like the Oscars, but instead of a golden figurine, I’m holding my book. What do I say at this moment?

  First - I should stay with my readers. Thank you to those who fell in love with Blinding Night and wanted more - right away. I read your reviews, saw your comments - experienced the shear love displayed for Darce, Summer and Morpheus. (And maybe a little bit for Thanatos too.) I hope Gilded Ruins is what you imagined it to be, if not more.