Chapter Ten
Tristan
Thalia was deep in thought after the doctor left, and I felt her need for space. So much was happening that even my head was spinning. I walked through the trees and down to the river where Ra used to make his way through the underworld to bring about the sunrise on earth. He hadn’t needed to do such thing in a long time. All the gods had found automatic ways to do their jobs over the thousands of years of our existence, and were now bored, filling their days with whatever sort of entertainment they could find.
I wished they would just leave us be. As I looked out over the river, I couldn’t help but wonder what would be next? Would we ever be free to live our lives? I thought that future was possible. As soon as Orion stepped down from his antagonistic position against us, everything was fine. Isis, Osiris, even the Greek Gods were ok with our union occurring.
Children.
They wanted to harm our children just because a mix between the divine Greek and Egyptian blood had never before come to fruition.
Thalia was now out of commission when it comes fighting. Not that I wanted her fighting anyway, but the Doctor said she had to relax for the rest of her term. Which was not much longer— a week and a half, versus the week he had estimated earlier. The babes were eager to be born, but had slowed their pace slightly.
Thalia told me about her dream with our son again, and his strange request. I couldn’t help but wonder if this child was who he said he was. Traveling through time, even in dreams, was forbidden. If it were allowed, I would have saved Thalia from her fate years ago. But those bitches, Fates, hated their designs to be fucked with.
I felt compelled to go into her next dream with him and make sure I felt a connection and don’t sense anything that could cause harm.
Wanting to double-check on the rest of the underworld before I went to my other duties, I walked past the river and onto the field of reeds, where every Egyptian aspired to live in the afterlife. Every person who passed the weighing of the heart ceremony would move on to live here. I looked around all the fields, and a replica of Egypt as they knew it, which they were happy about. All the current residents went about their business as I walked around. Working in the fields, some women were gossiping to each other while grinding grain. Children were running around playing with their toys. Here in the afterlife, there was no pain like they had experienced with mortality. It was as they remembered life, but without the bad. I laughed as a cat ran around, chasing a mouse. It was smart of them to bury their food with them at the time. Gave them a bond, like Tom and Jerry.
All was well for now, although I wondered, with so many demigods of all different religions coming to the underworld to help us fight, what those arrivals would do to the atmosphere. I gathered some coins, which I had created with fire, sand, and the river of Ra, to give to Leander so he may hand them to the demigods he had recruited. When we called for them, they would have a temporary pass into the underworld. They may not stay for long, but when we called, they would be needed. Not for sitting around, but for fighting, and possibly dying.
I flashed to the apartment Thalia was sharing with Leander before we got married. I knew he was there, and we had some business to discuss. I knocked and waited for either him or Lacey to answer.
Lacey answered the door first. Leander was eating on the couch. He was an endless pit for food.
“Please tell me everything is all right? We haven’t heard anything from you guys in a few days. I’ve been freaking out.” She took a step back, but her mouth kept on going. I gave her a half smile.
“It’s been interesting, but we are fine for now.” I dropped down on the couch next to Leander, Lacey sitting on the other side of her man. I spent the next ten minutes running over the plan, and what I needed them to do. Both agreed, wanting to do whatever they could to help. I could never repay them for what they had already done.
“I made a special coin for both of you. You can stay throughout the duration of Thalia’s pregnancy, but much longer than that and I fear you would both be affected in ways I couldn’t fix. The underworld isn’t meant for mortals. So after the battle is done, and the babes are born and safe, you will have to come back here.” I told them honestly. The underworld was for the dead, or immortals who could never die. If they stayed any longer they would be drawn to the field of rushes, and go mad.
“Once you have recruited for our cause, I need something else from you as well.” They looked at me, ready to accept whatever it was I was going to ask from them.
“Thalia needs some light and fun right now. She needs you both to make her forget the bad and remember how to laugh.” I smiled. Together we could all help in this cause. I had a feeling the Gods were going to take a short break to figure out their next step so I wanted to take full advantage of that time to make my love happy.
“That we can definitely do!” Leander nodded and Lacey got a look of excitement. Perfect.
“I’m heading back now. You have a lot to get done, and when you’re ready to join us just flip the coin three times.”
I sought out Thalia as soon as I touched the floor to the house. I found her sitting on the couch, eating a sandwich, and Orion sitting at the kitchen table, neither of them speaking. It felt very awkward.
“Plan is set, now we wait for the next move.” I sat next to Thalia and pulled her feet into my lap, lightly massaging their soles.
“Good,” Orion commented and went back to whatever he was doing. Drawing?
Thalia just nodded and kept on chewing. I shook my head, needing this moment of calmness.
“You don’t have to be cooped up in the palace if you need to leave.” I tossed him a coin, which he caught. He was immortal, since he essentially traded his soul to Athena to live forever so he could have Thalia when she was reincarnated. He was Athena’s warrior, doing her bidding over the millennia. He nodded.
“I’m going to hunt.” It was all he said before he flipped the coin and left. Neither one of us said anything after his departure for a few minutes. Once Thalia finished eating her sandwich, she broke the silence about the whole Orion thing.
“It’s weird, I know. But he has been very helpful. I know he has given up on me, but it must be a little hard on him to be around us.” I bet. Did I care? No.
“He’ll move on. He wasn’t exactly being celibate waiting for your return.” I scoffed. I watched as her face grew a little pink. Embarrassment flooded my soul. Who was she embarrassed for? Him? I was about to asked but then the feeling was gone quickly.
“Still, it’s gotta be hard.”
“I think he just wants you to be safe and happy now.” I rubbed her feet a little harder, and she groaned from the relief.
