Nyx surprised herself as she fiercely defended Erebus in her mind before shoving down the thought. Now was not the time to fall prey once again to her ever-changing feelings about Erebus.Except your feelings aren’t ever-changing.She interrupted herself.That’s your problem. You know how you have always felt for Erebus. How you always will…
Nyx’s thoughts were cut off as she heard Hades’s reply.
“My apologies, dear brother.” The words were saccharine. “Don’t let Amphitrite or Pontus hear you talk about the sea then.”
“We’re getting off track,” Poseidon snapped, water gathering around his temple like a damp halo.
“Easy there, you might splash someone.” Hades rolled his eyes at the watery signs of Poseidon’s temper, knowing that he was limited in the Underworld. “We’re here to talk about the other brother, anyway.”
Poseidon eyed him, knowing that the charlatan attitude was a part of who Hades was. He was old enough to not take it personally.
“I do have my doubts.” Poseidon looked past Hades and into the fields around them. “Do you really think that this will be different from every other war we’ve ever had?” The question gave Hades pause.
“We have had a lot of them, but Kronos is a threat to us all. He’s eating his children.” Hades looked at Poseidon with a raised brow as if challenging him to counter that point.
“So they say. We made it out alive.”
“Only because of Rhea.”
“Have you gotten her take on this?” Poseidon crossed his arms over his chest. “This whole thing could be because someone cheated.” Hades groaned loudly.
“I’m not getting into a war alongside Zeus because someonecheated.We’d never stop.”
“It’s an important clarifier.” Poseidon held up his hands to feign innocence. “We’ve been pulled into skirmishes with Zeus’s extramarital affairs for the past five hundred years.”
“About that,” Hades scowled, “Do you think Nyx had any clue what she was unleashing when she cursed Zeus to not be able to keep secrets from Hera?”
Absolutely I did, you fool.It took all of Nyx’s primordial strength to keep her from laughing in the darkness around them.There is nothing I do that I do not understand the full weight of, which is something that you gods can never understand.
“Most likely.”
Poseidon, I don’t despise you.Nyx grinned from the ether around the gods.
“That’s not the point.” Poseidon began again. “I have already pledged my allegiance to Zeus, you were there. I will ride this thing out. I simply need to know if this is some sort of dalliance or if there is a real issue at the core of it.”
“Everything with Zeus is technically some sort of dalliance.” Hades smirked, an impish look taking over his face.
“I don’t want to hear what you two get up to, corralling women.” Poseidon immediately looked repulsed.
“Don’t lump me in with him.” Hades’s voice got dark. “Every one of my participants is willing. Next time you’re on the mortal realm, drop by a temple of mine…”
“Stop,” Poseidon snapped, rubbing his temples. “You know, someday, you are going to get your attitude handed to you by a woman. When you come crying to me about it, mark my words, I will laugh.”
Hades waved off the thought but changed the topic, nonetheless.
“To answer your question, I believe this has merit. Kronosiseating his children and the mortal realm is in chaos. If we can overthrow him and establish some sort of order, everybody wins.” Hades shrugged as if he was suggesting a dinner menu and not a war of immortals.
“Everybody but Kronos and the titans who have sided with him.”
“There are always losers in a battle like this, Poseidon. I didn’t think that you would be the one to care for them.”
“I don’t.” Poseidon shrugged, looking at Hades with a deadly look in his eye. “But I will not be the god who gets caught on a technicality. There are too many powers at work in the world, Hades, and you would be mindful to watch your wicked tongue.”
Hades nodded, his mood somber for once, as he took note of Poseidon’s words.
“It is settled then?” He eyed the god of the sea. Poseidon took a deep breath and then nodded, extending his hand out to his brother.
“It is settled. I have already chosen my side with Zeus, but hear me again… I will fight with him against Kronos.”
