“It is!” He turned to face her on the table bench, some of the color draining from his face. “Where are you getting that from?”
“It’s written all over your face.” Nyx sighed again, eyeing him for a few moments before she turned her gaze back to the fire. “You could still be swayed.”
Hecate said nothing, busying herself once more with a kettle in front of her, seamlessly distracting herself as to not appear like she was eavesdropping even though the conversation was happening in her kitchen.
“I don’t know what else you want me to say, Nyx.” Erebus shook his head in frustration, running a hand through his hair. “I told you about Hades and Poseidon. You know that I’m not lying.”
“You’re not telling the truth, either. This war still tempts you.”
“I never lied about that! I said that I would defer to you. I did.” The shadows around Erebus began to smoke as though he was slowly turning up the heat in the atmosphere. Stars began flickering and smoldering in Nyx’s hair as their power began to recognize one another and push back against the argument.
“You still don’t see my point.” Nyx’s voice was cross as it took on a deeper baritone, echoing in the kitchen.
“I don’t have to!” Erebus threw his arms up in frustration. “Don’t you see that? I trust you. I said I wouldn’t defy you to others and I didn’t. Do you really think that you can’t trustmebecause I don’t agree on everything you say?”
“No.” Nyx shook her head, poking Erebus in the chest. “Do notmisquote me. This isn’t about agreeing with me. If yousee Zeus’s pointat all, then yes, we have a problem.” Storm clouds began gathering around Nyx’s feet, sending soft rolls of thunder echoing off the tiled floor.
The burst of wind caused the fire to flicker as Hecate gracefully pretended there wasn’t an atmospheric argument between two primordials happening in front of her (nothing could run Hecate out of her workspace). When Nyx’s voice broke over the din, it was with a crack of pain that struck Erebus in the chest.
“Never in a millennium wouldmyErebus have found any common ground with that child.” Her voice cracked. “And it frightens me.” She stood, stepping away from Darkness and bringing her power under control.
Erebus followed suit, his shadows disappearing, as he watched as Nyx slipped out without a word. There was something in his chest that began to crack. He had done everything that she asked… hadn’t he? She went down the hallway and was gone, leaving Hecate and Darkness standing in the kitchen. Hecate seemed un-phased by the quick exit.
“I don’t understand.” Erebus turned to Hecate, who only shrugged.
“She’s frightened for the first time in her long existence, which is a terrifying feeling all of its own.”
“What couldshepossibly be frightened of?!” Erebus tossed his hands up in the air and sat back down on the long bench.
“Are you that daft?” Hecate finally snapped, some of her calm resolve slipping as she slammed her hands down on the counter.
“Nyx is the one thing in this universe that I might understand as well as you… and I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.” Erebus sighed deeply, knowing that Nyx was already well on her way to Tartarus. Hecate’s expression turned uncharacteristically grim once more.
“Do you? Do you understand her?” There was a twinge of warning in her voice.
“I’ve told Nyx I won’t side against her. What could she be afraid of?” Erebus’s tone deepened, some of his shadows circling around his legs again.
“Losingyou,you idiot!” Hecate snapped, rushing out from behind the counter and putting her hands on her hips as she glared at Erebus. “You don’t see that?”
His expression darkened immediately.
“Because we had a fight?”
“A fight!” Hecate scoffed, red sparks shimmering off her fingers. “You call abandoning Nyx for ayear,a fight?”
“I didn’t abandon her!” Erebus stepped towards Hecate, darkness flickering in the kitchen. “I did my job, and she did hers. We still worked together—”
“Is it true that you didn’t go to her bed that whole time?”
“What doesthathave anything to do with it? Is there nothing private with you damn gods?” Erebus’s voice dropped to a growl.
“If a man isn’t fucking his wife, I have questions.” Hecate rolled her eyes, her temper already dissolving as she looked at him with a stare that would make even a primordial shiver. Erebus’s jaw clenched.
“It was best… for a while, if—”
“Stop.” Hecate raised her hand and silenced him, shaking her head. “I don’t want to know. You need to understand that it’s not only your actions but your intentions. Yes, you sided with Nyx, but how could you not see that your sympathies to Zeus hurt her?”
“Sympathies! They’re not sympathies. I only think that it would be—could be—good if we… you know…”
