Makaria answered, a look of stunned surprise on her face.
“Isn’t this a fortunate day.” She breathed out slowly, nervously looking over her shoulder back into the temple behind her. Erebus knew that his guess had been correct.
“Would it be all right if I came in?” Erebus asked delicately. It was a loaded question, one that inquired about the receptiveness of the goddess inside the temple. Makaria nodded in response, her expression unintelligible. Erebus stepped through, ducking his head under the low door as he stepped through. He followed the priestess, and when he walked into the main hall of the temple, it took everything in him to not fall to his knees.
Nyx was in her mortal form at the head of the room, her back towards him. He knew that she would have sensed his presence from a block away, but she made no move to acknowledge him. She was studying the sculpture of her likeness, her head turned to the side. While Erebus had disguised himself as a mortal when he walked amongst men, Nyx shared no such concerns. Her hair was still trimmed with starlight and there were dark clouds at her feet. When she took a few steps to the side, they moved with her as if she couldn’t touch the ground.
“I’ll let you two talk.” Makaria’s voice was nearly melodic as she stepped away, closing the door behind her.
They were alone once more. Erebus said nothing, quietly walking around the edge of the room. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Nyx, who still had not yet looked at him. There was a soft music coming from somewhere, and the incense was lit, filling the entire room once more with the scent of rosemary. She was glancing back and forth between the statue and the ground, like she was fighting not to stare at him.
She was fighting the urge to keep off Erebus. She felt his presence as soon as he turned on the street, let alone stepped into the room. Every muscle in her body was telling her to abandon these false pretenses and return to him, to stay resolute in the idea that whatever it was, they could figure it out. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful around them although she felt anything but. Erebus continued to wait for her to speak, slowly taking laps around the great hall as if he had all the time in the world, which she supposed he had. Finally, Nyx broke the silence.
“I heard about Poseidon and Hades.”
Erebus’s heart stopped for a second as he looked up at her, eyes quizzical.
“Oh. We’re not going to talk about what has just happened.” It wasn’t a question. Nyx held her breath, the tension between them starting to calcify. It was like every time they spoke these days, it only managed to put distance between them. Erebus had stopped his pacing and was closer to her now, but when Nyx finally spoke, she ignored his statement.
“Do you want to tell me what you know of Hades and Poseidon’s plan?”
Erebus sighed, but he relented, not wanting to push her anymore. They were both hurting—that much was clear. He took another step closer to her, however, hedging his luck. Nyx took a deep breath, eyeing the way that his shadows trailed out from behind his feet as if everywhere he stepped became scorched earth.
“All I know is that they told me they have been plotting to kill Zeus. It was the only reason that they were keen in the first place to side with him.”
Nyx hummed in agreement. “I suppose I found it a bit odd that Hades agreed to join in.”
“They only told me last night, and they’ve been planning this from the beginning. I had no idea what Poseidon had pulled with Typhon.”
“That was Poseidon?” Nyx turned on her heel and glared at Erebus, her temper flaring. “I assumed that Kronos found a way to get him out. You’re telling me that Poseidonset that monster free?”
Erebus nodded, watching as the anger on Nyx’s face morphed to shock and back again.
“They figured that he was stronger than Zeus, but Zeus’s ego would compel him to take on Typhon anyway. For glory.”
Nyx scoffed. “Yes, yes, men and their glory.” She had begun pacing in small circles around the statue again, studying it as if she was confused.
“Do you not see a resemblance?” Erebus asked her gently, nodding in the direction of the marble face. “I nearly fell to my knees when I saw it for the first time. Of course, I was missing you terribly… I suppose I still am.”
Nyx felt her resolve slip a little as a sad smile crossed her face. “I’ve missed you, too.” There was something sad in her voice, something final, that forced Erebus not to press the issue. They were both quiet as Erebus started slowly walking around the statue, too, both subconsciously beginning to mirror one another’s body language. It was relaxed, open even if they couldn’t vocalize it to each other. Nyx found herself staring openly at Erebus for a second too long, causing her to clear her throat and break the tension.
“Are they planning anything else? It’s incredibly dangerous and foolish to let monsters loose in Greece andhopethat they go where you want them to.”
“I’m fairly certain they thought it through more than that.” Erebus shrugged, running a hand through his hair. “They sent Typhon straight to Kronos, who was able to convince him to join the side of the titans. He didn’t just luckily appear on the battlefield.”
“I know. Still. This is too dangerous for mortal men, Erebus.” Nyx began pacing around the statue once more, not realizing he had stopped moving and she was getting closer to him. “When immortals start playing these games…oof!”Nyx was cut short as she walked into Erebus, his hands immediately coming out to her shoulders to hold her steady. They stayed there, eyes locked on one another, and Nyx felt that telltale heat begin to consume her. Erebus’s thumb gently rubbed over her skin in small patterns like a honing beacon, and Nyx fought the temptation to collapse into his chest. This time, it was Erebus who exhaled a shaky breath, stood a little straighter, and let her go.
“When immortals start playing these games, it’s men who get hurt.” Erebus finished for her, a sick feeling settling in his stomach. It’s what Nyx had said when she had to save her acolytes from Hera’s priests. The only way that she knew how to save them had been to send them to their deaths, quickly and painlessly.
“Exactly.” Nyx shook her head, pausing for a moment like she couldn’t believe what she was about to say. “But… Zeus is a problem. On a good day, he only poses a mild threat to mankind.”
“What are you saying?” Erebus scowled, looking over at her in confusion. Nyx’s attention was lost in the rafters again as she moved away from him, her expression flittering from awe to confusion. It was as though being in a temple dedicated to her was something terrible and flattering all at once. She wasn’t facing Erebus when she spoke.
“I’m saying… we stay. We help Poseidon and Hades. I’ll need to stay out of this for now, so Zeus doesn’t get spooked—” Erebus was stuck on Nyx’s word choice.
“We?” There was so much hope in his voice, it crushed Nyx, but she didn’t trust herself to answer.
“I don’t know.” Her voice was quiet, but she looked up at him, staring at him directly from where she stood, but Erebus shook his head.
