“And?” he nearly shrieked, turning to look at Nyx. He immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, having the decency to look sheepish after trying to command a primordial. Nyx furrowed her brow as she stared at him for a second, causing his blood to turn cold with fear, before she burst out into laughter.
“He’ll be fine amongst the gods.” Nyx waved her hand as if dismissing any other notion, “He’s just precocious enough.”
Hecate smiled, but also urged her friend to go on. “What about Hera?”
“Well, I’m sure that no one is surprised to learn that Zeus wasn’t all that upset.” This time, Aeëtes bit his lip to keep from laughing. “Most of the gods weren’t really sad about it, actually. The only concern is…”
“Perception.” Hecate rolled her eyes, and Nyx nodded. Even after the titan wars, they had struck a deal that the pantheon would go on ruling Greece—effectively making Nyx and Erebus behind-the-scenes puppet masters since the gods only cared about the mortals’ perceptions to thrive off their worship.
“Exactly. They’re worried that this will cause a lot of undue attention to be focused on you.”
“Undue?” Aeëtes’s voice was angry. “How dare they! She’s worthier of worship than any of those selfish…”
“I know,” Nyx said softly, her face amused as she watched how quickly Aeëtes sprung to Hecate’s defense. “Which is why there will be no retribution towards Hecate. Hera broke the law first by cursing an immortal, a son of Helios. Anything that came after that, they’re willing to decree was fair game. But they have decided to keep the news of Hera’s demise from the mortal realm.”
Hecate only rolled her eyes at that. “Like how Zeus defeated Kronos?”
Nyx chuckled darkly. “Exactly like that—”
There was a large crash that came from the courtyard, which made Aeëtes startle but only got groans from Nyx and Hecate. A few seconds later, a golden shag of curls poked its head through the door, and Hermes surveyed the scene with a smile.
“Your deviousness!” he crowed in Hecate’s direction before giving Nyx a solemn nod. “Nyx.”
Aeëtes laughed at the drastic difference in which he greeted each goddess. Hermes set his sights on Aeëtes and stepped entirely into the kitchen.
“Aeëtes!” He threw his arms out and leaned over, wrapping up Aeëtes in a tight hug and rocking him back and forth comically. “You made it! Welcome to Hecate’s kitchen. Everyone’s welcome.”
“They are not!” Hecate snapped from the kitchen, holding out a sprig of fennel like it was a weapon. Hermes giggled and sat down next to Aeëtes.
“She’s lying. She loves it when we all show up here, especially at all hours and unannounced.”
Aeëtes shook his head in joyful disbelief, looking up at Hecate, who was staring at him with a murderous glare in her eyes. Nyx rolled her eyes and started to dissipate, giving Hecate a warm smile.
“Good to see you doing so well, darling. This kitchen is getting a little bit too full for me now.” She rolled her eyes at Hermes, who only quaked slightly, and disappeared from the kitchen.
“Does she always do that?” Aeëtes looked in surprise at where Nyx had been standing. Hecate and Hermes both nodded, neither of them seeming bothered by it. Even Hecate’s dogs didn’t blink. Aeëtes took a deep breath and settled back down where he was sitting, realizing that it was going to take him a while to get used to being around immortals.
“I had to follow Nyx here from Olympus. The gossip is just too good.” Hermes grinned, kicking his feet up on the table. “Have you found a way to break his curse yet?” Hermes made a big show of sniffing Aeëtes. “He still smells like Hera.”
Hecate’s face wrinkled up in disgust. “I know. And no, I haven’t. I’m a little worried to see what happens to that curse when we go back to the mortal world.”
“It might tear him into pieces,” Hermes said nonchalantly, even though they both could sense the joke in his voice. “You also could slip through the realms and then realize you’re stuck as a sheep forever.”
Aeëtes bristled nervously. “Well. It was a ram, at least.”
Hermes ruffled his hair. “Of course it was.” Hermes looked up to Hecate. “You both don’t want to just stay in the Underworld? Provided that you could overlook that stench.”
Aeëtes was in constant wonderment at Hermes’s attitude, but he couldn’t avoid smiling every time he said something foolish. Hecate seemed to bristle at the thought.
“No.” She stepped out from behind the kitchen counter, looking at Aeëtes. “That wouldn’t be fair to him or to me, in the end. Besides,” her smile was warm, “I know that he wants to check in with his parents in Colchis.”
“Ah, yes,” Hermes sighed dramatically, giving a fake yawn and wrapping his hand around Aeëtes’s shoulder when he did. Aeëtes looked confused, but Hecate just gave him a little nod, mouthing‘He does this.’
“Does your mother approve of your woman, Aeëtes?” Hermes looked at him, speaking with mock sincerity. Hecate sucked in a sharp breath, her hands flying up to her face.
“Hermes.” Hecate sounded shocked. “You’re brilliant.”
“Oh, I know,” he smirked, “but why this time?”
