From Ashes and Dust (Book One)

Chapter 25.2

They passed through a hall lined with unmarked doors. Every one was the same, it was a wonder that Julia even knew where she was going. And, yet, without hesitation, she stopped in front of one.

"Here we are," she said. Thin fingers reached out and turned the handle of the door.

No keycard, or wave of a hand. Old fashioned, Vatra observed to herself. She stood with her injured arm cradled in her other hand, half-expecting to see a doctor already waiting for them.

However, the small room wasn't occupied by a doctor. Ares sat on the bed in the room, and he looked up at the three of them with wide eyes.

"Julia," Ares said the woman's name in a tone mixed with annoyance and anger.

The woman didn't appear to care. "Your friends are here for a chat," Julia stated. "Make it brief. We still need to take care of you," she added with a nod to Vatra's arm.

After the two of them entered the room, Julia closed them inside with Ares. Her footsteps receded down the hallway outside.

Vatra looked from the closed door and drew her gaze around the quaint room. Other than the bed made up with gray sheets, there was only a single chair pushed into the far corner. She allowed her wandering eyes to settle on Ares.

The god was already long healed from any injuries inflicted upon him. He looked more irritated that his peace and quiet had been interrupted.

Ares drew a roughened hand through his hair and stood from the bed. "I have to stay here for however long it would have taken for the injuries I received to heal for a mortal. Not only did you defeat me, but you've sentenced me to solitary confinement," he grumbled.

"Oh goodie," Vatra said with heavy sarcasm. "We didn't come here to hear you complain. We came for those answers you promised us." 

"Did I?" Ares questioned. He sat back down on his bed with a heavy sigh. "I don't recall making such a promise to the likes of you two."

"Can I kick his ass again?" Hisato whispered to Vatra.

Steeling her composure, Vatra inhaled deeply. "What are you doing here, Ares? We saw your godkiller on a ship that Hephaestus is using as a torture chamber."

"That old thing?" Ares let out a chuckle and leaned back on the palms of his hands. "Much like you changed your godkiller down to a couple of knives, I changed mine at some point. Once I found out what my brother was doing, I figured it best to keep my pact a little more in my own hands," he said. The god held out his right hand and marveled at a pair of rings on his index and middle fingers.

The golden inlay of the rings reflected the lights overhead.

"So you know what Hephaestus is really doing out there?" Hisato asked. "Why didn't you do anything when you found out he was killing gods and other supernatural beings?"

Ares cleared his throat. "I couldn't help but hear through the grapevine that my son is here. What are you two doing with Enyalius, anyway? I can't believe you'd side with a god you've wanted to kill for so many years." Ares directed his last words to Vatra.

"He's changed," Vatra stated. "Stop changing subjects."

"I'm not." Ares frowned. "Gods don't change, little bird. Just wait until Enyalius finds out why my brother wants his godkiller, and you, so badly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vatra pushed. She stepped closer to the god, her hands dropped to her sides.

The overconfidence faded from Ares' features. He looked uneasily to the door, clearly fighting over what to say next.

"You're scared of Hephaestus," Hisato said.

"No," Ares shot. He stood up hastily. "I'm not scared of my brother. You're the ones who should be worried about what you're getting tangled up in. You should have stayed hidden out on whatever world you'd found yourselves on."

"You are scared of him," Vatra echoed Hisato's words. "That's why you've been hiding out here on Tau Honnor. You ran for the hills when you realized your brother was turning against you and every other god."

"I can handle Hephaestus," Ares said. A fire lit behind his eyes. He squared his shoulders and took on an air about him that wasn't intimidation nor rageful. It was as if he was defensive in his fight with his brother, but not for himself.

"Why did you run from him, then?" Vatra asked. She was curious about his shift in demeanor.

"He wanted to use me to get to Enyalius. As much as I hate to admit it, my brother is powerful. I couldn't let him capture me, and so I ran," Ares admitted.

"It doesn't matter, the lie that he had you was enough to lure in Enyalius," Vatra said.

Ares' eyes widened in disbelief. "I didn't think my brother would be bold enough to risk everything on a lie."

"It didn't work out for him in the end," Hisato said.

"But why is he so important to Hephaestus, anyway? I know why he hates him so much, but why risk so much just for one god? The betrayal happened so long ago," Vatra inquired.

"It was like I mentioned," Ares started, "he needs the both of you. Along with Enyalius' godkiller. My brother intends to melt back down every godkiller he has forged, which can only be done once a contract is broken. Enyalius' godkiller is the only one he's ever forged that was done with a human sacrifice. I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but the only way Enyalius' contract can be broken is if he's killed with his own godkiller. And only if the godkiller is in the hands of the sacrifice from the time of the forging."

"Me," Vatra stated. Her heart felt like a rock in her chest. She looked over at Hisato, and he reflected her emotions with equal weight.

Ares nodded. "Hephaestus wants you to kill Enyalius with his own godkiller so he can melt the blade back down," the god explained. "As I recall, my brother was the one that cursed you to be a phoenix in the first place. This was his loophole for Enyalius' betrayal. Your curse of immortal life would be broken at the end of his. You would always be the one to be his undoing."

Vatra wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or scream. She hadn't done either in a long time. Both reactions felt overdue. But, there wasn't time to throw a fit. She certainly didn't want to react in such a way in front of Ares and Hisato, either.

"That's why you really came here, then, to save Enyalius?" Hisato asked.

Nodding again, Ares folded his arms. "I don't know much else. Now, I don't know what you intend to do with what I've told you, but I hope you don't pass this along to my son. Like I said before, little bird, gods don't change. I know how he was on Earth, and he won't react well to knowing you are meant to kill him."

"That's not what I want," Vatra blurted out.

Both Ares and Hisato looked at her with surprise.

"I don't want to kill Enyalius," Vatra clarified. "What you've told us will get passed to whoever needs to know it, for the sake of our fight against your brother. But I have no intention of killing Enyalius just because I'm the one person in existence that can. Even if it means my own curse would be broken."

"Good," Ares said.

Before anyone else could say another word, the door opened. Julia peered inside the room.

"The doctor is waiting for you," Julia addressed Vatra. "We should have your arm set before it heals incorrectly."

Vatra bobbed her head in agreement. "We know where to find you, now," Vatra said over her shoulder to Ares. Hisato trailed after her, regarding the god with a sharp nod of his own.