The Forgotten Witch

11 ~ Hades

"Climb down from that tree, Elm!"

Hades spoke clearly and robustly as he eyed his errant daughter from the ground. As usual, she had ignored the sign that read 'No Climbing the Sacred Tree', which had been erected after an incident between Lexi and her hot-headed father - an incident that nearly took Lexi's life. At the base of the trunk, gifts and letters had been placed by residents of Olympus, including the occasional marriage proposal. Along with those tokens, lanterns hung from the sprawling limbs, reminding everyone of Lexi's benevolent presence despite the distance between their realms.

"Why should I come down?" Elm said. "I climb up here all the time and nobody says anything."

"I don't care about nobody. I'm your father, and I'm asking you nicely to come down so we can talk."

"We're talking right now. Why do I need to..."

"Because you might be embarrassed in front of the Lammas guests." Hades made sure his voice carried so the three mischief-makers watching the show could hear him, one being his son.

"Describe a scenario." Elm crossed her arms over her chest, looking determined, and Hades nearly cracked a smile. He and Elm spent many hours improving her vocabulary, and 'scenario' had recently come up.

"How about a scenario where I cause that limb to shake you loose and you land on your bottom?"

She made a show of surveying the ground from her perch. "That's a long way down. Would you do that to your own daughter?"

Hades scowled as he grabbed his hips, keeping them planted there so he wouldn't be tempted to follow through with his scenario. "Very well, Elm. Have it your way. We will talk here in the grove. I would like to know why you hurt your friend. Did you think burning Shanty would solve your quarrel? How would you feel if a friend did that to you? I'm sure her hands are not the only things feeling pain right now."

Hades waited for Elm to prepare her response, watching her glare determinedly through the branches of the tree. "I'm sure mother has already healed Shanty's wounds," she said flatly.

Hades clenched his jaw. They were not revisiting that tired subject in front of impressionable ears. "Elm, your mother should not be in the infirmary. She should be with us enjoying the celebration, and so should Shanty."

Silence echoed out of the tree, and Hades waited again. He knew to be patient with Elm. It also gave him a chance to decide how to proceed. He suspected Elm had begun to tap into a godly gift. Yes, it was early for her, but Hades had discovered his gifts early. And, in Elm's case, Hades suspected there was more at play - like magic.

"How did you set the grain doll on fire, Elm?" he asked, knowing the conversation could take any turn.

Elm held her silent vigil inside the tree, but Hades knew he had broken through her wall as she gazed in the direction of the palace infirmary.

"I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't mean to hurt her." Elm's voice came out as a whisper that traveled through the leaves before it was swept away on a breeze, but he had heard enough.

"We need to talk about that before something like this happens again." Hades didn't expect an acknowledgement, but he knew his voice had plenty of strength to carry the message to her. "I'm going to check on Shanty's condition now," he said, hoping to encourage her further. "You can walk with me or visit her later. Whatever you choose."

Hades took his leave, walking the path at a leisurely pace and listening intently for the scuffle of feet. He saluted the statue of Demeter where the three interlopers were hiding, and he heard Ely scold the others.

"I told you he knew we were here."

Hades made the journey all the way through the palace to the medical wing without seeing Elm, and he met up with Lexi, Odessa, and Juniper just as they left the infirmary. "How is Shanty?" he asked.

"She's better but still shaken," said Lexi, who looked shaken herself. "I was hoping Elm would show up before the healing began so she could see what she had done, but I could not bear to see Shanty suffer."

"You did the right thing. Elm has imprisoned herself in your tree and refuses to leave it. She forced me to scream out a conversation in the grove, although I'm not sure how much got through to..."

Before Hades could finish, Elm blew past them on her way to the infirmary. Without looking over her back, she hauled the heavy door open with a tight fist and a loud grunt. When she had disappeared again, Hades lifted his shoulders in a relieved shrug.

"Huh. It seems I haven't lost my touch, after all. I was beginning to worry."

Lexi smiled as she leaned in to kiss him. "Your touch only gets better with age."