Hunter: Gods & Monsters

Chapter 34

"There is a reason why they think you should be their queen, and I have never been prouder of the woman you've become." She smiles, for real this time and so do I.

"Thanks Mum."

"Go. We'll talk more when you come home, alright?" Her eyes become glossy all over again and I leave before she starts to cry.

I wiped my own eyes as I found Hermes, sitting on a sunbed watching the sunset over Santorini. Their world was beautiful, but so was mine and I knew I was doing the right thing.

"Everything okay?" Hermes asked, though I didn't think he actually cared.

"Yeah." I sit down beside him, and he passes me a cocktail that mirrors his own. "Thanks."

"You look like you need it." A tissue appeared next.

"I don't look that bad do I?"

"No, but I hate when women cry." He shrugged, lowered his sunglasses and went back to the sunset.

His frosty behaviour clearly hadn't improved. When I'd asked him to bring me he'd been less than enthusiastic with this being the most conversation we'd had. I decided to keep it going to at least try and work out what his problem was with me this time.

"You were made to close off all the ways here, but can you undo it?" I ask a few minutes later. "Make it easier to travel between our realms again."

"Some will be easy enough. It may be simpler just to make a new gateway or two. I'm tired. I won't be able to do it right away." He mumbled.

"What if you had help?"

"No one can." The suggestion seemed to offend him.

"Aion is a time traveller, and able to go between the realms." I'm thinking out loud, and Hermes groans beside me.

"That wonder boy. Has he even reached puberty yet?" He snorts. "I'll do it. When I'm ready. Not even the boss yet and already making demands."

"You seem even grumpier than usual. Are you okay?" Hermes looks at me and shakes his head.

"Mind your own business." I put my hands up in surrender, which makes him finish his drink, and a refill that much quicker. "You want to know what's wrong with me? You. You are what's wrong. You just come into our world, take over, and do you even show any remorse for what you did?"

"Hermes-" I say calmly.

"And then you start all that nonsense about not even staying? I should just leave you here now and save everyone else the trouble of dealing with you further."

"You actually want me to stay?"

"I didn't say that." He huffs. "Trouble follows you. You will be a curse on our land."

"Tell me what you really think then, Hermes."

He took it literally.

"Cain wasn't perfect. None of us are, that includes you. His life was not easy, and I actually thought that night when I saw you together, that maybe, just maybe, you weren't as dreadful as I initially perceived you to be and some good may come from you returning." I opened my mouth to speak and he held up a finger. "Artemis is blinded by her faith in Apollo, but once they all see who you really are, you will be gone like all the rest. I hope you meet Cain again in the Underworld"

"That isn't going to happen." I sigh. "He'd have to be there in the first place and-"

"Hades would have given him somewhere to rest. At least until you permit us to give him a death with some degree of dignity. Our world is built on traditions. You mock us all by not allowing us to send him on to a more peaceful existence!"