While Hades had not been surprised to see Lars standing at the bridge when Spartan carried him to the gates, he was surprised to find Lars sitting inside his palace holding his daughter when he returned home. Lars appeared equally surprised to be caught in such a position, and he quickly rose to greet Hades with an outstretched hand. Hades had to remind himself how much he owed Lars for assisting in the delivery of his offspring.
"Begging your forgiveness, your grace," Lars grunted out. "Lexi asked me inside to see the young gods."
"You are welcome in our home," Hades said as his hand was vigorously shaken. "It appears Elm has taken a liking to you."
They both looked down at Elm as she made a grab for Lars' chest hair with tiny fingers. "She has a pleasant manner," Lars offered. "And she has your features."
"Yes, it seems she does." Hades smiled at Lexi as she lifted from her chair and joined them, placing a kiss on Hades' cheek.
"Have Poseidon and Hermes arrived?" she asked.
"Yes. They are waiting for us in Elysium. Are you ready to go?"
"I am. We have about an hour before the babies will need to eat again."
Elm was turned over to Sella, and Lisbon walked Lars to the foot of the bridge while Hades and Lexi adopted a more leisurely pace behind them.
"Should Ink be worried about Lisbon choosing a well-hung minotaur over him?" Hades asked in a hushed voice.
"I think she's just curious," Lexi said. "I'm sure she would get bored once she realized she and Lars had little else in common besides body parts."
"You are probably right. In my experience, females want a mate who can sate their desire for companionship as well as their lust."
Lexi squeezed his hand. "And I am a fortunate female to have found both in my mate."
Once they had taken to the sky, a pensive expression took over Lexi's face. Hades didn't doubt she was nervous about reuniting Rhea's spirit with her body, given the unusual nature of Rhea's passing. Although he knew the moment had gone, he still felt guilt for not divulging his exchange with The Fates, convincing himself it would have only caused Lexi undue worry and produced the same result. But that was not really the point. The point was his failure to share everything with his beloved.
"What troubles you, my love?" he asked as he watched her carefully. He didn't have to wait long before she was sharing her thoughts.
"What is the real reason Zeus refuses to visit the underworld? The only excuse I hear is that he's uncomfortable around the souls, but there must be more to it."
"There is. Fear."
"Fear? I didn't think Zeus feared anything."
"Are you familiar with the story of Typhon?"
Lexi's brows furrowed. "Typhon is the monster Zeus nearly lost his life to. He was described as a fire-breathing dragon with one hundred heads."
Hades chuckled. "That was an exaggeration by the mortals. It was only nine, but the rest is true, and when Zeus finally imprisoned Typhon in Tartarus, he vowed to never set foot in the underworld again. This promise was made in the presence of only two, Hermes and myself."
Lexi nodded her understanding and fell silent, remaining in this state for the rest of the journey. Hermes and Poseidon had already carried the bier over the bridge and were waiting near an open area of the field when Hades landed the chariot. Poseidon led the charge to meet them, giving Hades the opportunity to help Lexi step down before flanking Lexi's other side.
"You are looking exceptional, Lady Lexi," Poseidon crooned. "Are you sure you just gave birth to twins?"
"I would hate to feel this sore without the reward," she offered. "Did you have any trouble transporting Rhea here?"
"Between Hermes and I, we made the journey with no mishaps." Poseidon's mouth turned down as he patted Hermes on the back. Hermes' swollen pink eyes made him look as if he had just run through the tall grasses of Elysium. Lexi wasted no time sweeping Hermes into her arms.
"I am sorry for your loss, Hermes. I hope I am able to help. I take it Rhea's spirit has not found you, yet?"
"No, but we have only been here a short time," Hermes said. "Charon felt compelled to detain us to speak about your new neighbors, Ink and Lisbon."
"I hope Ink has not been too much trouble," Poseidon added, looking pointedly at Hades. "As I said before, I will drag him back to Olympus by his bootstraps if he crosses any lines you have set."
"I am sure Ink is aware of what lines he shouldn't cross, brother, and I will be the first to point out any lines he is unfamiliar with." Hades felt the need to raise an eyebrow to coincide with his response, which earned him a pinch on the arm as Lexi slipped her hand through it to tug him toward the bier.
Rhea's resting place had been made of fine mahogany, with smooth handles and arched wood rafters. A thin drape of yellow silk hung to obscure the body, leaving only a silhouette. Hades heard Lexi take in air then release it in one solid exhale as she pulled the curtain back. Hades had already seen his mother in her undead slumber, and he recognized the chills when Lexi's body quivered.
Lexi offered Hades a consoling glance before turning to survey the field stretching to the south. She tugged him away from the bier and made for the knee-high grass, calling out to Rhea as they walked. Hades wrapped his arm around her waist, providing extra security as they traversed the uneven ground. It didn't take long for Rhea's spirit to find them, and her form appeared as strong as it had been at their last meeting, including her hauntingly peaceful smile.
"Pleasant morning, to everyone," Rhea said, her voice ringing true in Hades' head. "I see you have brought me a gift."
Based on the shocked expressions worn by everyone present, Rhea's voice rang true for them as well.
"Pleasant morning, Rhea," Lexi said. "I trust you have not been in any distress since we last saw each other?"
Rhea reached out to Lexi. "It is quite lovely here. How are those babes? Are they eating well? Are they latching on properly?"
"Yes. The babies are thriving, and we have chosen names for them. Elm and Ely. How do you like them?"
Rhea brought her hands to her chest, causing her spirit to wave like a grain of wheat. "Those are wonderful names. I hope you will bring them here to visit me soon."
Lexi's expression didn't falter as she offered her warmest smile. "Of course. Very soon."
It was at that moment The Fates entered the field, appearing out of nowhere as they usually did. They began a slow but deliberate trek through the grass toward them, engaging in a disagreement that appeared to be related to the lifestrand hanging from Lachesis' hand. Hades felt a shiver snake across his spine, and he glanced at Lexi, who stared unflinching at the golden thread. Poseidon and Hermes stood nearby, remaining mute, while Rhea glided up to The Fates to greet them.
"Good tidings," Rhea said with the same pleasant enthusiasm she used with everyone. "Have you come to inform me that I am deceased?" She chuckled to herself while The Fates gaped at her. Of the three, none of them had been gifted with a sense of humor.
Lachesis held up the golden thread as if no one had noticed it. "This is not your lifestrand, Rhea. It belongs to Cronus. We saw you all gathered here and thought we would come to share the news that he will soon be joining you."
Lexi gasped, although she attempted to conceal it with her hand. "How long?" she asked.
"He will be gone before he sees his next summer," Clotho said with finality. "This should cause a bit of confusion for the inhabitants of Olympus. I expect you're already seeing the change without Rhea's divine presence."
Hades and Poseidon shared a glance. Not an hour ago, Poseidon had told Hades about the poor state of the gardens around the palace of the titans. Apparently, some of the foliage had begun to turn brown, and many had dropped their buds. Neither Hades nor Poseidon thought the information would be useful to Lexi other than to worry her further, but if Hades wanted no more secrets between him and his future queen, she needed to be informed. He nodded to Poseidon when Lexi turned to his brother for an explanation.
"Yes, we are," Poseidon said. "The cyclamens are suffering through her loss as well."
"Rhea is the titaness of fertility. The embodiment of Gaia." Lexi spoke absently, as if reading from a text.
"And now you are, Lady Lexi," Rhea said as she floated up to her. Lexi did not look convinced.
"But I am not as powerful as a titan, and I have only recently embraced my gifts. How can I...?" Lexi shook her head. "What will happen to Olympus when Cronus leaves his body? Cronus is the god of time." She glanced around, searching for answers in the faces staring back at her. No one seemed to have one for her, and Hades never felt more useless.
The Fates seemed satisfied with the reaction their announcement had caused, and the three goddesses turned to walk back across the field, their voices rising to disrupt the peace.
"Rhea, would you be willing to humor us and let me try reuniting your spirit with your body?" Lexi said, rallying herself to state her grim purpose. "There must be some reason why your heart still beats."
"I certainly cannot argue with that logic," Rhea said. "While I have experienced an unrivaled feeling of calm and gratitude during my stay in Elysium, I do feel compelled to fulfill my duties as a goddess. I also wish to see my family happy."
Rhea held her hand out to Lexi, and Lexi walked her toward the bier. Rhea didn't hesitate as the curtain was pulled back. She floated up and over her body, levitating horizontally and looking directly into her own face. Lexi placed her hand on Rhea's back as spirit met flesh, but the two rejected each other like water and oil, and Rhea's spirit started to lose form, breaking off into vaporous strands and escaping through the sheer curtain of the bier. Lexi quickly pulled Rhea away, and everyone watched nervously as her spirit returned once again to a recognizable shape.
"Oh, dear. Did I do something wrong?" Rhea asked as her ghostly form wavered.
"No. I think your body is not ready to accept you yet," Lexi said. Her voice sounded calm but her hands were shaking. "I believe we have more to accomplish before we should attempt that again. Thank you for trying, Rhea."
"You are welcome."
Lexi turned to Hermes, who had not moved or even blinked by Hades' estimation. "Can you spare a few moments to speak with me, Hermes?" she asked.
"Of course, Lady Lexi."
After pressing a kiss to Hades' cheek, Lexi let Hermes escort her over the bridge, leaving Hades to make guesses. He knew Lexi would share the particulars of her conversation later, and he speculated it had something to do with thwarting the prophecy, but he could not keep his worries at bay, specifically the worry that Lexi was the only goddess to provide a solution to their grave situation. This would not worry him so much if she was able to resolve it from the underworld, but nothing of importance was ever accomplished without sacrifice. He only hoped Lexi would not be forced to choose between his welfare and the welfare of the rest of the world.