Cyrus stared at his half-sister. Melinoe continued to twittle her hair. He wanted her to make a move, any move. He wanted to react. He wanted to fight her. But she seemed adamant in her desire to just play around.
He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced to his side, saw Marilyn.
She nodded towards the roof entrance. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“It’s not that easy,” he said. “She won’t let us just leave. She’s here to keep us from going anywhere, to hold us until my parents can take me. Or us, now.”
“Us? What does that mean?”
“I warned you knowledge is dangerous in my world. My parents won’t let you leave when you know of their existence. You will have to come with us.”
“Come with you where?”
“To the underworld, silly mortal.” Melinoe strode towards them as she spoke. “It’s almost twilight. It is time, brother.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You act as if you have a choice. You should be happy you’ve been allowed to continue this charade for so long. You must have known mother would not let it stand.”
“I had hoped you all had better things to do. But I should know by now. You never have anything better to do than manipulate people’s lives.”
“I will not go back,” Cyrus said. “And I won’t let you hurt Marilyn.”
“And how do you hope to accomplish that brother? You can’t even stand against me. What makes you think you could stop Mother? Or Lord Hades?”
“Because I’m willing to fight. You can break me, but you can never again rule me.”
Melinoe nodded her agreement. She strode across the rooftop towards him. Cyrus set his feet, prepared to summon a wave of sound. But Melinoe showed no sign of attack. She only smiled and looked between Cyrus and Marilyn.
“I knew you would be more than willing to fight your way to freedom. And I know you are probably right that Hades and our mother would not kill you despite your disrespect. But I am not them.”
“Try me then.”
She glanced towards Marilyn. “And I suspect you will cooperate. It would not be only your life at stake after all. I doubt this dear girl can survive what you can.”
“She has nothing to do with this. If you—”
“It is not my fault, brother. It was you that chose to involve her. She will share your fate, whether you wish it or not.”
“You’re a real piece of work, Melinoe.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Melinoe looked around the rooftop. “It is almost time, brother. Will you choose to fight me or will you spare the mortal’s life?”
“I’m so tired of this bullshit.” Marilyn’s words came with sudden movement. Her hand lashed out at the goddess, hardening into brick as it extended out. This time Melinoe was far less ready for the strike.
The blow caught Melinoe on the side of the head. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She went down hard. Melinoe was out.
Just as the sun passed below the horizon.
The sky instantly grew black. Not just dark, but pure interrupted black, as if the sky just suddenly was not there.
Cyrus knew it was only hidden. His father did not appreciate eavesdropping even from his brother. The blackness would block the sky-gods from being too nosy.
“What’s going on?”
Cyrus took Marilyn’s hand. “You are about to meet my parents.”
“And that’s not a good thing.”
“That is a very, very bad thing.”
“Well, damn.”
“An apt choice of words by your concubine, my son.”
Cyrus and Marilyn both turned as Pluto and Persephone slowly coalesced out of the night sky.
His mother could have passed for any mortal, albeit a strangely dressed one. Her hair was a rich brown, the color of fertile soil. But her outfit was unlike anything a human would wear—at least in polite company.
It was a gown, but the lacy ruffles around her legs were covered with tiny sharpened spikes. The bustier hugged her curves. Covered in straps, the leather device appeared impossible to get in and out of without a team of aids. The straps left an ample amount of her chest exposed, enough to make Cyrus feel rather uncomfortable in the presence of his mother.
The tightening of Marilyn’s grip on his hand told him it was Pluto that more frightened her.
Pluto didn’t bother to take an earthly form. His cloak and hood moved like cloth but seemed to form out of the very shadows. They ate what light reached them, as if he was a walking black hole.
Beneath the cloak, he wore only a loose tunic. It was a deep blue, but it seemed almost bright against his gray skin. His body was emaciated, a strange frame that showed bone structure and even veins and arteries.
His face was cold and blank. Only deep set yellow eyes even made him seem alive. He didn’t move as he stood before them.
His father looked worse than the last time Cyrus saw him. He knew of all the gods, Pluto most directly fed on the spiritual energy of his worshipers. With so few left, it seemed the Lord of Hades would grow more and more feeble.
“Mother. Father.”
Cyrus stood beside Marilyn. She clung close to his side. He put an arm around her, held her, even though he knew it was little comfort. He kept his grip on her tight. It would be fatal for her if she reacted to his parents as she did to Melinoe. They could kill her far too easily.
Pluto said nothing. He just remained unmoving. Persephone eyed them both up and down. He knew her judgmental nature as well. He could feel it in her eyes.
After several long moments, she finally met her son’s eyes.
“Hello, Cyrus.”
The air was deathly still. Despite the power it cost Pluto to main the darkness around the, Persephone took her own time.
She glanced to her daughter, still prone on the rooftop. She shook her head.
“I do not like it when you and your siblings fight.”
“I did not choose the fight.”
“No, you ran. You tried to hide. You acted like one of the chattel. Your decision was unbecoming of a god. These people will never respect you this way.”
“I don’t care about their respect. I only care about my freedom.”
Persephone turned to her husband and met his cold yellow eyes. Pluto nodded, his first movement since they arrived on the rooftop.
Cyrus knew it meant nothing good.
“You will accompany us back to Hades,” Persephone said. “There you and the mortal will be judged. I pray the Fates will be kind to you my son.”
“Don’t play solemn with me,” Cyrus said. “You could have just let me go. If I face the Fates, it is at your whim.”
Persephone’s eyes grew angry.
“How dare you? I want to help you, but you fail me at every turn. I—”
Pluto’s hand fell on her shoulder. “It is time.”
Cyrus pulled Marilyn close. He forced her face up to look at him. “I want you to close your eyes. No matter what you hear, don’t open them. What you might see would drive you insane. Do you understand?”
She nodded. She tightly closed her eyes. Cyrus reached out and held her tight. The wind started to rise around them. He knew it was time.
Persephone walked across the rooftop and stood over Melinoe. She bent over and lifted up her other child. Melinoe moaned, but didn’t stir otherwise. Cyrus felt the pull, even as the sky crackled.
He caught the flash of lightning just as they vanished from the Earth.
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