They looked at Cassandra, and their eyes went unfocused as they thought of Henry. Then they nodded.
“When will you be back?” Maureen asked.
“Your kids will be back. Soon.” She touched them fondly on the knee and on the shoulder. “I have to go say goodbye to my brother.”
* * *
Hermes lay still. He was so thin, he barely made a shape underneath the blankets.
Athena sat on the edge of the bed and held his hand, careful not to disturb him even though he wouldn’t wake up. She’d said his name three times to no response. She should have been happy about that, that he was unconscious and not in pain. But she would have given anything for one more word. One more smile. All this sleep and slowness didn’t suit him.
Ares sat in a chair on the opposite side. When she’d come in, he’d made to leave her alone, but she’d told him to stay. Hermes wasn’t awake. She didn’t need to be alone with him, and truly, having another god in the room felt like comfort, even if it was Ares.
“Knock knock.” Andie poked her head in. Henry and Odysseus stood behind her. “Can we come in to say goodbye?”
Athena nodded, and stepped back to give them room. She didn’t listen to what they said. She just saw them laugh, and wipe tears, and touch Hermes’ shoulder. Andie kissed his cheek.
If he were awake, he’d tell me to keep them safe.
“Cars are packed. Ready to go,” Odysseus said.
“We’ll be down. Soon.” She leaned down over Hermes as they filed out of the room, and kissed his forehead. It felt strange. She thought there’d be more to say. But Hermes knew everything he ever would. And the cars waited downstairs.
Ares stood.
“I’m not going with you,” he said. He hung his head a second and gestured weakly to his stomach. “He cut me up worse than I thought. It isn’t healing.”
“Let me see.” Athena put her hands out, but he caught them.
“The day I get examined by you,” he said, and smiled. He looked down at Hermes. “I’m going to stay with him. Make sure they don’t check here first and do something you wouldn’t want them to do.”
“I thought you’d want the blood,” Athena said.
“Make no mistake, I want the blood,” said Ares. “But leaving him alone doesn’t seem right. And I didn’t catch a knife in the gut saving those two downstairs,” he nodded to the door and down to Cassandra’s parents, “just to let them get skinned two days later.”
So much for his bitter words about playing the hero.
“After he’s gone, I’ll come and find you,” he said. “I’ll stash the parents and pick up your trail.”
“We’re headed up the southern face of Mount Emmons. I’ll look for you.”
“If something goes wrong,” he said. “If Atropos can’t be stopped. What do you want me to do?”
She looked at Hermes on the bed, so pale he’d turned gray. They’d come so far. She’d led them here.
“I’m not your general, Ares. I never have been. But if I were you…” She took a slow breath. “I’d spring Aphrodite from the underworld and spend as much time with her as I could. Someplace warm. I’d run and I wouldn’t look back.”
They stood beside Hermes’ bed together for a long time. Athena had been unfair to Ares, and he to her, for as long as she could remember, but it didn’t matter. Ares would look after their brother, and Athena would trade herself so Ares could heal.
“So long, Ares,” she said, and he flinched when she touched his shoulder, like she might hit him. It made her smile. They would never be friends. But they were family.
* * *
Cassandra watched Athena’s house recede as Thanatos backed out of the driveway. Inside, a god she’d hated from the moment she laid eyes on him sat beside Hermes’ bed, and protected her parents.
“Are you sure we can trust him?” she asked, and in her side mirror, she saw Athena glance up to the house.
“You killed his mother and he saved yours,” she replied. “That earns him at least a little slack, don’t you think?”
Cassandra clenched her teeth. But it wasn’t Ares who weighed on her mind. The instinct to go where her vision indicated was so strong it pulled. Strings tightening around her heart.
29
NO HIGHER GROUND
Their caravan drove northeast, racing the dawn for higher ground. Where Athena intended to take them, there were no good trails. No cleared paths at all, save the ones made by deer. But their legs were fresh, and their fear would keep them sharp. For a little while at least.