The Gatekeeper's Sons Read online

  Chapter Thirty-Nine: More Gifts

  “Then let us proceed,” Zeus commanded, lifting his arms.

  “Wait!” Than objected. “Permission to speak, Lord Zeus.”

  “Permission granted.”

  “Both of the prisoners are exhausted and hungry. Ares will see a better fight if he permits them one more meal and night of rest.” He looked at the other gods and then back at Therese, unable to believe that it had come to this.

  “Hear, hear!” several shouted all at once.

  “Agreed!” Ares said. “The battle should begin in twelve hours. That will give Hephaestus plenty of time to wield two equal weapons and two equal shields all made from the same metal.”

  “But before we adjourn,” Hades said, “I need clarification. Ares said the gods may watch and make suggestions but not intervene. Specifics, please.”

  Everyone turned to Ares. “Yes. We need specifics,” Ares agreed. “We shall be an audience like that in the Roman coliseum of old. We can watch from our thrones and shout our suggestions and encouragement. But no gifts shall we give them! No magic help at all! We may encourage and offer guidance, but the humans must fight without magic. Are all agreed? Are these rules specific enough?”

  “Hear, hear!” several exclaimed.

  “Agreed!” Hades said above them all. “Now remove the net from your prisoner!”

  As soon as the golden net vanished, Therese flung her arms around Than. “I’m so sorry!”

  He held her tight and dipped his head to kiss her shoulder, feeling that this would be the last, the very last chance he would have to hold her as she truly was, as a full and complete being. He felt tears stinging his eyes and desperation gripping his heart. He had come so close to finding love and happiness for all eternity. So close. He would have been better to never have met her. Then he wouldn’t now be possessed by such pain and anguish.

  “Why are you sorry? I’m the one who got you into this disaster!” He held her more tightly. “You chose to fight to be with me. If gods could die, I would die right now of grief.”

  “You have a lot of confidence in me,” Therese said.

  Aphrodite’s weeping continued to sound throughout the hall.

  “I’m sorry,” Than replied. “I shouldn’t be so pessimistic. Of course you have a chance of winning.”

  “It’s slim, but it’s there,” she murmured.

  Others had gathered around them, so she lifted her face from Than’s and separated her body from his. He felt he would cry.

  Poseidon spoke first. “You may sleep in my chambers, Therese. I prefer my palace beneath the sea.” He gave her a friendly smile and touched her shoulder in a fatherly way.

  “That’s so nice of you,” she said meekly.

  “And I will weave you fresh sheets from silk,” Athena said. “They will help you sleep.” Athena fingered the locket around Therese’s neck. “Like this gift, they are not magical, only comfortable and soothing. I will have them ready in an hour.”

  It brought Than great pleasure to see the goddess’s support of Therese.

  “I’m so grateful,” Therese said.

  “And I will serve you a delicious, filling meal,” Hestia said, with eyes that were pools of chocolate. “Just come to the banquet hall when you are ready to eat.”

  “Thank you,” Therese said to Hestia, whose red hair reminded Than of Therese’s.

  To Than, she said, without speaking, “I’m so sorry. She’s so lovely.”

  “And you shall use my pillow,” Artemis offered to Therese. “It is made of the softest goose feathers.” Artemis’s evergreen eyes against her fair skin stood out like the first leaves do in the melting spring snow.

  “That sounds lovely,” Therese said. “Thanks so much.”

  To Than’s mind, Artemis communicated, “She is strong. Stay hopeful.”

  “And I will play my lyre in my chamber beside yours,” Apollo said to Therese. “You will hear the soft lullaby through the walls.”

  Than was overwhelmed by the support of so many. Apollo was a great ally, and Than would remember this.

  “That would be comforting,” Therese said in her sweet voice.

  Apollo’s mind was full of sympathy for Than, “Hold her while you can.”

  “And I shall harmonize on my pipe,” Hermes said, “from the chamber on the other side.”

  Hermes winked at her, like a kind uncle, and Than felt himself moved by his generosity.

  “Thank you so much,” she said. “I’m truly grateful.”

  Aphrodite wiped her beautiful eyes and said, “And I will lend you my silk eye mask. It will keep light away and soothe your tired eyes.”

  Therese said, “Oh, I will definitely need that. Thank you.”

  To Than, Aphrodite silently communicated, “I am full of the greatest sorrow.”

  “And before you sleep,” Persephone said to Therese, “my mother and I shall bathe you in warm mineral water to relax your tired bones.”

  Both mother and daughter, with their long hair of corn and their deep chestnut eyes, put a hand on Therese’s shoulders, and Than saw the family they might have made.

  “That sounds so nice. I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

  Hades took his wife in his arms and kissed her cheek. “Lovely idea, my love.”

  Persephone gave her husband a smile.

  Demeter asked Therese, “Would you prefer to bathe before or after you eat?”

  “After, please. I have a feeling I will want to go immediately to bed after such a treat, though I’m not sure I’ll be able to eat.”

  McAdams stood alone except for Ares, who spoke to him in quiet tones, and Than noticed Therese was looking at him with astonishingly kind eyes.

  “You don’t feel sorry for the murderer, do you?” he asked softly.

  “Of course not. But this doesn’t seem fair, the gods giving me attention. When I kill him, I don’t want Ares to have any room to contest my win.”

  Hades put a hand on Therese’s shoulder. “The prisoner reaps the harvest of the evil character he has sown. If none help him but Ares, McAdams can only blame himself. He has free will. Ares never forced him to do his evil deeds.”

  Therese nodded.

  “I must return to my kingdom,” Hades said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I must go as well,” Poseidon said. “But I, too, will return tomorrow.”

  “Goodbye and thanks again.”

  Than stood with her in the great hall as the gods made their exit. He was grateful for a little more time, but the anguish was almost unbearable. He took her face in his hands and gently put his lips to hers as tears welled in his eyes and fell down his cheeks.