Than led Therese into the banquet hall where an oblong table of gold with twelve matching ornate chairs stretched the expanse of the room. Unlike the assembly hall, this room did not open to the sky, and the white ceiling was trimmed in golden crown molding on which was painted a continuous grapevine. In the center of the ceiling hung an enormous gold and crystal chandelier, with five gradated layers of circular curtains made of teardrop crystals. Than pulled out a chair for Therese, and they sat together on the farthest end of the table, where Hestia now entered from another door to bring them plates of food.
“Mortals are not allowed to eat the food of gods,” Hestia said, “but I hope you will find this meal of vegetables and rice the next best thing.” Hestia laid out the food along with a basket of rolls and a cup of butter as Therese thanked her over and over. Hestia returned with cups of wine. “This will help you sleep.”
Therese ate even though she wasn’t hungry. She knew she needed to keep her strength. She was so nervous that she couldn’t really taste the food. The wine, though, tasted strong and she couldn’t decide if she liked it, but she forced the entire glass down. She wanted to sleep.
As she ate with one hand, she held Than’s hand with the other. She couldn’t touch him enough. This might be their last night together. As a soul in the Underworld without freedom and personality, she would no longer be attractive to him, and, because of the River of Forgetfulness, she would likely no longer appreciate him. Although she was frightened, she ate for strength, and she tried to savor every bite, every moment of this last meal, this final night.
“I will be there watching over you,” Than said. “I will be the one shouting the loudest.”
She gave him a brave smile. “Just think, tomorrow I may be a god like you, and we can begin our life of eternity together.”
He smiled back. “You’re right to think positive.” He stroked her hair and kissed the hand he held with his.
Therese frowned.
“What?” Than touched the lines on her forehead. “What happened to your positive thoughts?”
“I’m worried about my aunt. I wish I could get a message to her. She’ll be wondering where I am, freaking out, probably assuming the bad guys have captured me.”
“I’ve already thought of that.” He gave her a wry smile.
“What? What did you do?”
“I called Jen and asked her to call your aunt and tell her you were spending the night with her. I told Jen that you and I wanted to spend as much time together as possible before I leave. Jen was glad to do it.”
“Jen thinks I’m staying with you at the Melner cabin?”
He nodded.
“She probably thinks we’re, I mean, I bet she suspects we…”
“What?” He gave her a flirtatious smile.
Therese’s appetite returned, and she popped part of a roll into her mouth.
Before they had finished their meal, Zeus entered the banquet hall and approached the end of the table where the two of them sat. Therese worried she was sitting in his seat and started to get up from her chair, but Than, holding her hand, kept her down.
Zeus wore a robe of gold silk, and a golden crown adorned his head. His brown hair was cropped short, but, despite his beauty, his beard appeared unruly, reminding her of a brown version of the beard of Santa Clause. “I have a gift for you, too,” he said. “You are a brave mortal, one of the bravest to cross my path. If you wish, once you have eaten your fill, it would be my pleasure if Thanatos would accompany you on a ride of my most treasured steed, Pegasus.”
Therese squealed with delight. “Oh my God! That would be so awesome! Really? We can ride Pegasus? Oh, Than, let’s go! I can’t eat another bite!”
Zeus’s laughter thundered through the room as Hestia came in to clear the plates and glasses. Therese thanked Hestia once again, and then she and Than followed Zeus to the stables.
Pegasus’s coat was so white that it glowed like the headlight of a car, and Therese couldn’t look directly at it. Squinting, she reached her hand to stroke his flanks.
“Unlike the other gods, he can’t shift into a form that would benefit your eyes. His brightness, though, isn’t as bright as ours, so you can handle it, right?”
“Yes, if I squint.” She stroked his mane.
“He’s saying how good that feels,” Than translated. “Apparently he hasn’t been petted in a while.”
This made Therese that much more determined to give him a good brushing. She asked for a brush, and, to her surprise, Cupid appeared with a golden one. She took it, thanked him, and he disappeared.
“He’s practically purring,” Than said as she brushed Pegasus. “But don’t exhaust yourself. You have a big day tomorrow.”
“Such a kind and giving heart,” Zeus muttered. “It’s too bad. Well, I’m off. See you tomorrow. Thanatos, I trust you to bring Pegasus back in one piece.”
“Yes, sir,” Than replied.
As soon as they were alone, Than took Therese in his arms and pressed his warm lips to hers, then to her cheeks, and then her neck. A sigh escaped her, and then a moan, as desire swept through her. But Than stopped and looked at her. “I know how badly you want to take this ride on Pegasus, so finish brushing, and let’s go. But hurry. I’m jealous of the pleasure you’re giving him.”
Therese giggled and arched one of her brows.
Because Pegasus wore no saddle and tack, Than helped Therese mount his white bare back just behind his wings. Than then climbed behind her and asked Pegasus to give them a tour of the skies above the mountain range. Although Therese was excited, she recalled what happened the last time she rode a horse, and she filled with anxiety. This is different, she told herself. Pegasus is immortal and he knows what to do. I don’t have to control him.
At Than’s request, Pegasus went into a canter across the golden-paved plaza and then, just as Therese thought they would crash into the chariot shed, he lifted up into the sky.
Than explained that the sun always shone above Olympus, but Pegasus would take them over and outside of the wall of clouds so they could see the stars and moon and natural landscape.
The rush over the wall of clouds brought a scream of exhilaration from Therese’s lips. Then suddenly the day was night and the stars, so close and numerous, illuminated the mountaintops below. Than pointed out Mytikas, the highest peak, and pointed to the city of Macedonia, its bright lights illuminating the dark night, and the small village of Litohoro, where little lines of smoke rose from rooftop chimneys. Therese felt a sinking feeling in her chest at the view of all those homes in the village, because it made her think of her home and how, no matter what happened on the battlefield tomorrow, she would never see it again.
Than sensed this change in her mood. “Are you ready to go back?”
She nodded and held on as Pegasus plunged back over the wall of clouds to the palace of the gods.
Once Pegasus had been returned to the stables and thanked again and again by Therese, Than led Therese back up the rainbow steps into the palace walls. He took her past the foyer and into the assembly hall, where Hades’s throne had vanished back into the marble floor, or perhaps all the way down to the Underworld, Therese didn’t know which. Than explained that each of the gods possessed a private chamber behind his or her throne, and he led her now past Poseidon’s throne to the chamber door. When he opened it, they saw Demeter and Persephone sitting in chairs. Persephone held glass bottles filled with colorful liquids, and Demeter held two white towels draped over one arm.
“We’ve drawn your bath,” Persephone said, standing from the chair.
Demeter also stood. “It’s this way, in Poseidon’s spa.”
“I’ll meet you back here in a while,” Than said. Then he kissed her cheek and vanished.
The walls of Poseidon’s chamber were lined with pale blue silk curtains gathered in pleats as if to simulate the sea. His canopy bed lay in the center of the room, and white gauze, like foam from the sea, hung from the canopy down in piles on the floor. The bed coverings were also white and looked to be made of silk. Green tassels, like seaweed, skirted the bed.
“Athena just dressed the bed with her new sheets,” Persephone said. The goddess was small, petite, and not quite what Therese expected the Queen of the Underworld to look like.
“Artemis left her pillow there for you,” Demeter added. She was only a few inches taller than her daughter and also petite. For the goddess of earth, or agriculture, Therese had expected a mountain of a woman.
Persephone pulled back one curtain of gauze to expose the pillow. “And Aphrodite placed her eye mask on top of Artemis’s pillow.” The white silk object looked like a luxurious comfort on this solemn, dreadful night.
As Demeter opened the door to Poseidon’s spa, she said, “Hera came by, too, and left a nightgown for you to wear. She said it will protect you from any god wishing to force his way on you tonight. Although it’s magical, you can change out of it in the morning so as not to break any of the rules of your battle. It only works while worn.”
Therese hadn’t thought of that. She couldn’t imagine one of these noble gods—except maybe Ares—trying such an ignoble act. Then she recalled Athena’s story about Daphne, the maiden with whom her brother Apollo once desired and how she would rather be a tree than face the wrath of jealous female divinities. Apparently some male gods had problems with fidelity.
Persephone took Therese’s hand and led her into the spa.
The spa was amazing. She wondered as she gazed at the huge tub if all the gods had such elaborate baths or if the one belonging to the god of the sea was special. The tub was shaped like an open clam. The bottom shell was filled with water, and the top shell was a mirror. Persephone emptied one of the colorful liquids into the water, creating a mound of foamy bubbles that glinted with the light thrown off by the many candles lit throughout the otherwise darkened room.
“We’ll leave while you undress and climb beneath the bubbles,” Persephone said. “We want to give you some time to yourself, but we’ll return in a little while to wash your hair and to give you a facial and hand massage.”
Therese’s brow flew up. “Are you serious? I’m getting a facial and massage by goddesses? Oh my. Thank you sooooo much!” She couldn’t believe it. Then she realized why she was getting such special treatment. They all expected her to lose, and they felt sorry for her.
She clutched the locket around her neck and wished she were home in her own bed, in he own bathroom.
Then she thought of Than and her love for him strengthened her. She would show them.
After undressing and using the other facilities—so gods do use the restroom!—Therese climbed into the clam-shaped tub and moaned with pleasure at the warm and soothing water. She was able to stretch her body straight, and a soft waterproof pillow, also shaped like an open clam, but turned on its side, held her head in place.
Now that she was alone, her thoughts went to the impending battle, and the fears took possession of her. She gnawed on the inside of her lip as she tried to relax. She could have chosen the first option and be in her own bed right now. She’d have Clifford curled beside her, Puffy running in his wheel across the room, and Jewels poking her head above the plastic walls of her little house. Therese’s aunt would be downstairs, her best friend would be down the road, and Pete would be there to comfort her, to love her, and to make her happy.
But McAdams might come after her aunt.
And her parents wouldn’t be there.
And she wanted Than.
She wasn’t sure how she had gotten to this point where she felt like she couldn’t live without Than. She wondered if Cupid had pierced her heart or if this was her own doing. But, regardless of who was to blame, she loved him, and she could not imagine life without him.
She closed her eyes and prayed, “Than, come back for just a minute. Give me a quick kiss, and then leave before your mom and grandma return. Please, oh please, come back.”
When she opened her eyes, he was there beside the tub sitting on a marble bench shaped like a fish. His hair was wet, and he had changed from the open white shirt and trousers to a pale blue of similar design. The blue in the cloth brought out the crystal blue of his eyes, which sparkled with the reflection of the candlelight.
He leaned over the water, slowly, taking in the view of her, though her body was covered by bubbles—perhaps it was just the idea that she was naked—and ever so slowly, too slowly, oh please don’t make me wait, he touched his lips to hers and swept her mouth, her cheek, her chin, her neck with the warmth and moisture of his mouth and tongue. She fought the urge to pull him down into the bath with her as she took fistfuls of his wet hair and kept his face to hers. When she pressed her mouth more firmly to his, he vanished, her hands suspended in empty air, and Persephone and Demeter entered the room.
Talk about frustration.
But her frustration was soon replaced by pleasure as Persephone took Therese’s long hair and bundled it in her hands, working through a freshly scented shampoo.
“Is that oranges I smell?” Therese muttered like one drugged.
“Mm-hmm,” Persephone softly replied.
Persephone massaged her scalp, sending chills down Therese’s neck and back. Then Demeter was at her right hand massaging lotion into the palm, between the fingers, along the back of the hand and wrist.
“Oh my god-desses,” she moaned.
The other hand received the same treatment as Persephone rinsed the shampoo and now lathered in a conditioner, more scents of citrus wafting through the room. Again Persephone massaged her scalp, and Demeter continued to knead her palm, squeeze her fingers.
“I will let the conditioner sit in your hair a few minutes while I apply the exfoliating mask to your face,” Persephone explained.
Now Persephone was massaging Therese’s forehead, temples, cheekbones, jaw.
“Oh,” Therese sighed.
Demeter placed Therese’s left hand back in the tub and Persephone finished applying the mask.
“When the mask feels dry, wash it off and rinse your hair,” Persephone instructed her.
“You’ll find your towels on the bench to your right,” Demeter said. “And the gown from Hera is hanging on the back of the door.”
Another woman entered the room and said to Persephone, “Thanatos wishes to speak with you, my lady.”
“Thank you, Hecate.” Persephone turned back to Therese. “Good luck to you, sweet girl.”
“Thanks so much,” Therese managed to say. Tears pricked her eyes. Perhaps she had already died and gone to heaven!
The three figures vanished from the room and left Therese alone.
After a few moments, Therese dried and put on the white silk gown from Hera and extinguished the candles the goddesses had lit. Then she left the spa and went to the large canopy bed in the middle of Poseidon’s chamber where a small bedside lamp in the shape of a mermaid had been left on for her. She pulled back a fluffy down comforter and silk white top sheet, moved the eye mask from the goose feather pillow, and climbed inside the bed and pulled the covers over her. Her whole body relaxed. Every muscle, every bone, every neuron firing at the synapse seemed to respond to the most comfortable bed and sheets and pillow she had ever slept on. She put the eye mask aside for now and prayed for Than to return.
He was there beside her in an instant, and a good thing, too, for she had nearly fallen asleep. He lay above the covers and she below, like the last time they spent the night together. He stroked her wet hair.
“You smell so good,” he said. “And you feel so soft.”
She reached her arms up and took his face in her hands. “This may be our last night together,” she whispered. “So I want you to…”
“Shhh,” he whispered, putting a finger to her lips. “Don’t talk like that. What happened to being positive? I know what you want, and believe me, I want it to, but I won’t give it to you tonight. You have to wait, to fight for it.” He kissed her, and kissed her, and then he groaned, “So you better win.”
She kissed him back, ran her fingers through his now dry hair, and took pleasure in his caresses. They caressed one another for several more minutes, neither really wanting to stop, but both knowing it would be better in the end. Then she put on Aphrodite’s eye mask and snuggled against his chest just as the most beautiful music she had ever heard began to sound through the walls. Apollo played the lyre and Hermes the pipe, and the beautiful melodies lifted her spirits again and carried her to heights of optimism that gave her the feeling, as Than lay there stroking her hair, that nothing could stop her now.
Soon after, she fell asleep.