Than wrapped his arms around Therese. She leaned into him and closed her eyes with exhaustion. The ground beneath her shifted. When she opened her eyes, she was back on Mount Olympus inside the assembly hall standing—leaning, really, on Than—in the center of the court. Everything had returned to its original luster. The white marble floors were no longer a clearing on a platform above woods with ants burrowing near her feet. The tree stumps had returned to elaborate thrones, and all of the gods were seated on them, except for Than, who held her in his arms.
The mangled body of McAdams was no longer in sight, and through the foyer, Therese could see the golden whale fountain spraying up its heavenly water with its magnificent rainbow on top. Although she couldn’t see it, she imagined the battlefield had disappeared and had been replaced with the giant wall of clouds surrounding the palace.
“Fellow gods and goddesses,” Zeus said from his position on his throne. “I motion that we take some time to contemplate the decision before us, to rest after so many hours of sitting here watching with anxiety, and to eat the comforting foods we love. Does anyone second my motion?”
“I second it,” Aphrodite said.
“All agreed?” Zeus asked.
“Aye.”
“All opposed?”
No one, not even Ares, objected. Therese suspected he wanted time to think of some really good punishment for her.
“Good,” Zeus said. “We will reconvene in two hours.”
The gods and goddesses stood up from their thrones, but unlike the day before, when they had eagerly gathered around her professing their gifts, none but Aphrodite approached her and Than.
“They are all disappointed in me,” Therese muttered as she watched them quietly leave the assembly hall.
Than and Aphrodite both looked down to the marble floor.
“And you are disappointed, too,” Therese said.
Than tightened his hold on her. “I won’t lie and say I’m not disappointed. We could be husband and wife and spending eternity together right this instant.” He sighed.
“I should have had Cupid pierce your heart days ago,” Aphrodite said to Therese. “You wouldn’t have hesitated for the sake of love.”
Than swallowed hard. “No. I wouldn’t allow it, and even now, as things turned out, I don’t regret my decision. I wanted her to love me without Cupid’s help.”
Therese bit her lip. “You think I don’t love you enough? You think that’s why I didn’t kill him?”
Aphrodite lowered her eyes to give them privacy.
Than pulled Therese against him and kissed away her lines of worry. He kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks, and her mouth. “No,” he finally said. “I know you love me. You wouldn’t have chosen to fight otherwise. You could have gone free.”
She leaned her head against his chest. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t go through with it.”
“I’m not,” he said, and he kissed the top of her hair. “Your mercy and compassion are part of why I love you so much. You’re so different from my father and sisters. They want justice at any price. But you, my sweet Therese, you love and respect life.”
“How ironic that she would fall in love with Death,” Aphrodite murmured. “Listen, I will leave you two alone, but first I have to do something about Therese’s appearance. Just look at yourself.”
She pulled a mirror from the air and held it before Therese.
Therese shuddered at her reflection. Twigs and leaves were tangled in her wild hair, her face was smeared with dirt, her bra, which was once white, was a dull gray and stained with sweat, and her jeans were dirty and torn. She looked like a savage.
Instantly Aphrodite made Therese clean and fresh, dressed in a beautiful gown of pale blue silk. Her red curls were swept up in an arrangement on her head, jewels hung from her ears and around her wrist. Her golden locket from Athena sparkled with polish on her throat. Silver sandals adorned her feet.
“Just like Cinderella,” she laughed. Then, more seriously, she said, “Thank you, Aphrodite.”
The goddess of love smiled and replied, “Although foremost I want you to look spectacular during your final moments with Thanatos, I also suspect the other gods might have more mercy on you looking so angelic.”
“You’re probably right,” Therese said. “Thank you.”
Aphrodite turned and left the hall.
“Hungry?” Than asked her when they were alone.
She shook her head. “I just ate a ton of fruit. Can we just sit down for a while?”
“You’re tired, I’m sure.”
“Yeah. I’m pretty tired, but I’m too nervous to sleep.”
“I could take you for a ride on my father’s chariot.”
“I doubt your father would allow that.”
“I won’t ask him.”
“You think that’s wise?”
He shrugged. “I know my father. His mind is made up. Our little ride won’t change anything. Besides, I could pop to your house, gather the items you want to give to charity, and pop them back into the chariot. We have two hours. This may be our last chance to get them to the goddesses’ charities.”
“And that could sway their decision today.”
“Possibly.”
She laughed.
“What?”
“It just seems odd to use your father’s fancy golden chariot to deliver my parents’ old clothes to charities.”
He gave her a hug.
“Could I see my aunt and uncle?”
Than shook his head. “No. You’ll have to remain in the chariot over Mount Olympus. I’ll make a few trips back and forth with the bags and boxes while you hang out overhead.”
Than and Therese went down the rainbow steps, into the golden-paved plaza, and to the stables to the back stall where Swift and Sure, Hades’s black stallions, were boarded. Therese stroked their necks and spoke to them in soft tones. The feel of the animals soothed her.
“They love you already,” Than laughed.
Than led Swift and Therese led Sure across the plaza to the chariot shed where Cupid helped them bridle the horses for their journey.
“This is our secret, Cupid,” Than said, and Cupid winked in reply.
Hades’s golden chariot had a bench seat like Poseidon’s, but there was a second bench in back as well. And where Poseidon had trim of waves and ornaments of marine life, Hades’s chariot was trimmed with golden flames.
Therese and Than sat beside one another. Than took the reins. Like a shot of lightning, they darted out of the shed and into the sky, high above Mount Olympus. Than put an arm around Therese’s shoulders and she curled against him. She wished this moment could last forever, but it seemed to pass by too quickly. Than slowed the chariot down to an easy glide and it hovered, like a hot air balloon, far above the palace.
“I’m so glad to get away for a little while and have a few moments alone with you,” Therese said softly. “I have a feeling Ares may insist I be condemned to death, which I really don’t mind. I look forward to seeing my parents. But I am so sorry I won’t be the same, for your sake.”
“I’ll love you no matter what,” he murmured. “Don’t think about that now.” He leaned over and kissed her.
She squared herself to him, taking his face in both her hands. Oh, how she would miss these kisses! She moved her fingers over his face—his cheeks, his jaw, his sexy brow. “I won’t forget this face. The Lethe River will not make me forget your beautiful face!” She kissed him again.
“I don’t think you’ll be condemned to death,” Than said. “So quit thinking about that now. Just kiss me.”
She kissed him, eagerly, but then she pulled back. “You don’t think they’ll make me a god, do you?”
He shook his head sadly. “No. My father swore an oath on the river Styx. You won’t be made a god.” He kissed her forehead. “But if they release you, I promise I’ll come back for you, not to guide your soul to the dead, but to make you my queen. I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I swear I’ll find a way.”
“You think they’re going to release me, back to my home in Colorado?” This thought had not occurred to her. It didn’t sound like such a terrible option to her anymore. She missed her aunt, and she missed Clifford, Puffy, and Jewels. She missed Jen and her other friends. She missed her cabin across from the lake.
“I shouldn’t have told you that. I don’t want to build up your hopes in case it goes otherwise. But I don’t think Artemis, Apollo, Athena, and Aphrodite will stand for your murder. And Zeus will side with them over the others.”
“What about Hades and Ares? They both want me dead now!”
“I don’t know. That’s our biggest concern. But, please, please shut up and kiss me.”
After a long, luscious kiss that set Therese’s soul on fire, Than said, “Hold that thought while I get the donations.”
“You’re going to leave me up here by myself?”
“Swift and Sure will take care of you. And I’ll only be gone a few seconds at a time.” He kissed her and then vanished.
Instantly he returned with a black yard bag full of her parents’ clothes in each hand. He made several such trips until the chariot was overflowing. Then Than took up the reins and told the horses to head for the island of Cyprus.
The rocky shoreline came into view within a matter of seconds. Than pulled the chariot to a stop just above an enormous stone castle. Then, leaving Therese inside the chariot once again to hover in the sky, he disappeared and reappeared several times as he unloaded half of the donations with the society devoted to Aphrodite’s annual festival. Then Than returned to the chariot and did the same for Athena’s charity in Acropolis.
When they returned to the skies above Mount Olympus, they still had time to cuddle and kiss in the chariot before the court would reconvene.
“Now, where were we?” Than asked with a husky voice as he covered her lips with his.
“Mmm,” Therese sighed. “I don’t want to ever forget this moment. She was still fairly sure she would be condemned to die and taken on the Lethe River—the river of forgetfulness—to the Elysian Fields. “I won’t allow myself to forget how good it feels to be in your arms, to be kissed by you.”
A trumpet sounded throughout the air, and Therese immediately thought of her friend Ray, who played the trumpet in her high school band. Next she thought of Todd and his ostentatiously high truck. She thought of Vicki in the wake of her mother’s suicide. And she thought of Jen, Bobby, Pete, and Mrs. Holt all doing their best to deal with their fragmented family as it tried to piece itself back together again.
Than pulled the chariot back into the shed and left the horses for Cupid to tend to and then gave Therese his hand and led her from the chariot, past the fountain, up the rainbow steps, and into the assembly hall where all the gods awaited on their thrones.
Hades gave his son a look of admonition as Than led Therese to the center of the court.
Therese felt her whole body quaking. This was it.
Zeus cleared his throat. “The first to speak on the matter at hand shall be Ares.”
“Look at her standing there so lovely,” Ares said sharply, standing from his throne and walking toward her. “No doubt Aphrodite’s doing. Therese Mills, by appearances, could, perhaps, fit in among us gods. But Hades swore an oath on the river Styx, and no oath sworn on that river leading to his kingdom has ever, since the beginning of time, been broken. We must not allow him to make her like us no matter how badly his son desires it. She shall not be made the queen of Death!
“In addition, Hades should be punished for his interference. Who knows what different outcome might have been prevented by his hasty action? Not only shall she not become a god, but Hades must be made to swear that if any of us were ever persuaded to retrieve her from the Underworld,” here Ares looked directly at Than, “that Hades would send the Maenads to rip the offending god to shreds once a year, just as they once ripped Orpheus when he stormed back to the Underworld for Eurydice the second time.”
A gasp echoed through the court, and all the gods and goddesses looked at one another with solemn eyes as Ares returned to his throne.
Then Zeus said, “Hades, what do you have to say?”
Hades stood up. His eyes looked around the court and fell on his son, standing beside Therese. “It pains me to see my son so unhappy. Therese could have helped us all to avoid this had she done the deed herself. It’s true I struck the final blow that killed McAdams, but only because I owed it to my souls, her parents, who deserved to be avenged.
“It is because of her cowardice that we stand here, indecisive. I agree with Ares that she should not become like us. I accept the punishment of sending the Maenads to rip apart any who would drag her from my kingdom. But I wish Ares and the rest of you to consider this: Does this girl, though cowardly, deserve to die? I pride myself on my just ways, and I say to you today, we should send her to her mortal home alive. Believe me, Ares, you who crave victory over me, she will suffer far more alive than in the Elysian Fields frolicking with her parents among the asphodel. You took away her parents, and now we take away her one true love if we condemn her to life, far away from Death. Believe me, Ares, when I say she will suffer.” Hades returned to his seat.
Zeus then asked, “Poseidon? Have you any words regarding her? She was your prisoner.”
Poseidon stood. “I agree with Hades. Send the girl to her mortal home alive.” He returned to his seat.
“Hear, hear!” other gods and goddesses shouted.
“Send her home alive!” Artemis said.
“Send the girl home!” Athena echoed.
“Send the girl home alive!” others shouted.
“Ares?” Zeus asked. “What say you?”
Ares stood from his throne and took a few steps toward Therese. “You made me promise on the river Styx to protect your loved ones if you chose the third option, which you did, and so I do, but I did not promise to protect you! Send her back a mortal girl to her mortal home, as Hades has said. Let her suffer in life without Death.”
Applause rang out among the gods.
“On one condition!” Ares shouted.
The Olympians quieted down to listen to Ares’s next words.
“I will agree to let her live if everyone here swears on the River Styx not to make this girl like us. She must live as a mortal and die as a mortal and none of us shall change that.”
The gods and goddesses stole glances at one another, some content, others outraged.
“Shall Ares be called the king of Olympia now?” Poseidon asked. “How is it your son can make such demands, brother?”
Zeus plunged a thunder bolt down to earth and shouted, “How dare you!”
Therese wasn’t sure if Zeus was mad at Ares or Poseidon, but the mystery was solved when Zeus turned his angry face toward his brother.
“Ares has every right to ensure a fair outcome, Poseidon. Do you not see how this girl’s life is an affront to him, who was promised that by her hand alone his servant, McAdams, would be destroyed?”
Poseidon gritted his teeth but held his tongue.
“I say we honor my son’s request. What say you, Hades?”
Hades clenched his fists at his side and gave Therese a nasty glare. “It’s just. I agree with Ares.”
“Then it’s done,” Zeus said. “Let us swear.”
“I swear,” the Olympian voices rang, Than’s among them.
Therese looked at Than with mixed feelings. “I don’t want to leave you,” she said to him. “Can’t you please take me with you?”
“I’ll come back for you, somehow some way, I promise. I will never give up. I will spend your whole life finding a way to make you my queen.”
“Don’t take too long.” She reached her lips to his, but before she made contact, he and the assembly hall and all the gods disappeared, and she found herself standing on the gravelly drive to her house.