Page 187 of Hekate: The Witch (Goddesses of the Underworld #1)

‘I’m Sorry’

I was so deep within the moors of my grief

I had not heard Thanatos approach.

Even though the forest was a vacuum

of such deep silence that even a twig

cracking far enough away was amplified

till it echoed within your head.

I turned at his words, and saw

he had removed his hood.

His hair was dark like his mother’s,

but shorn close to his scalp.

He rubbed his head slightly,

almost an uneasy action,

and then said again,

‘I am sorry you did not find

the answers you need.’

I stifled another sob out of pride

at his words and looked up at him.

‘I will survive.’ The words were colder

than I intended them to be,

but he nodded without flinching

at my tone. For some time

we sat there in silence,

the shrieks and sounds

of the forest beyond softening

into my haze of grief.

‘I do not know what to do,’

I said quietly, more to myself

than to him. ‘How am I to learn

my own gifts if no one will help me?’

Thanatos looked thoughtfully at me,

then crouched down next

to where I had collapsed and

lifted my chin with a gentle hand.

‘I have watched you from afar

for a long time, Hekate.’

His words made my stomach flutter,

the touch of his fingers tender.

‘Pallas forbade any of us other

than Charon from speaking to you.

So I watched you from a distance,

apart from that one time you were

with Cerberus.’

I frowned at this. ‘But why?’

He hesitated with his answer,

then stopped and rose.

It hung in the air, my question.

There are secrets Pallas

does not want me to know ,

I realized with a jolt.

But Thanatos was not done.

He stood and gave me his hand.

I took it in mine and rose to my feet.

He looked lost in thought,

then his face cleared

and after some contemplation he said,

‘Accompany me

on my duties.’

I don’t know what made me agree.

This was an odd request.

And yet, I asked no questions.

And yet, I simply said, ‘Yes.’