Page 191 of Hekate: The Witch (Goddesses of the Underworld #1)

A Boy and His Dog

The boy looked up at us

and I saw the devastation

that leaked from his sorrow-filled eyes.

He lifted the bundle towards us.

‘Please can you help him?

He is my only friend.’

My heart clutched at his words.

I knew what it was like to have

familiar love taken from you.

I turned to Thanatos,

who simply shook his head.

Of course, this was death’s duty.

But I had to help this boy,

even if it was just a kind word.

So I knelt into the hot sand

and reached for the small animal.

‘I am so sorry,’ I whispered,

as he drew his final breath.

My hand felt him go still.

The boy’s sobs turned into a wail.

But then, just as his heart broke…

A spark inside the animal grew

till it began to glow red and gold.

The pup took a deep breath

and as though the last moments

had not even happened,

he leapt out of the boy’s arms

into mine and began

to lick my face.

I sat there, shocked,

as the boy whooped with joy,

picking the little dog up

and holding him tight.

‘Careful,’ I heard Thanatos say.

‘You do not want to squeeze

the life he just got back out of him.’

The boy nodded and set

the wriggling pup on the ground

where he ran circles around us.

Thanatos smiled and knelt

so the pup could rush towards him.

The boy took my hands and kissed them.

‘Lady Goddess, thank you,

thank you, thank you

for bringing Argos back to me!’

I numbly shook my head,

‘No… I am no Goddess. I did nothing.’

I felt Thanatos’ hand on my shoulder.

‘Hekate, you did.

You brought that animal

back to life.’

The boy beamed. ‘Goddess Hekate,

when I am King of Ithaca,

we will raise a statue in your name.’

I managed a smile,

I could not imagine

what he possibly meant,

but he had called me Goddess.

‘Thank you,’ I whispered,

unable to think of anything else.

‘And what is your name?’

My voice wobbled this out.

The pup was now racing

around us barking playfully.

It wanted to go

and play, it seemed.

The boy stood up

and gently helped me to my feet.

‘My name is Prince Odysseus

and this is my dog Argos.’

Years from now, the poets

won’t tell this story.

But Odysseus’ name will be

as immortal as any God’s.