Page 242 of Hekate: The Witch (Goddesses of the Underworld #1)

A Task

‘Why have we stopped?’

asked Hermes impatiently,

his voice curdled with annoyance.

I frowned at him,

standing beside a calm Thanatos.

Behind them my beautiful creatures

remained silent and still,

waiting for my next command.

‘It is not wise,’ I said quietly,

‘to march into a war

without intelligence or a plan.

Perhaps your sister Athena

could have told you that.’

Hermes’ eyes narrowed

with churlish impatience as he said,

‘My sister is battling monsters at present,

so we have not had the pleasure

of discussing the art of war.’

Thanatos’ voice broke between us,

his tone even, peace-making.

‘What Hekate is saying, Hermes,

is that you should use those wings

and give us some wisdom

of the view at the very top.’

To Hermes’ credit

he did not fight back.

In fact, I almost wondered

if he had been expecting this,

for he instantly looked up at Olympus

and said, ‘Do not move from here.

I will return shortly.’

And like the quicksilver tongue

he was known for,

he was gone.