Page 47 of The Unseen Hour (The Unseen Hour Duology #1)

D eath’s whole form sparked with small arcs of lightning.

“I’ve already told you a bit about how we intervene in Rayus.

My Reapers assist your souls out of the world when they are meant to die, and I collect the dead.

That is my purpose. Life for humans is so short, and then my realm stretches for eternity.

I am responsible for souls longer than any of the other deities, which you would think would mean something. But the others …” She shrugged.

“And the other gods?”

“You’ve met Odos now. When we began, he undertook the responsibility of misfortune .

He throws obstacles into paths. He hardens hearts and deafens ears to keep them from listening to logic.

A troublemaker, all around. But he’s also a supporter of strength, so he’s handy in a war if you gain his favor. ”

I knew it.

Emrys didn’t recognize him, and a god of misfortune and war is something we’d never considered, but he’d immediately struck me as ready for battle.

“I’ve already told you of Day. Overseas birth, and that’s about it. I think you humans associate birth with growth, and tie it to harvests, and that’s how he got credit for that bit of Charon’s role. To be fair, I’d be annoyed as well.”

“And that’s all Day does?”

She shrugged, the movement stiff. It was as if Day annoyed her in particular. I supposed they were cast as opposing forces, life and Death.

“Then, there’s Grim. He oversees illnesses, injuries and the like.

He can be a healer, or usher people all the more quickly to my realm.

He’s also got an odd obsession with pretty things, so he’s the deity of art, if that means much to you.

” Her tone suggested that she didn’t think much of the power of a painting.

I silently tallied the number of gods, my mind reeling.

“And the god of the Ether?” I pressed, more interested in the enemy we faced than the others.

Death scowled, small arcs of lightning dancing across her skin.

“He was meant to nurture the world around you humans, the only one of us who did not directly interact. To support the plants and animals that surround you instead. He’s always envied my role.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around that. I loved the gardens back home, and Pellix, and the tree hoppers. It made sense, then, that the Ether allowed things to grow. That there was a wide variety of animals and intelligent creatures, not to mention both edible and deadly plants.

It was his purpose.

“And he’d rather kill people than nurture those things?”

“He’s always been jealous of me. Always wanted what he sees as a showier and grander option. I have souls the longest, and he never gets them at all. As you’ve seen, he also has an interest in music. ”

Her voice got softer, more gentle, on the last bit. She might not have thought much of art, but she clearly enjoyed music, even if she hated Charon.

I scowled. Charon’s purpose was beautiful. And honestly the one I would have wanted most if I’d been a deity myself. He hadn’t appreciated his role, and the selfish ambitions of a god I hadn’t even known existed had cost me, Emrys, and all of Rayus for too long.

“Why did we only hear about you and Day in Emrys?”

Death shrugged.

“People figured out for themselves who held the real power, and worshiped accordingly. As you can imagine, Charon gets little credit. He used to have churches, but they’ve fallen away.

Humans, if you’ll excuse my observation, tend to be inherently selfish.

Why would they heap worship on a god that didn’t directly benefit them?

Charon should have accepted his lot. The rest of us know our place. ”

I was annoyed that I felt the smallest spark of sympathy for Charon. Offering something unique and beautiful, only to be unappreciated and forgotten. Not wanted unless he could be used, unless his abilities affected lives directly.

But he’d taken things too far. He’d done too many vile things for me to be tempted to forgive him.

“You mentioned six gods. The god in the lost country? Who are they? What was their role?”

“That god, we do not speak of anymore. A betrayer to the rest of us, and what should have been a cautionary tale for Charon,” she warned.

She took a deep breath, tilting her chin up.

“Your paramour will be joining us soon. Which means I will be leaving, since Charon’s attention may wander.”

“Wait! My father, did you find him?”

“Odos pulled me from that search, but my Reapers are still working.”

“And the hundredth hour. What is Charon’s plan, if he succeeds?”

Death smiled, but the expression held no warmth.

“Destruction. He would decimate everyone you hold dear. He thinks he finally has enough souls, and he plans to challenge me for my seat. He wants my job, and he wants the souls for eternity. I don’t intend on giving them up.”

“But how would?—”

“We’re out of time. Make haste for Charon’s, and I will ensure that he stays focused elsewhere. Hurry, small human. The clock is ticking.”

Lightning struck the ground, and Death was gone.

Destruction .

That’s what she’d said. And the hour already ruled through death and fear. Charon would be able to take any soul he wanted, at any time. If he was so inclined, he could take all of them.

A chill that had nothing to do with the Ether ran down my spine.

A figure was approaching, walking through the Shades with purpose.

I retreated back to the edge of the trees, watching to see if he was winged.

As he got closer, I saw his brown hair and strong shoulders. I leapt up and ran to him. It took him a moment to notice me. Orion was scowling at the ground, shoulders hunched and jaw clenched.

When he glanced up, his eyes widened, like he hadn’t expected to find me at the edge of the Meadow.

“Ry!” I threw my arms around him, and he hesitated for a moment before embracing me. “Are you all right? What happened? ”

“Charon is … frustrated. Suspicious.” He said the words through gritted teeth, as if they cost him.

“He asked you not to discuss it?”

Pointless, since as far as Charon was concerned, he had no one to discuss it with but silent Shades. Just another sign of his twisted need for control.

I wanted to meet the god, if only once, so I could show him what I thought of him.

“Charon’s proud. I’m less a person to him and more a journal. Ironic, considering I completed one prior to arriving here. He and I have that in common, I suppose.”

“He is nothing like you!” I insisted vehemently.

“In some ways. I would never force all my secrets onto another person, but he needs to vent his thoughts, and I’m the individual available. I think he’s under the impression that if he orders me silent I can’t endanger him, or help the other gods. He’s …”

Orion grimaced, clutching his jaw like he was trying to pry it open.

My fists closed around Orion’s sleeves. Charon would pay. For Orion, his brothers, my family, and so many others.

Orion let out a breath, running his hands through his hair.

“He knows the other gods have been here?”

Ry gave a quick, tense nod.

“And he knows you’ve been helping them?”

His head jerked to the side.

“ Suspects you? Suspects they might approach you? He’s worried about your interference, at the very least?”

Another terse nod.

“He’s angry.”

Orion reached down to lift his shirt. I gasped, stepping back to find several red bruises on his side. I walked a circle and saw more on his back.

“He hurts you. Has he been hurting you this whole time? Ever since you arrived?” For a hundred years.

He dropped his shirt.

“Charon looks for ways to express his anger, and that’s often by punching or throwing things. Breaking things. Including his Head Shade.”

I clenched my fists, trembling.

“He’s going to die for this,” I hissed through clenched teeth.

“I know we need to find the other item, but he’s going to be on high alert right now. Should we wait until he drops his guard?” Orion asked.

I filled him in on Death’s visit and her promise to keep him preoccupied, potentially by working with at least one of the other deities.

“Then we go now.”

“But you’re hurt! At least use some more of the water.”

Orion shook his head.

“No. It’s good to know that Charon will be gone, but I’m still worried about his grounds. I know what Death promised, but I want to make sure you’re safely inside before we waste any more.”

I opened my mouth to protest.

“No. Listen, please. If we make it inside and nothing happens to you, I’ll take some then. Deal?”

I knew arguing with him when he thought my safety might be on the line would be a wasted endeavor.

“How long will it take us on foot?” I asked instead.

“I’m honestly not sure. I’ve never walked the entire distance,” he admitted. “The fog takes me from where I am to his gates and then returns me, typically to the Meadow.”

“Then we’d better get started.”

We made our way past the increasingly restless Shades.

If we succeeded, soon they would all be free.