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Authors: Kelly McCullough
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about ten minutes and forty-seven seconds from the time he took over to the instant when my eternal-torment regimen started. The only reason it would take even that long was that the first ten minutes would be devoted to reclaiming Persephone and . . . I shuddered. It didn’t bear thinking about. I found myself looking past Hades to his window, staring at the boy on the end of the pier again rather than looking at the death god. The boy seemed mesmerized by the water flowing beneath him.
I couldn’t blame him. Putting Hades aside, I wasn’t too keen about any of the other likely candidates for taking on the role of Necessity 2.0 either. The second woman had said there were four. That could only mean the pole powers. Fate would hand me over to Hades in an instant.
Eris I love as a sister—a completely psychotic and extremely dangerous sister. No one in their right mind would want to live in a universe ruled by Discord. Zeus? Zeus I might be able to live with, though that would likely put Athena in the role now held by the Furies—divine enforcer and cosmic sys-admin—and if she had her druthers, she’d skin me slowly. No, none of the candidates was particularly good for team Raven.
“Is there any way for me to sweeten the pot?” asked Hades, dragging my attention back to him and the office. “Special favors Necessity needs to have done before the handover? Things I could help either of you with?”
“That sounds suspiciously like an attempt at bribery,” said Megaera.
Hades nodded and opened his hands wide. “Is that a problem? Because I could always rescind the offer if you’d prefer.”
Megaera stepped forward into the frame. I could see her head, about half of her torso, and one poisonous green wing. She looked tense enough to kill—just like always.
“I’m not entirely sure I’m comfortable with the direction this conversation is taking,” she said.
“Why not?” asked Hades. “If you don’t believe that Zeus and the others will make similar offers, you don’t know them. Besides, don’t you think that your dear, dear mother would want to make sure you’re taken care of in the new regime?” He widened his eyes. “Unless you were planning on retiring as well? Surely not. With your work ethic?”
“Of course not,” said Megaera, visibly startled. “Who would handle all of the computer details and enforcement duties?”
“Well,” said Hades, sounding profoundly unctuous, “I imagine that depends on who takes up the reins. Zeus would certainly install Athena in that seat, and I frankly doubt Eris would want any administration at all.”
“Fate would keep us on,” said Megaera.
“To be sure,” replied Hades, “but only as complete puppets. Is that really what you want?”
“What we want doesn’t matter.” Megaera glanced back toward her offscreen companion.
“Right?”
“I don’t know for certain,” said the voice. “I can only speak with Necessity in special circumstances. But I can’t imagine that she would want you cast aside. She loves all her children so very much. Always has.”
There was something decidedly off about the way the voice said “all.” It made my teeth itch.
“Oh, well said.” Hades turned and grinned at the Fury. “Listen to your companion, Megaera.”
“She’s not my companion. Neither is she a friend. She is—”
“The voice of your mother ,” interjected the other, “but only in some things.” Megaera submissively bowed her head for a second, then nodded. I really wanted to see who belonged to that voice.
“So,” said Hades, “ is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all? You need but ask.” Megaera relaxed her shoulders and mutely shook her head.
“Are you sure you can’t think of something?” he asked. “Because I have a few thoughts there.
Don’t you wonder what’s become of your sister Tisiphone? What the Raven has done with her? I could possibly help you to find out. Extract some
I couldn’t blame him. Putting Hades aside, I wasn’t too keen about any of the other likely candidates for taking on the role of Necessity 2.0 either. The second woman had said there were four. That could only mean the pole powers. Fate would hand me over to Hades in an instant.
Eris I love as a sister—a completely psychotic and extremely dangerous sister. No one in their right mind would want to live in a universe ruled by Discord. Zeus? Zeus I might be able to live with, though that would likely put Athena in the role now held by the Furies—divine enforcer and cosmic sys-admin—and if she had her druthers, she’d skin me slowly. No, none of the candidates was particularly good for team Raven.
“Is there any way for me to sweeten the pot?” asked Hades, dragging my attention back to him and the office. “Special favors Necessity needs to have done before the handover? Things I could help either of you with?”
“That sounds suspiciously like an attempt at bribery,” said Megaera.
Hades nodded and opened his hands wide. “Is that a problem? Because I could always rescind the offer if you’d prefer.”
Megaera stepped forward into the frame. I could see her head, about half of her torso, and one poisonous green wing. She looked tense enough to kill—just like always.
“I’m not entirely sure I’m comfortable with the direction this conversation is taking,” she said.
“Why not?” asked Hades. “If you don’t believe that Zeus and the others will make similar offers, you don’t know them. Besides, don’t you think that your dear, dear mother would want to make sure you’re taken care of in the new regime?” He widened his eyes. “Unless you were planning on retiring as well? Surely not. With your work ethic?”
“Of course not,” said Megaera, visibly startled. “Who would handle all of the computer details and enforcement duties?”
“Well,” said Hades, sounding profoundly unctuous, “I imagine that depends on who takes up the reins. Zeus would certainly install Athena in that seat, and I frankly doubt Eris would want any administration at all.”
“Fate would keep us on,” said Megaera.
“To be sure,” replied Hades, “but only as complete puppets. Is that really what you want?”
“What we want doesn’t matter.” Megaera glanced back toward her offscreen companion.
“Right?”
“I don’t know for certain,” said the voice. “I can only speak with Necessity in special circumstances. But I can’t imagine that she would want you cast aside. She loves all her children so very much. Always has.”
There was something decidedly off about the way the voice said “all.” It made my teeth itch.
“Oh, well said.” Hades turned and grinned at the Fury. “Listen to your companion, Megaera.”
“She’s not my companion. Neither is she a friend. She is—”
“The voice of your mother ,” interjected the other, “but only in some things.” Megaera submissively bowed her head for a second, then nodded. I really wanted to see who belonged to that voice.
“So,” said Hades, “ is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all? You need but ask.” Megaera relaxed her shoulders and mutely shook her head.
“Are you sure you can’t think of something?” he asked. “Because I have a few thoughts there.
Don’t you wonder what’s become of your sister Tisiphone? What the Raven has done with her? I could possibly help you to find out. Extract some
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