Page 75 of Lost to Witchcraft

“Yes, yes, you’re very cruel and full of quips,” Hypnos poked his brother’s cheek, “The world would implode if they ever learned how romantic you are.” Thanatos’s eyes flung open at the accusation, nearly snapping his teeth at Hypnos, who burst into laughter.

“Oh, defensive are we?” He took a few steps backward, putting his hands on his hips. “What did you do with the other throne?” He cocked his head to one side, letting out a yawn. “I gave you two.”

“Is there a reason you’re here?” Thanatos narrowed his eyes and sat up straighter, staring at Hypnos.

“I wanted to be the one to tell you.” Hypnos looked nearly giddy, which was an impressive feat for him. He was more often prone to falling asleep in the middle of a conversation. If anything was holding his attention this devoutly… Thanatos groaned.

“Tell me what?” There was a beat of silence and Thanatos leveled his stare at Hypnos, who now looked like he was about to nod off where he stood. “Damn it, brother! We already have one Hermes, we don’t need two.” Thanatos couldn’t help but chuckle slightly under his breath, knowing that it was hardly Hypnos’s fault that he was the God of Sleep. Hypnos startled and shook his head rapidly to clear it, a sleepy smile crossing his face again.

“It seems like Mom and Dad have decided you need some help.” Hypnos’s joy was short-lived. Thanatos didn’t say a word as he stood up slowly. A cold, sharp wind suddenly blew through the receiving hall, making Hypnos shiver.

“They think I needhelp?”Thanatos’s eyes were now shining, a chilled, almost dead look to them. Even Hypnos quivered a little at the sight and he knew that he was probably the safest person in existence from Thanatos. Probably.

“Well, you know,” Hypnos shrugged, taking another step back, “You’re hardly ever in the Underworld. Look at you now, trying to catch a break.”

“Iwastrying to take a break,” Thanatos hissed, stepping closer to his brother. “What do you mean ‘they think I need some help’?”

Hypnos started to turn into poppies, staring with his feet, then his legs as white smoke filled the room.

“Tell me!” Thanatos barked at his dissipating brother. There was a sleepy little laugh in response, Hypnos’s voice quiet and hypnotic as he floated away.

“You’re getting a partner…” The words echoed in the hall, ringing out with Hypnos’s singsong tone, and Thanatos clenched his fists. He felt a cold rush of anger go flooding through him, and it took all of his control to avoid his deity form. All of the flames went out in the room, coating Thanatos in darkness, as he tried to keep his rage contained at the threat of his brother’s words.

There was not a chance in hell — and he knew the Underworld and all of its chances very well — that he would allow himself to be saddled with another god. Who would evenwantto work with him? Everyone feared the God of Death, he wasn’t welcome in the mortal world or on Mt. Olympus. No one would understand the intricacies that the job required him… there wasn’t a soul alive, or dead, that knew how terribly Thanatos’s heart beat for the dying. For the wounded. For the sick. He cared more for the mortal world than any god or primordial in existence.

You couldn’t care about your reputation when you were the God of the Dead, you had to ignore whateveryonesaid about you. Thanatos never cared. He cared about the dying and the dead, and easing their transition into the cradle of the Underworld. Every immortal that he had ever met worried about their reputation, they used it like currency. Hardly a year ago, his own parents had been nearly torn apart on the issue of reputation. He’d heard rumors about how even Hecate had worried about her relationship with her acolytes when she had taken a consort.

No, no, this will not do. Whoever they are, they won’t last very long. I’ll see to it.A cold, calculating smile spread across his face in the blackness, as he sat back down in his throne.

Everyone falls to their knees in front of Death eventually.