Chapter 6
Chapter six
HYPNOS
Hypnos lounged on the sofa, pretending nothing would interrupt his solitude. No one would invade his quiet, empty home.
But his peace would be shattered, and by a human, of all things. He should’ve refused outright, shutting down his brother’s request when his twin asked for help.
That hesitation ate away at him now.
He’d been waiting for Thanatos to get in touch, to say he didn’t need him. But nothing came. No messages. No updates. There were other beings in the world who’d know more about curses than Hypnos could dream of. It was possible his brother didn’t need his help after all.
Thanatos was too considerate to leave him waiting. His brother was fine. He had to be.
Shaking off his unease, Hypnos pushed himself up from the couch. He might as well prepare. He stepped into the guest room. There was only a simple wooden dresser and a bed, both unused for decades. He covered the mattress with pink bedding, then changed the room’s wallpaper to match.
Human women liked pink, right? He frowned at the bright hue. It would do.
His gaze wandered to the dresser. Should he add flowers or a small touch to make the room less impersonal? No, that would send the wrong message. He didn’t want to make her so comfortable she’d want to stay. This was temporary.
Satisfied, he left the room, his footsteps the only sound in the house.
His empty house.
The sound hit him harder than it should have. He tried to ignore it, but the awareness lingered. Soon, it wouldn’t be so silent. The thought sent a ripple of nervous excitement through him.
He was almost back at his couch when he sensed a change in the room. He wasn’t alone.
Hypnos conjured a dagger and spun—and came face to face with Anubis standing in his home, carrying a sleeping human in his arms.
He dismissed the weapon, ignoring the warmth he felt at seeing his friend.
Anubis wore a broad grin, looking far too entertained. No doubt hoping for a fight.
Hypnos glanced at the girl, noting how small she appeared in the god’s grasp before dismissing her. “You could’ve warned me,” he griped. “What if I’d attacked before recognizing you?”
Anubis chuckled, adjusting the girl so her head rested near his neck. “And where is the fun in that?”
Hypnos shook his head, regretting his decision to help his brother even more. This favor would cost him.
“Come on,” he said, leading the way to the guest room. “Put her down before something happens to her. Thanatos will wring your neck if she dies because you were looking for a fight.”
Anubis followed, careful not to bump her against the door frame as he went in. Amusement still shone in his eyes. When he saw the bright pink bedding, he snorted. “You know, not all women enjoy the color pink, right?”
Hypnos didn’t bother answering. She’d have to manage with what she got. He leaned on the doorframe, watching Anubis place her in the center of the bed with surprising care.
“Did you or Thanatos give her something to keep her asleep?”
“No; she has been out since he rescued her.” Anubis pulled back, frowning. “From what Than said, she seemed exhausted.”
That was easy enough to fix. Hypnos summoned his powers with a focused thought, experiencing the familiar heat flowing throughout his body as he ensured she’d stay asleep a few more hours. He wanted her calm. Rest was vital for humans, both for their bodies and their moods.
As his powers sank into the human, he motioned for Anubis to follow him. He wanted details. Where Thanatos was. Whether Hades had permitted the girl entrance or if Anubis had just dumped her here without approval. The latter would be a headache he didn’t need.
Back in the living room, Hypnos dropped onto his couch, settling into his usual spot.
Meanwhile, Anubis paced, as if barely restraining himself from tearing into something. Or someone.
Rather than risk sparring, Hypnos asked, “Where’s Thanatos?”
His friend let out a genuine laugh, the first Hypnos had heard in his home for far too long.
“Would you believe he is currently sitting on Hades’ throne?” Anubis asked.
Hypnos stilled. “Are you kidding? I am not in the mood for jokes.”
Anubis’ expression sobered. “I am serious. In exchange for allowing the human inside the Underworld, Than agreed to run it for three days.”
Hypnos stared. “Hades doesn’t let anyone sit in his place.”
“Apparently, he wanted to spend the last winter days with Persephone.”
Hypnos could imagine his brother’s surprise at the deal.
Thanatos didn’t understand the need to carve out time for love; to cherish something beyond obligation.
At least he knew Thanatos was safe. That was one less concern he had to deal with.
Now, there was just the matter of the human. What was he supposed to do with her?
“Should I wait to speak to her?”
Anubis halted mid-step, seriously considering his question. “You will have to eventually.”
Hypnos narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“Because someone has to figure out this curse.” Anubis stopped pacing, watching him. “I need to return to the Duat, but I will be back in a few days to help. She will be safe here until then. Just keep her calm. And alive.”
Hypnos scoffed. “That won’t be a problem.”
Anubis looked as if he wanted to say something more. Instead, he only nodded. “I will return soon.”
He left as silently as he’d arrived.
Hypnos’ shoulders relaxed. He could finally stop pretending to be fine with visitors. Then he stiffened, remembering that he wasn’t completely alone. Not yet. At least the girl would sleep for a while. He could postpone the complications she’d bring.
He reclined on the couch, and his eyes drifted shut. The silence of his home surrounded him again, comforting in its familiarity.
Several hours later, rustling from the guest room signaled the human was awake.
Hypnos considered putting her back to sleep, but he’d grown bored waiting. Observing her might be entertaining, though he doubted it. Most humans reacted predictably in the presence of gods. They trembled. Screamed. Fainted.
“Where in the fucking Barbie hellscape am I?”
He’d always enjoyed the creative curses humans invented and the way their simple languages had evolved over time. Despite avoiding the mortal world, he kept up with some of its literature and movies. He wasn’t sure what a Barbie hellscape was, but her tone made it clear she wasn’t pleased.
He straightened, waiting to see what she’d do next.
Soft footsteps padded across the floor as she moved around the room, trying not to make a sound. He smirked. Did she think she could sneak around without him noticing?
“Think, Iliana.”
Iliana. It was a pretty name. Greek or European, but from what little he’d heard from her, she sounded American. He shook his head. He’d solve the mystery. Solve whatever problem she had and then send her on her way.
Only then would he have peace.
A moment later, he heard the door open.
So, the little human was being brave.
He tracked her steps outside the room. She was likely peeking up and down the corridor. He heard a tentative shuffle toward his bedroom. Then a retreat, before cautiously moving in his direction.
Hypnos leaned back against the sofa, draping his arms along the top and resting his ankle on his knee. He wasn’t trying to be intimidating, but he didn’t soften his expression either.
A messy head of auburn hair peeked around the corner. She scanned the area, looking first toward the kitchen and the study, then swung to his side of the room.
She froze, her hazel eyes growing wide.
Then, to his utter disbelief, a squeak. An actual squeak left her mouth. Hypnos refrained from rolling his eyes. He’d forgotten humans could even make that sound. At least she hadn’t fainted yet.
Her lips parted as she straightened. Tension thrummed through her limbs as she shook. To her credit, she squared her shoulders and held his gaze.
His eyes moved from her face to the ridiculous shirt she wore. A dinosaur was leaning over a bed.
That made no sense. A Tyrannosaurus Rex was too big to fit inside a bedroom. Too stupid to care about making a bed.
Before he could figure out her shirt’s meaning, she spoke.
“Who the fuck are you, and where the hell am I?”
Hypnos watched her bristle with indignation as his carefully planned introduction fell apart. He’d specifically made sure she’d be well-rested to avoid exactly this kind of outburst.
This was why he avoided mortals.