Chapter 28
Chapter twenty-eight
HERMES
Hermes watched Anubis as he moved around the kitchen with ease, grabbing spices and utensils as though he’d been doing it for decades. Every item seemed perfectly placed, and Anubis never hesitated, knowing exactly where everything was.
Watching a god cook. It was ridiculous. Why bother measuring flour when you could conjure a feast with a thought? Still, Anubis seemed to revel in it. His movements were precise and deliberate.
Hermes felt the urge to sneer but caught himself. Was it envy eating away at him, or just boredom? He didn’t see the point of cooking like mortals. It seemed as tedious as sleep—necessary, and utterly intolerable to his restless nature. Even so, beneath the disdain, he felt drawn to it.
Except for last night.
He’d stood over Iliana as she slept in Hypnos’ arms and fought the ridiculous urge to lie down next to her.
Instead, he’d left. He returned to his usual duties, escorting souls to their final rest and delivering messages to a handful of gods.
But even as distractions kept his mind briefly occupied, he couldn’t shake the restlessness.
Hours later, he gave in to his curiosity, returning to watch over Iliana, just in time to see her eyes fill with tears, and Anubis catching her before she could fall apart.
In the living room, Thanatos and Hypnos spoke quietly, their discussion centered on Iliana’s curse. He’d intended to remain an outsider to all this, dropping in when convenient, causing a stir for his own amusement.
But then, she’d screamed.
It wasn’t the loud, ringing-in-your-ears type.
It was a quiet, raw sound that etched into his mind.
Iliana had been gasping, her body shaking, her blood staining the floor.
Despite the thousands of humans he’d seen die before, that moment burrowed into his mind, kindling something unfamiliar—protectiveness.
And now, here he was again, making excuses for why he kept coming back.
Hermes gently brushed a finger over the invisible thread on his wrist. The Fates hadn’t just warned him off—they’d bound him. Leashed him. He could do his job, nothing more. Not until Iliana stood in front of them.
When he heard the Egyptian turning to Thoth for answers, Hermes cursed himself. Not just because Anubis hadn’t asked him to pass the message along, but because he hadn’t considered the other pantheons. Thoth was a solid lead, but Hermes had other options to explore.
Except he couldn’t. He was trapped. Leashed by the Fates. He hated having to wait on the others to make requests of him rather than taking an active role in Iliana’s protection.
When Thanatos approached Anubis to discuss who else could help, Hermes took the opportunity, sliding in with a smirk. “Hm, that is a good question.”
Thanatos tensed. “Hermes. Do you have any suggestions, or is there another reason you stopped by?” His tone was more exasperated than surprised.
Hermes shrugged, feigning nonchalance even as he caught the assessing look Anubis gave him. “I have a couple in mind.”
Anubis pulled a tray of warm puffed bread from the oven. The scent made Hermes’ mouth water. Maybe he could maneuver his way into an invitation for breakfast.
Thanatos folded his arms. “If possible, could you contact Hecate? See if she can identify the curse, or at least tell us who could have placed something like this.”
Hermes smiled slightly. “I might do that.”
Thanatos sighed. “We would welcome any help you could give us, Hermes.”
The words were strange coming from the god. He actually meant them. No bite, just sincerity.
They don’t want you here. They need you.
His smug grin faded at the thought.
Anubis turned to place a bowl on the table and held Hermes’ gaze. “Could you ask around and see what the other gods are saying about Iliana? I want to know if anyone is overly interested in her. We do not know who placed this curse or if they are still determined to see it play out.”
“I’ll see what I can find out.”
Before he could leave, Iliana’s voice traveled through the house. “Am I doing the right thing? Should I trust them?”
Hermes frowned. “Who’s she talking to?”
“Her parents,” Thanatos said with a grimace.
They were dead. None of the others said it, but they didn’t need to.
Iliana’s voice was filled with grief as she spoke to them. “I miss you both terribly. I…I’m going to look into going to school. You guys always wanted me to. I’m just sorry it took me so long to listen.”
Hermes had eavesdropped on countless conversations in his lifetime. It was part of his nature to know the things others wanted to keep hidden, but listening felt like theft. He wanted Iliana to tell him these things. To trust him enough to share them willingly.
So he did something he rarely did. He blocked out her voice. Whatever she was doing to him, he couldn’t let it distract him; not when the curse still threatened her. He needed to fix this, not solely for her, but for himself. He needed to quiet whatever had embedded itself inside him.
Forgetting about his earlier wish to be invited for breakfast, he pushed down the yearning to belong and focused on the task ahead.
“I’ll check with Pheme,” he said, already preparing to vanish. “We’ll see if the goddess has anything useful to share.”
Without waiting for a response, he disappeared.