228. ‘Why Are You Here?’
‘Why Are You Here?’
I hid a smile at her words.
Styx was always pointed.
Clearing my throat I said,
‘I went to see Demeter.’
The frown she gave me
would make anyone believe
that I had defied some ancient,
unwritten law.
‘Hekate—’ she began
but I raised my free hand.
‘Listen to me.
You have two young daughters.
Her youngest daughter was taken.
She is in agony.
The whole world
screeches with her pain.
I know where Kore is.
All I am asking for
is your aid.’
I paused and took a sip
of my wine.
Styx was looking at the green flames
in her golden fireplace.
‘No. You know I cannot.’
I sighed as I looked at her.
‘Why?’ I knew the answer
but I wanted her to say
the words to me.
‘Hekate, it is against
the rules.’ There was
an edge to her voice.
And I finally recognized it.
Fear.
All those rules that she had
for me as a child. Those rules
were not just to keep me safe.
It was the only form of control
a Goddess could have
in this world of Gods.
Her duties. Her rules.
Her world made sense for them.
I was older now. I saw
her for who she was.
And I knew what to say
to change her mind too.
‘Imagine,’ – my voice was gentle –
‘if it was Bia and no one
would tell you where she was.
What would you do?’
I could see her hands
and they clenched into fists.
She could not even stand the thought.
Which was what I expected.
She took a deep breath
and walked over to the black river
that she had nurtured so carefully.
Then she took an emerald urn
and filled it with the water.
Carefully, she brought it to me.
‘Use this. It has the power
to dissolve anything in your way
or even steal a God’s voice.’
As I reached for it,
her hands did not let it go.
I looked up into her eyes questioningly.
‘Hekate. I do not
have two daughters,’
she said softly to me,
‘I have three. That includes you.’