He shook his head sadly. "Harmonia, I don’t know. But I don’t feel like myself. I feel… dead inside."
"Dead inside? My love…" my voice trailed off. I could see it written all over him.
He was emotionless and cold, just as Alexi had been. My Cadmus was gone. It was as though he was… soulless. I froze again.
"Maybe they have your soul," I suggested hesitantly. "Perhaps we are in some strange purgatory."
He stared at me humorlessly. " I am in purgatory, you mean. You are not really here, wife. Thank the gods for that."
And although the words were something that he would normally say, something protective and strong, his tone was flat and cold, as though there was no true emotion behind them. I took a step back. This wasn’t truly my husband. This was his body, his Courtney Cole 10
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shell. His soul was no longer here. The strong heart that I loved so desperately wasn’t beating in this cold chest.
He took a look at my face and chuckled a mirthless laugh.
"I know, wife. I don’t like me much, either."
"This isn’t you," I stuttered. "Cadmus, I will save you. I promise. Somehow I will figure this out and I’ll find the sword and I’ll bring you back to where you belong.
You’ll be whole again."
"Will I?" He looked at the white vastness surrounding us. "It doesn’t feel as though that will ever be true again."
"I promise you. If it takes every breath in my body, I will save you. You are my life. I don’t want to live without you."
He grabbed my wrist with his frigid fingers, his grip pinching my arm.
"Don’t say that," he said coldly. "You must live. Regardless of what happens to me. You’re too beautiful inside to fade away. But promise me this, wife."
I turned my eyes hesitantly to his cold, beautiful face. I swallowed hard. I knew I wasn’t going to like what I heard.
"If this cannot be reversed, find a way to kill me. I do not wish to linger here like this."
He dropped my arm and stared at me blankly. There was nothing in his eyes. Not pain, not desperation, only nothing. Just stark emptiness.
"Promise?" he asked.
I gazed at him wordlessly as horror rose in my chest and I opened my mouth to speak.
And then I was being shaken.
"Harmonia, it is time to go, sweetling."
I opened my eyes to find my mother, Aphrodite, bent over my bed. Her chestnut hair was twisted into a simple knot at her neck and her silvery eyes were gleaming. My gaze flew to the window. Early morning light flooded my room. I had been dreamwalking with Cadmus all night.
The four Amazon warriors stood quietly, still at attention, guarding my empty husband. I knew he was empty, because I knew where he was. I felt a tear slip down my cheek as I scrambled from the bed to where he lay. Unlike in my dream, his body here was warm. It was an enigma. His heart no longer beat, but his body was still warm and unchanged. It was as though he was peacefully sleeping.
But he was empty.
I bent and kissed his soft lips, running my fingers along his chiseled cheekbones.
"Cadmus, I will bring you back to me. I promise."
I held his limp body tightly for a minute more before I flew into action, fluttering around the room readying myself for a journey. I quickly dressed and packed a Courtney Cole 11
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knapsack. This would be the first time I traveled without Cadmus, a fact that had not slipped past my attention.
When I was ready, I stood in front of the warriors.
"Guard him with your life," I instructed them needlessly. I already knew they would.
"We will,’" the one in front of me confirmed with a nod. I nodded back and met my mother at the door. I glanced over my shoulder only once before we descended the grand staircase to the courtyard below.
Ares, Ortrera and four of her warriors were congregated in the gardens. I overheard them muttering about the box of souls but I was distracted by the number of the warriors.
"Only four?" I asked curiously. Ortrera looked at me once again as though I was a toddler.
"I must leave eight," she explained. "So that Cadmus has a constant guard. My warriors must sleep, too," she added with a small smile.
"Of course," I murmured, feeling foolish. She patted my shoulder in an attempt at sisterly tenderness.
"It is alright, sister. You have much on your mind."
"What were you saying about the box of souls?" I turned to Ares. His expression turned dark as he scowled.
"Somehow, before the Keres disappeared last night, they managed to steal the box of souls from where we were keeping it for Zeus. It must have been Annen."
I thought back and recalled Moros telling me that their ancient priest Annen was performing a task for them. Of course the task had been to hunt for and procure the box of murderous souls. That made perfect sense. My old Aegis, Ahmose, had hidden it for me and I knew that it must have a use, but we hadn’t needed it on Ogygia. The box contained every murderous soul that the Keres had ever punished. I had no idea what kind of havoc they could wreak with them.
"Let us think of it later," Aphrodite suggested. "There is no time to address that issue now."
She moved to stand next to Ares and he wrapped his meaty arm around her slender waist. He was wearing war armor, heavy metal plates on his chest and back. They were so heavy that a normal person would never be able to carry them. His jet black hair was freshly washed, still damp in the light of the morning sun. He smiled at me, the tender and loving smile of a father.
"Are you alright, daughter?" he asked.
"No," I admitted. "But I will be eventually."
"We’ll find the box," Ares assured me. "And the sword, as well. We will return everything to how it must be. You can count on it."
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I nodded silently, assessing the view from the courtyard of Zeus’ palace. The gardens were in full bloom this morning, brilliant blossoms of every hue hanging over our heads, lining the walkways and filling the courtyard with heavy floral scents.
Lilies, honeysuckle, jasmine, roses. I let the sweet smells fill my mouth as I breathed them in. The city below us was quiet, as though the residents knew that things had changed so completely. No one traveled on the cobblestone streets and the normal hustle and bustle of the city was gone. The shops and marketplaces were empty. If anyone remained in the city, they were safely ensconced in their homes.