in the Other World
1
Other Erebus
Erebus couldn’t stand to watch Nyx suffer—especially as he was coming to believe more and more that a simple misunderstanding was the cause. It would be so easy to fix this if we could just explain to Kalona that he misunderstood what he had witnessed. The golden-winged immortal pondered silently as he stood in the arched doorway to Nyx’s suite of chambers. Within, the Goddess sat lethargically on her balcony, looking out over a crystal lake so blue it hurt Erebus’s eyes if he gazed at it too long. Water sprites frolicked in the waves, doing impossible flips and spins and dives as they tried to amuse their Goddess, and though they sparkled like precious jewels, Nyx barely glanced at them. She reclined on a cloud-like chaise lounge, looking at the beauty of her Otherworld but seeing nothing except her own sadness.
Erebus wasn’t surprised. He’d seen his brother’s moonlight-colored wings flash as he flew away from the Goddess’s balcony. The dark look on Kalona’s face and Nyx’s melancholy told Erebus everything he needed to know.
“Blessed morning to you, my Goddess!” Erebus greeted Nyx as he entered her chamber.
At the sound of his voice, Nyx sat up and smoothed back her mass of thick, dark curls, turning to smile at Erebus, though the winged immortal saw that the Goddess’s lovely smile did not reach her eyes.
Today she had chosen to appear in skin the color of the fertile earth she loved so well. She wore sheer sunset-colored silk that alluringly draped her athletic body. Around her neck was strand after strand of maroon beads that glistened magickally like they held secrets.
“Blessed morning, my Erebus,” Nyx greeted him as he bent to kiss her smooth cheek.
“Ah, today you are lovely Oya! Are we going to visit the earth felines you’re calling Golden Cats, or are you simply going to run with the antelopes again?” He pulled a strand of her springy curls playfully.
“You know me so well, sweet Erebus. You are correct. I had thought to visit the Niger River and perhaps frolic with my Golden Cats before racing some antelope.” Her gaze slid from Erebus to stare from her balcony up, up as she obviously searched for a glimpse of moonlight wings and passionate, amber eyes.
“Have you and Kalona argued again?” Erebus asked softly as he sat beside Nyx.
“You already know the answer to that question, my friend,” said the Goddess.
“What was it this time?”
She sighed. “I mentioned the Golden Cats.”
“Ah, his jealousy. Again.” Erebus had introduced Nyx to the wildcats that delighted her so and had gifted the first vampyre maiden ever created with a magickally domesticated version of those kittens, earning his Goddess’s sincere appreciation. Since that day Kalona hated even the mention of felines.
Nyx nodded in weary agreement. “Again.” Then she shook back her mass of ebony curls and waved dismissively at the sky, saying, “No matter. You and I shall frolic with the Golden Cats and race the antelope. We will have a wonderful day. Perhaps we will visit one of the tribes that hold Oya’s image dear and I will invoke water to bless their planting. That will cause a joyous celebration.”
“It certainly will, and I think it is a nice idea. Your people will be grateful.” Erebus paused and took her hand in his. “But before we go, please talk to me. You do not have to carry your sadness alone.”
Nyx met his gaze. “Speaking of it feels as if I am a naive maiden pining for …” Her words faded as her gaze lifted again.
“Pining for the moon?” Erebus offered.
Her melancholy gaze found him again. “I don’t suppose I have to speak of it to be the pining maiden. You do know me, my friend. And so you know my sadness. I am sorry.”
He held her hand gently. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“I do. Somehow I have caused—”
“My Goddess, forgive me, but I must interrupt you. You have not caused anything. May I speak plainly?”
“Of course.”
In a rush of words Erebus told her what he’d been silent about for far too long. “You did not cause Kalona’s jealousy. I did not cause Kalona’s jealousy. Nor did we cause the anger that is festering within him and—” Erebus paused, suddenly not sure he should speak quite so plainly to his Goddess.
“Festering within him and what? I granted you leave to speak your mind, Erebus. Please do so,” the Goddess commanded.
“And destroying his capacity for love,” Erebus said slowly and distinctly, realizing at that moment just how true his words were. Kalona should be completely content to live an eternity as Consort to Nyx. He was created to be her warrior and lover, yet as each day went by it seemed the winged immortal became more withdrawn and angry—always angry. If something didn’t change soon, Kalona’s anger would, indeed, eventually destroy everything of Light within him, including his ability to love.
Nyx stood abruptly, pulling her hand from his. She walked to the edge of the balcony. Erebus followed her.
“Forgive me,” he said.
She shook her head. “I think you and I must stop apologizing to each other about your brother. He is not here—he is rarely here—but his anger still feels present, and I believe that is because you and I apologize our way around the wounds his anger causes and do not speak of it.”
“Then let us speak of it. I was created to be your friend. Let me share this sadness with you—as a friend.”
“Erebus, recently I have often wondered if …” Her words faded as she stared miserably into the sky.
“If what, my Goddess, my friend?”
Nyx turned to Erebus. “I have been thinking that perhaps Kalona was flawed from his creation.”
“You will have to explain that,” said Erebus.
“He was destined to be my warrior and lover. Perhaps he wasn’t given the inherent joy you were given as my playmate and friend. You find joy so easily—so naturally. It is one of the things I love most about you.”
Erebus drew a deep breath and released it slowly before speaking, choosing his words carefully. “Joy isn’t easy or inherent. It is a choice, and not always an easy one—not at first. I’ve wanted to retaliate against Kalona’s sarcasm and anger and just general grumpy meanness, but I choose not to. Though I do understand your meaning. We were created to fulfill different purposes, and though we are brothers we are definitely not similar.”
“You do not have his rage. You never have. Nor do you have his despair,” said the Goddess. “His rage baffles me, but it is Kalona’s sadness that hurts my heart.” Nyx cocked her head, studying Erebus. “You still love him too.”