She didn’t frame it as a question, but Erebus answered. “Yes. I love him. Now he is almost always brooding and unapproachable, but he was not always like this. When Mother Earth first created us, Kalona was surly, and his sense of humor tended to be rather dark, but he used to be able to set aside the jealousy he was beginning to feel for me. And when we arrived here in your magnificent Otherworld, he and I used to spend easy days fishing together or simply roaming your groves and talking of the silliness of humans and the strangeness of some of their animals. Have you ever seen a creature called an anteater? Or a blowfish?”
The Goddess’s smooth brow furrowed. “I have not.”
“Well, Kalona and I have seen them. We had fun observing them. We laughed together.” Erebus shook his head. “Those were good days. I wish they had not ended.”
“You miss him too.”
“I miss who he used to be, and the Consort and brother he could have chosen to grow into. When he isn’t here now, I do not miss him. At all,” Erebus said firmly.
“I understand exactly what you mean. I love him well, but I am beginning to believe—for the first time in my eons of existence—that love might not be enough.”
“Oh, my Goddess! No! I cannot bear even the thought that you might become cynical—might turn away from love.”
“I do not turn from love in general—not for my earthly children, not for you. But Kalona was created to be my love, so if he cannot love me then I fear, perhaps, I was not meant to have a Consort.” Her gaze went skyward again. “And if Kalona continues to reject all that is offered here …” The Goddess made a sweeping motion that took in the glistening Otherworld, her palace of wonders, and finally herself. “Then I must consider whether or not this should be his home. Mother Earth warned of Darkness encroaching on this place through Kalona’s anger, and I will not have my Otherworld, or myself, tainted by evil.”
Erebus drew a deep breath, as if he was readying himself to leap from the balcony and dive into the bottomless crystal lake before them. Then he spoke quickly, before his words could stop themselves. “Perhaps we should speak of it. Perhaps we should explain to my brother that he was mistaken in what he saw that day—in what he has assumed since the night that—”
“No!” Nyx’s countenance changed. Her eyes sparked with anger and her voice shook the palace around them. She grabbed Erebus’s hand and pulled him from the balcony into her chamber and away from the prying eyes and listening ears of the fey. “You gave me your oath! We speak of the events of that day and the sprites will eventually overhear us. You know how they are! Their gossip will spread to earth and my children, my vampyres, will hear of it. I will never have my precious children of the night know that they were born of tragedy. Humans already vilify them because they are different, special, spectacular. It would devastate my night-dwelling children to know that their beginning was a bloody accident I corrected by creating them.”
“Even if your silence causes your heart to break?”
“I am a goddess. My children often break my heart.”
“Your children, yes. One expects that from the young and the mortal, but I was not speaking of them. I was speaking of your lover, your warrior, your true—”
Nyx pressed her finger against his lips. “I know of whom you were speaking, and my answer is the same. You know me well enough by now that you understand I am not changeable or prone to fickle fancies. I asked for your oath of silence and I will keep that oath—heartbreak or not.”
Erebus bowed his head to her. “I meant no disrespect.”
Nyx took his hand in both of hers. “Oh, Erebus, I know that. You are my true friend and you brighten my days like the light of your father, the Sun. Ignore my melancholy. I am being ridiculously self-indulgent. Let us put aside Kalona and his sadness today. As your brother decided not to accompany me to Earth, would you do me the honor?”
Erebus grinned. “Will we race antelope?”
“As many as you’d like, but be forewarned—I do not intend to lose!” Nyx stood and clapped her hands together, disappearing in a shower of diamond dust.
Erebus followed his Goddess, but more slowly, as if he was burdened by heavy thoughts and weighty decisions—because truly, he was. For that was the day he decided that he could no longer remain silent, even if his words cost him Nyx’s friendship and love.
I cannot watch them break each other’s hearts for eternity. I must end this, and Nyx’s own words have given me an idea—a sliver of hope. I am going to help my brother understand the truth and know joy. If that condemns me—then so be it.
2
Other Erebus
The next day, while Nyx visited Greece in the form of Demeter to preside over the annual Rites of Eleusis, Erebus took action.
Kalona wasn’t difficult for Erebus to find. They were brothers, created together by Mother Earth and bound by blood and spirit. Erebus had only to concentrate and he would get an image of his brother, wherever he was in this realm. He often wondered if his moon-touched brother had ever used their connection. But Erebus would not ask him. He did not want to hear that yes, Kalona did use their connection—to stay away from Erebus.
On this day, Erebus was drawn to Kalona in one of the most distant of Nyx’s Otherworld groves. The grove wasn’t particularly large and, though beautiful enough not to be out of place in Nyx’s realm, it was also not as exquisitely designed as the places where Nyx usually chose to spend her time.
Erebus entered the grove, ducking under low-hanging hawthorn and rowan boughs. Wan light filtered through the canopy as he picked his way around glistening crystal-embedded boulders. Kalona was sitting on one of those marble boulders. Its carpet of verdant moss caressed his legs while he silently whittled a long, narrow stick.
“Brother! I didn’t know you liked to carve.” Erebus clapped him on the shoulder and sat on a boulder across from Kalona.
Kalona barely glanced at him. “It keeps my hands and my mind busy.”
“What are you carving?”
“Arrows.”
Erebus laughed. “Can’t you just conjure those?”
“I can. I choose not to. As I already said—this keeps my hands and mind busy.” He finally looked at Erebus. “Why are you here?”
“I wanted to talk. Why are you here? Nyx’s palace is a lot nicer.”
“Nyx’s palace is also a lot more crowded.” Kalona gave his brother a pointed look. “I like solitude.”
“Do you really?”
“What kind of question is that?” Kalona asked, returning to his carving.
“An honest one. I’d like an honest answer in return.”