Page 56 of Song of Memories

As soon as the word 'honor' left Pan's lips, Hades exploded. He jumped up from his throne and made it down the dais steps in the blink of an eye, grabbing Pan by the shoulder and giving him a hard shake. Black smoke started to pour in from the windows, and the sound of thunder shook the rafters. Eurydice fell to her knees and extended a hand out towards Hades and Pan.

"Pan, stop!" she screamed until she thought her temples might burst. "Hades, don't hurt him!"

"You know nothing of which you speak," Hades growled, his voice shaking the entire room. He released Pan, who stumbled backwards but managed to keep his footing. Hades looked prepared to fight Pan on the spot, and Eurydice prayed that Pan wouldn't choose now to make a stand. There was something in Hades's eyes that Eurydice couldn't quite place. Even though she didn't know the god very well, none of this was worth dying for in the middle of the throne room.

"Pan, please." Eurydice found her voice and was surprised at how calm she sounded. She stood up carefully and held out her hands toward him. "It's not worth it. We'll... We'll figure something out... Just go."

The look on Pan's face shattered Eurydice, sending pain and discomfort rattling through her body and down to her bones.

"I'm not like that son of a bitch," Pan sneered, his attention turning to Orpheus. Orpheus was cowering in the corner of the room, keeping one eye on the chaos. "I'll fight for you, Eurydice. Do you understand that? No one will keep me from—”

"I'll keep you wherever I damn well please," Hades snapped, "and that means not in my Underworld."

"Hades, you—”

"Stop!" Eurydice called out again, getting Pan and Hades's attention back on her. She walked over to Pan and threw her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she did so. Her voice was muffled when she spoke, keeping her words quiet and just for him.

"I know, Pan. I know. I can fight for myself though, okay?" She released a shaky breath, her previously calm voice starting to sound breathier and more upset. "I need you to respect that. It's about time everyone understood that Eurydice can fight her own battles. We'll find a way to be together. I promise. Can you trust me? Can you do that?" Eurydice pulled away from Pan, placing her hands on either side of his face. They were both crying, and for once, Eurydice found herself hoping that no one would try and save her...and Pan would do exactly as she asked.

It was silent in the throne room for a perilous minute, even the thunder and clouds of Hades were deathly still. Eurydice was barely breathing until Pan let out a deep exhale and nodded his head solemnly. He didn't look at Hades as he pulled Eurydice close to him and kissed her soundly. It didn't matter who else was in the room; all that mattered to him was that this might be the last moment he had with her, and he wasn't going to let it go.

"We're not done. Do you understand me?" Pan whispered against Eurydice's lips, their tears mixing with one another's. She released a shaky sob, agreeing with him.

"I know, Pan. I know. But we can't find a way together if you're dead. Just listen to Hades for now."

"Fine," Pan acquiesced, kissing Eurydice one more time before she released him.

"She stays this time," Hades interrupted, seemingly reading Eurydice's thoughts as she prepared to walk Pan to the gates of hell. "There's no need for Eurydice to walk another suitor to the edge of the Underworld."

Whatever decimated pieces of Eurydice's heart were left dissolved into oblivion. She was surprised that she was able to stay standing as Pan spat at Hades's feet and turned on his heel, marching towards the hallway where she could see Thanatos and Hermes waiting in the wings. Before he left the room, he found Eurydice, mouthing the words 'I love you' before Thanatos's hand appeared on his shoulder.

"I love you too!" Eurydice sobbed, her voice sounding as wrecked as she felt. All her previous attempts at calm and bravado were ripped to shreds like torn clothing, but she knew it was up to her now to find out why there had been a sudden change in Hades's ruling.

Eurydice had had enough of deciding whether or not she could be with this suitor or that immortal. The romantic games of deities had put her in the crossfire for too long. Now it was the time for everyone to understand just how much of a problem it was going to be for anyone who stood in her way. As Eurydice watched Pan disappear down the long hallway, flanked by gods on either side, her mind was made up.

I'm no longer a muse. I'm going to become a fucking problem.

28

Eurydice stared at the empty doorway, Pan's frame long having disappeared from sight. A shaking hand appeared on her shoulder, trying to turn her in its direction.

"Eurydice?" Orpheus's voice was shaky as he implored her. "Why don't you come home? It was a dreadful revelation, I'm sure, collecting all your memories, and Pan took advantage of that..."

Eurydice spun around, fury in her eyes. Thorns started appearing all down her arms while vines shot out from her hair.

"How dare you?" Eurydice shouted. She was ready to strangle Orpheus until the light drained from his eyes. Never before had she felt so much fury towards a living being. "You want to talk about taking advantage of me? You tried to hide the fact from me that you abandoned me in the Underworld!"

"We can make it work," Orpheus argued, "if you would just be more like... Oomph!" Eurydice cut Orpheus off with a sharp slap to the face. She didn't think; she just swung with an open hand and smacked him as hard as she could.

"You little prick," Eurydice's lip curled, "get the fuck out of my sight. I never want to see you again. We will not be 'making it work' and I will never be synonymous with someone ever again. Even if I love them. The muse is speaking for herself now."

Orpheus had stumbled away, clutching his cheek with an appalled and shocked expression on his face. Some of the thorns had sliced through his cheek, dripping crimson blood on his pristine white tunic. Orpheus turned around and started searching, whining when he saw Hades sitting on his throne, looking bored again.

"Hades! Did you see..."

"Do I look like a house maid or a midwife to you?" Hades growled, raising one dark brow. He had his bident sitting across his lap, and he picked it up. "You sound like a squabbling child."

Orpheus looked outraged. "But Eurydice..."

---