Page 6 of Song of Memories

Eurydice stood up and rolled her shoulders, stepping outside to join Telodice and Makaria. She could sense it in the air—the Underworld was nearly vibrating with anticipation. Eurydice fought back against another wave of nausea, feeling as though she was about to walk onstage in a play without having memorized her lines.

* * *

There was no pomp and circumstance when new souls arrived in the Underworld. There was no need. The souls of the recently departed arrived in a near constant parade to the banks of Styx, keeping Charon in perpetual motion.

When the word spread that Thanatos was returning with Orpheus, nearly all the residents of hell came to witness the reunion. Spirits, souls, and deities alike flocked to the banks to witness what would surely be the most talked-about arrival since Sisyphus.

Eurydice was trailing slightly behind Telodice and Makaria as they approached the banks of Styx, Eurydice keeping her head down. She was firmly focused on the small flowers that popped up wherever Telodice stepped and careful that she didn’t tread on them as she followed. Makaria and Telodice stopped suddenly, causing Eurydice to nearly crash into them.

Makaria was wearing a simple gray tunic, but everything about her was illuminated, like oil in bright light. Telodice had managed to change too, and she was now dressed in head-to-toe pink, with roses pinned throughout her hair. Eurydice didn’t think to change her outfit at all, and when she saw her friends, she’d paused and wondered why she suddenly felt ashamed. Unfamiliar emotions were the theme of the day for Eurydice, so she’d buried the notion and decided not to change her appearance after all.

Eurydice wore the same thing every day—a short, lilac tunic, that in the mortal world was more appropriate for young boys or girls. It was certainly not something for a grown woman to wear, or anyone with deity’s blood, but it made Eurydice feel carefree and comfortable. What was the point of being dead if she couldn’t wear whatever she wanted?

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Makaria’s gaze was firm as she raised an eyebrow at Eurydice. Eurydice glanced between Makaria and Telodice. Telodice looked as excited as a sapling on a spring day. She was practically vibrating with excitement. If Eurydice didn’t know any better, she would’ve assumed that Telodice belonged to Aphrodite.

In yet another unidentifiable feeling to settle in Eurydice’s chest, she was suddenly burdened with the responsibility of Telodice’s excitement.

‘A reunion for the ages’, Telodice had said earlier. Eurydice widened her smile, trying to pull in her errant thoughts. It must be. I’m only nervous. That’s it. I’m simply nervous.

“Yes, of course I want to do this.” Eurydice’s smile widened even further. Makaria said nothing in response while Telodice clapped her hands rapidly in excitement.

“Let’s go then,” Makaria nodded solemnly.

The banks of the river Styx were crowded like Eurydice had never seen before, and a strange wave of fear washed over her. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her hands into fists, wincing slightly as her nails dug into her palms.

Eurydice felt the weight of a thousand eyes on her shoulders as the crowd quickly recognized her. Everyone turned to stare at the legendary Eurydice, the muse of all muses, whose death had pushed Orpheus to the brink of insanity. The petals underneath Eurydice’s feet started to wilt as she stepped forward, keeping her eyes down as Makaria cut a path through the crowd. Eurydice straightened up and suddenly found herself wishing that she had worn something more appropriate, something grander or prettier like Telodice did.

Eurydice was no longer Eurydice. She was Orpheus’s Eurydice, and that palpable difference rocked her to her core.

Eurydice could hear the crowd’s murmured whispers begin to grow louder and louder as they got closer to the river, all of them turning to one another and whispering whatever popped into their mind about Eurydice.

Eurydice tried to block out all of their voices, but the noise grew until she couldn’t hear her own thoughts, replaced by the thoughts of a thousand others.

“She’s not as pretty as I thought she’d be.”

“Do you think she’s excited?”

“She doesn’t look excited.”

“If I was going to see my husband, after all he did for me…”

Makaria abruptly stopped and turned around, wrapping her arm around Eurydice’s waist and pulling her into her side.

“Walk closer to me,” she encouraged, tossing a sharp glare out over the crowd. They responded instantly to Makaria, and the observers closest to them immediately took a few steps back. Makaria was a death goddess, after all, and very few deities commanded as much respect. Especially in the Underworld.

After what seemed like another eternity, the masses parted, and Eurydice found herself standing on the banks of the river Styx.

A hush went over the entire crowd, who suddenly got so quiet that Eurydice could hear the gentle waters of Styx running in front of her. Eurydice was holding her breath, her heart threatening to beat right out of her chest.

A pulse of cold magic whipped through the air, and several of the observers fell to their knees. The sound of heavy, leathery wings cut through the air. Thanatos.

“He’s here.” Makaria whispered, her mouth turned up in a small smile. Eurydice watched as Makaria’s entire countenance brightened at the appearance of her lover, and another hot stab of shame pierced her gut as she realized she didn’t even come close to how Makaria was feeling.

I’m nervous. That’s normal. Eurydice forced herself to remember.

She was pulled from her thoughts as the sound of beating wings got louder, and a bright flash of light blinded everyone at the river. Eurydice squeaked and covered her eyes, turning away from the sudden brightness.

This is it. Her mind started to trip over itself. He’s here. When I open my eyes…

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