Page 19 of Patron of Mercy

“Excuse me?”

“That man might’ve worked hard for that watch. Or maybe his partner gave it to him. It could mean a lot.”

“Or nothing.”

“And if it means nothing, it’s still his. His decision whether to value it or not.”

Lach licked his lips, tipped his chin up, and thought about arguing. Loads of people took what they could from others without apology. People in silk suits with gold watches who were perfectly happy to let others go without food and water and shelter. They were happy to say that people who struggled to find the same success simply didn’t work as hard, ignoring all their own advantages.

But this was Thanatos. All Lach wanted was a chance to spend some time with him, and the best way to ensure that was to stop being a dick now.

“Fine. I’ll return it.”

If he was expecting praise for that, he didn’t get it. Deadpan, Thanatos stared at him and nodded after the man, so Lach took off jogging.

“Sir,” he called. “Sir!”

The man stopped, pulling his phone away from his ear. It was one of those shiny new ones Hermes kept trying to talk him into. A full-screened sliver of glass, more accessory than tool. His eyes roamed over Lach, head to toe. He stiffened, though only long enough to notice that the glint in his hand wasn’t from a switchblade. “What?” he demanded.

“You dropped this,” Lach said, holding out the watch.

The man narrowed his eyes. “I hope it’s not scuffed.” He snatched it out of Lach’s hand and continued on his way.

His arms spread, Lach turned around. “You’re welcome,” he said.

Thanatos was nowhere to be seen. The spot he’d occupied outside the Hunt Building was empty. “Thanatos?” Lach called. “Oh, come on!”

He walked back to where they’d been, but there was no sign of him. Lach had barely started to make his case, and Thanatos wasn’t around to hear the rest of it.

“Please, come back,” he said. Nothing.

Lach’s face fell, his shoulders sagged, and the sigh that escaped him was completely defeated. He’d lost his chance.

Maybe it would’ve been better if he’d taken Thanatos’s hand to start. Maybe this quest would’ve been over too fast, but at least he would’ve had a shot to prove he was different. Anyone could grow if they had enough time. He needed to show Thanatos that he’d changed.

He probably hadn’t changed enough to earn forgiveness.

“Listen,” he said, dragging his feet along the sidewalk. He tipped his head back to look up at the night sky. He was never sure why people did that. Olympus was, in theory, high up. Still, he didn’t think he could talk to the sky and Thanatos would hear him. It would’ve been better to talk to the ground and hope his voice carried to the underworld. “I’m sorry. I was trying to be funny. Or maybe charmingly contrarian? I obviously missed the mark.”

There he was, talking to the sky like a gods damned loon. Shit on a stick. He dragged his hand down his face, shut his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Thanatos—” He didn’t know what to say that would convince Thanatos to come back, much less to get on a boat with him for weeks. He dropped his arms by his sides, empty. “I really don’t want to do this alone. Please?”

Lach waited one beat, then two. No response came.

More’s the Pity

Damn it all, why did he have to say please?

Thanatos had only been watching to make sure that Lach followed through and returned what he’d stolen as promised. He hadn’t intended to stay and talk to him; he thought he’d meet Lach on Santorini in a few weeks. Months. Gods, he didn’t know how long a boat took to go that far, even if it was a magic boat.

Thanatos had been right, and he clung to it like a dying man to a sinking ship. The watch had belonged to that rich man, and it wasn’t right to take someone’s belongings. Even if the man had been rude to Lach without knowing the rogue had stolen his watch to begin with.

Returning it had been the right thing to do.

Thanatos sighed.

He shouldn’t have watched at all. He might have spent the evening wondering if Lach had bothered to give it back if he hadn’t, but at least he wouldn’t have seen those pitiful eyes, and heard those soft words spoken into the night sky.

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