Page 67 of Sate the Darkness

“I have located them,” she assured Hades. “Stubborn creatures. I gave them the labyrinth before I left. I intended it as a source of protection, not imprisonment. What is the matter with them?”

Hades appeared genuinely sympathetic. As if he had his own share of stupid creatures.

“Lesser beings often mistake our gifts. They are forever attempting to alter or change them to suit their own desires.”

“Too true.” Gaia shared a glance with Hades before turning her head to gaze down at Bertha with disdain. “I still don’t understand what my people and their retreat from the world has to do with this gargoyle.”

“They have kidnapped my nephew,” Bertha said, ready to get to the purpose of their visit.

She wanted to be out of the cavern. It was giving her a rash.

The sudden sound of hissing from the hidden servants warned Bertha she’d made a mistake even before the goddess lifted her hand, as if intending to strike her.

“Do not speak in my presence.”

Hades stepped forward, blocking the blow and at the same time distracting the goddess.

“For reasons I do not comprehend, the minotaurs have decided to elevate a gargoyle to the status of a god.”

Gaia made a strangled sound. Whether it was because she was thwarted in her desire to punish Bertha or because of Hades’s words was impossible to say.

“That gargoyle a god?” She continued to glare at Bertha. “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s pathetic.”

“No, not this one,” Hades took another step forward, expertly guiding the goddess away from Bertha. “It’s her nephew. A gargoyle named Levet.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“May I?” Hades held out his hand.

There was a brief pause before Gaia offered a grudging nod of her head. “Very well.”

There was a tingle of familiar magic in the air. The searing heat assured Bertha that this time it belonged to Hades. Moments later a long spear formed, balanced on his open hand.

There was a shrill cry from a bird before a dozen servants with bald heads and heavy robes burst out of the bushes and charged toward Hades.

“Stop!”

They jerked to a halt, as if they’d slammed into an invisible wall. Only the servant who’d greeted them was left free to point at Hades in horror.

“He has a weapon.”

“It can’t harm me. It belongs to my minotaurs,” she chided.

“Yes,” Hades agreed. “They have a prophecy etched into the shaft.”

Gaia heaved a weary sigh. “A seer, I suppose.” Holding out her hand, she impatiently snapped her fingers. “Let me have it.”

Bertha could see Hades’s jaw clench. He wasn’t accustomed to obeying orders. In fact, he no doubt crushed anyone stupid enough to try to tell him what to do. But this time he didn’t punish the goddess. Instead, he swallowed his pride and obediently moved to show her the spear.

Bertha’s heart twisted with regret. He wasn’t doing this to please Gaia. He was doing it to please her.

“This is the gargoyle,” he said, pointing at the shaft.

Gaia frowned, bending her head to study the etching. “You’re sure that’s a gargoyle? It looks like a fairy.”

“He’s quite unique,” Hades assured her. “That’s why we knew immediately who it was.”

Gaia grabbed the spear from Hades, continuing to study the prophecy that had been carved into the wood.

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