Summoning Bones
27. Plans in the Library

Makaria wandered through the cold corridors of her father's castle. The candles flickered as she passed them, and mist clung to the floor and her feet. It bubbled up around her hips with every step. Her dark skin had paled slightly without the sun, and her bright eyes were dull. The Underworld sucked the life out of those who did not belong.

Makaria mirrored her mother. They had the same dark skin, bright eyes, cheerful smiles. They cared with all their heart. And they did not belong in the land of the dead. Persephone would stay for half the year, she loved Hades despite their vast differences. Yet as she lived with him, surrounded by death he was her home not the land. She longed for the sun, just as Makaria did.

She traced her delicate fingertips over the smooth, black walls.

"Makaria," sang a voice through the mist in front of Makaria. She looked away from her fingertips on the wall to stare through the mist. From it, a form began to take place, a tall man stepped in front of her and smiled.

"Zagreus," she cried and flung her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. "What are doing here? Come," she said, pulling him into a library. "Father has ears and he need not know you are here."

Zagreus raised his eyebrows, he was father's favorite. Why should he not say hello?

"Well?" She asked quietly, careful not be heard from outside.

"What?" Zagreus said loudly, and looked into Makaria's eyes. They were honey colored, like their mother's.

"Why are you here?" She whispered.

"Have you eaten?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm not like you, I don't want to stay here forever." Zagreus smiled and wiggled his eyebrows, making Makaria giggle.

"May I present," he said, pulling a loaf of bread from inside his jacket and holding it in front of him. "Food for my sister. From the living world of course."

She smiled and grabbed the bread, immediately pulling a large piece off and into her mouth.

"Thanks choo," she mumbled through her full mouth. She swallowed and looked back at her brother. "I haven't been able to eat anything since I got here. How long has it been?"

"You know I don't keep track of such trivial things as time. That is for the mortals."

Makaria sighed then glared at him. "Why are you here?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Can't I just visit my sister? As you said, I adore the Underworld."

"But you were having your fun with the living, and you wouldn't come down here until you got bored. Which we know won't be for another century," Makaria grumbled, pushing him for answers. Yet in true Zagreus fashion he merely winked and laughed.

"Specifics, specifics, who wants to get caught up in those?" Makaria glared, making him laugh. She reminded him of Melinoe, Eirene, which sobered him almost immediately. "Our sister," began before Makaria cut in.

"Is she alright? How does she find the living world? Does she like it? I knew she would. She took after Mother more, but what is it?" She said, looking at Zagreus' morose expression.

"She's coming down."

"Down?"

"She's visiting the Underworld," he said. Makaria blew out a breath through clenched teeth, anger rising in her.

"Why?" Zagreus looked her over with pity.

"You."

"No," she breathed out, collapsing on a nearby armchair. Last Makaria had known, Melinoe left the Underworld and swore to never return. Doing so meant she would become the Commander of her father's army and unable to live the life Eirene wanted.

"Yes, and she plans on escaping. She will need your help," Zagreus said. Makaria nodded.

"Of course, what can I do?"

"I gave them cloaks, to hide from father. And clever Melin- Eirene, never mind, Melinoe, sent Cerberus back down to help her," Zagreus began.

"Them? Who is with her?"

"Ah, yes this is the peculiar part. She found her mate. A wolf named Cadmus. He works under a wealthy lord near the village she and I have been living in."

"Mate? I didn't think we could have mates?"

Zagreus shrugged.

"I believe she plans on speaking to Selene. But nonetheless, she will need your help. Firstly, when she comes she will be looking for a ruby. Find her one so she doesn't need to go near father. Secondly, help her have a way out. She's thought it all through except for leaving. She plans on entering and leaving through the back way, but-"

"Father watches it closely."

"Precisely. Entering will be easy, but leaving," his sentence trailed off and Makaria thought.

"I will distract Father. Through her visit and until she leaves. He will not know she was so close to him. I cannot let my sister be trapped by him," Makaria said. Determination rang through her gentle voice. "How long will she be here?"

"One night."

"I can distract him. One night," she repeated. The lapsed into silence.

Even as Zagreus teased her through their childhood, as he grew older he realized the horrors she endured. He now realized that if their father, made to be cruel, King of the Underworld, laid his hands on Eirene, the world would burn. His army, under Eirene's care would be unstoppable. If Hades had that control, that power, life would stop and the world would be under his rule. If Zagreus and Makaria were the wall to hold him back so be it, for if he captured Eirene, she could only fight him for so long.

Outside the library, a loud crash shook Zagreus and Makaria from their thoughts.

"Zagreus, go. You must leave," Makaria said quickly. She rose from the chair and began to push him out the door. Before he left, he turned to face Makaria.

"Take care of her, please?" He has only begged twice in his thousands of years of existence. Once, when Eirene stole a slice of cake and she was threatening to give it to Tantalus as he begged her not to defy Father. The second time was now.

"Of course," Makaria said with a smile. "Now go." He smiled and left in a spiral of smoke, leaving Makaria alone in the library.

With all the siblings' differences, they would always watch out for each other even if that was against their father.

"Makaria!" Hades cruel voice yelled through the corridors, echoing over the walls. She shuddered and drew in a deep breath.

"Coming Father," she yelled back. She hurriedly left the library and walked through the halls, the mist rising up and a fog fell from the ceilings, leaving the corridors opaque where if she waved a hand in front of her face she wouldn't be able to see it. She wove through the castle, stopping in front of her father's office door.

"Makaria!" His voice boomed again. She squeaked and cracked the door open wide enough for her to look in.

"Yes, Father?" She said, hiding behind the door.

"Enter," he commanded. She bowed her head, and entered to room. She sat on the armchair in front of the desks tarring at her feet. "I understand you know why you are here?"

She meekly nodded.

"Yes, Father." He curtly nodded.

"Good, then I suspect you know your sister is trying to bring you back." Makaria nodded once more. "And in doing so, she will have to face me. When she faces me, be warned, it will be a fierce battle, but I need my strongest child by my side. She will command my army through war." Hades banged his fist down on the table, making his daughter jump.

"Yes, Father."

"I need you to lure her closer," he said, looking at Makaria's bowed form.

"How so?" She finally looked up meeting his cold eyes, lit with fury and excitement over the thought of his war.

"I know she will enter my realm, when she does, find her. Find her and bring her to me. I will handle it from there," he said.

"But-"

"Do you understand me?" He growled. "Or do I need to persuade you with the help of my friend, Thanatos?" A tall man, dresses in an elegant black robe stepped from the shadows on the office. Makaria quickly shook her head, sending her braids swirling around her as if they were in water.

"I understand Father. Then I will be free?" At her words, Thanatos shrunk back into the shadows.

"Yes," Hades replied through gritted teeth. He did hate to hold her captive like this, but it must be done. His plan must be set into motion. "You are dismissed." Makaria nodded and stood, hurrying from the room.

She now had two options, trap her sister in the Underworld to rule with their father forever, or hope Melinoe knew what she was doing and would get her out of the land of the dead. Her freedom was being bartered over in a game between gods.

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