Zagreus stood at the edge of the River Styx, at a place where Charon passed by but did not stop. He could see a man coming toward him, wearing the traveller’s hat of the Greeks. His white hat was black winged, and he gathered a black cloak around him. He carried a gold staff, and looked in his late twenties.
“Hermes,” called Zagreus quietly.
“Nice human form,” Hermes said, appraising the dark-haired, dark-skinned man standing before him. Zagreus was naked, as he was in bed right now, entwined with his lover.
“Why do you bring me here?”
“You brought yourself. But there’s someone here to see you.”
A cat came out of nowhere and changed into a woman’s form, a woman with a short tunic and Greek hunting boots. “Hello, Zagreus.”
Zagreus bowed his head, “Hekate,” he said.
“Your mother is worried about you.”
“I have returned to the land of the living.”
“Good. You can find a missing soul.”
“A missing soul?”
Hekate nodded. “A soul has escaped to the land of the living. A soul from the Elysian Fields.”
“I see,” Zagreus said. He knew where Josh had come from.
“Your father wishes him returned.”
“Within a certain amount of time?”
“A century or two.”
Plenty of time, Zagreus thought. He looked beyond Hekate and thought he could detect a wink from Hermes while Hekate’s back was to him.
“In the meantime, he should be easy to find. He does not have to eat, but he may have to sleep. The Oneroi will search for him as well.”
Hermes shook his head. Zagreus was on the trickster’s side in this, it seemed. Hermes could hold back the Oneroi, unless they were expressly sent by his father. And even then, Zagreus could put in a few dream-catchers to stop them.
“Good,” said Zagreus. “May I leave now?”
“Yes, Zagreus.” The woman turned and left, while Hermes came close and whispered to Zagreus, “Is he worth it?”
Zagreus only nodded, refraining from grinning.
Hermes slapped Zagreus on the back, and Zagreus jerked in bed.
Josh woke up, “You okay?”
Zagreus put his arm around his lover, drawing him close. “Yes, love. Sleep.” But he kept his eyes open, looking around the room to where he would put the dream-catchers.