The Gatekeeper's Secret: Gatekeeper's Saga, Book Five (The Gatekeeper's Saga) by Eva Pohler Page B
Authors: Eva Pohler
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peace for you!” Meg roared.
Her falcon dipped toward Melinoe and plucked out one of her eyes.
Melinoe screamed in agony.
A shiver snaked down Therese’s back, and she turned away from the horrible sight. Gertrude, one of the rats she’d befriended in the Underworld, squealed with fear from some crevice and ran up Therese’s leg to perch, quivering, on her shoulder.
Don’t be alarmed. You’re safe, Therese told Gertrude.
Persephone covered her face and fled from the pit. Hecate followed her mistress.
That’s when Melinoe noticed Therese and said, “You!”
Everyone turned and looked at Therese. She had no idea what to say and stood there, speechless, holding Gertrude in both hands.
“This is your fault!” Melinoe shouted. “If you hadn’t gotten involved, I’d be Queen of the Underworld!”
How dare the Malevolent blame Therese! The goddess of ghouls needed to learn to take responsibility for her own choices. Anger surged through Therese, but she took control of it and said in a reasonable voice, “You brought this on yourself, and you’re being given a chance to get out of it. You should take it.”
Therese turned and walked away, so pissed she couldn’t bear to look at the Malevolent for another minute.
Then to Gertrude, she whispered, “ It’s okay, dearie. There’s no danger for you.”
“Why should I trust them?” Melinoe called after her. “How do I know they won’t…” The Malevolent’s voice trailed off.
Therese stopped in her tracks and turned back to face the prisoner. So that’s what was keeping her from cooperating. Melinoe had no reason to believe anything anyone told her, because she had trusted her father, and he had betrayed her. She probably still believed that Persephone and Hades had intentionally deceived her about her conception. With no allies, no one to trust, no one to believe in, Melinoe was in despair and lacked the motivation to cooperate. In fact, she was probably terrified that something worse than her imprisonment here might befall her if she betrayed Zeus.
Therese took several steps toward Melinoe, whose one eye glared at her with suspicion and—Therese thought—hope.
Therese’s heart rate increased as a new idea struck her. It might be the stupidest thing she’d ever do, but she wanted to do it. She did, didn’t she? The other gods seemed transfixed by the glare the two goddesses held on one another—the goddess of ghouls bound to the stone wall and the goddess of animal companions bound to something pulling at her heart, where she clutched Gertrude protectively.
“I swear,” Therese began.
Than interrupted, What are you doing? What are you about to swear? I have a right to know.
It’s a safe bet , she replied. Trust me.
Aloud, Therese said, “I swear on the River Styx that if any one of these gods before you treats you with injustice, I will join you here, in Tartarus, forever.”
Than laid a hand on her shoulder and prayed, How can you swear such a thing?
Do you doubt these gods? she asked.
Than did not reply.
She looked from Melinoe to Hades and saw a hint of a smile on the god of the Underworld, but suddenly she wasn’t quite so sure if it was the same smile of endearment he’d given her before. Had she just made a colossal mistake?
Melinoe spat at her, and this time the spittle hit its mark. Therese flinched.
“Oath breaker!” Melinoe shrieked. “Why should I believe an oath breaker!”
“She never broke an oath,” Hades said smoothly.
“She speaks the truth,” Apollo added.
“Get away from me!” Melinoe screamed. “All of you! Get away! I want my father! He’s coming for me! Just you wait and see! Father! Father, where are you!”
Than took Therese’s elbow and led her away from the horrible sight further into the deep pit of Tartarus. Therese pet Gertrude once more before setting her loose on the wall to find her way back to her sisters and brothers.
When they were alone in the dark , winding corridor,
Her falcon dipped toward Melinoe and plucked out one of her eyes.
Melinoe screamed in agony.
A shiver snaked down Therese’s back, and she turned away from the horrible sight. Gertrude, one of the rats she’d befriended in the Underworld, squealed with fear from some crevice and ran up Therese’s leg to perch, quivering, on her shoulder.
Don’t be alarmed. You’re safe, Therese told Gertrude.
Persephone covered her face and fled from the pit. Hecate followed her mistress.
That’s when Melinoe noticed Therese and said, “You!”
Everyone turned and looked at Therese. She had no idea what to say and stood there, speechless, holding Gertrude in both hands.
“This is your fault!” Melinoe shouted. “If you hadn’t gotten involved, I’d be Queen of the Underworld!”
How dare the Malevolent blame Therese! The goddess of ghouls needed to learn to take responsibility for her own choices. Anger surged through Therese, but she took control of it and said in a reasonable voice, “You brought this on yourself, and you’re being given a chance to get out of it. You should take it.”
Therese turned and walked away, so pissed she couldn’t bear to look at the Malevolent for another minute.
Then to Gertrude, she whispered, “ It’s okay, dearie. There’s no danger for you.”
“Why should I trust them?” Melinoe called after her. “How do I know they won’t…” The Malevolent’s voice trailed off.
Therese stopped in her tracks and turned back to face the prisoner. So that’s what was keeping her from cooperating. Melinoe had no reason to believe anything anyone told her, because she had trusted her father, and he had betrayed her. She probably still believed that Persephone and Hades had intentionally deceived her about her conception. With no allies, no one to trust, no one to believe in, Melinoe was in despair and lacked the motivation to cooperate. In fact, she was probably terrified that something worse than her imprisonment here might befall her if she betrayed Zeus.
Therese took several steps toward Melinoe, whose one eye glared at her with suspicion and—Therese thought—hope.
Therese’s heart rate increased as a new idea struck her. It might be the stupidest thing she’d ever do, but she wanted to do it. She did, didn’t she? The other gods seemed transfixed by the glare the two goddesses held on one another—the goddess of ghouls bound to the stone wall and the goddess of animal companions bound to something pulling at her heart, where she clutched Gertrude protectively.
“I swear,” Therese began.
Than interrupted, What are you doing? What are you about to swear? I have a right to know.
It’s a safe bet , she replied. Trust me.
Aloud, Therese said, “I swear on the River Styx that if any one of these gods before you treats you with injustice, I will join you here, in Tartarus, forever.”
Than laid a hand on her shoulder and prayed, How can you swear such a thing?
Do you doubt these gods? she asked.
Than did not reply.
She looked from Melinoe to Hades and saw a hint of a smile on the god of the Underworld, but suddenly she wasn’t quite so sure if it was the same smile of endearment he’d given her before. Had she just made a colossal mistake?
Melinoe spat at her, and this time the spittle hit its mark. Therese flinched.
“Oath breaker!” Melinoe shrieked. “Why should I believe an oath breaker!”
“She never broke an oath,” Hades said smoothly.
“She speaks the truth,” Apollo added.
“Get away from me!” Melinoe screamed. “All of you! Get away! I want my father! He’s coming for me! Just you wait and see! Father! Father, where are you!”
Than took Therese’s elbow and led her away from the horrible sight further into the deep pit of Tartarus. Therese pet Gertrude once more before setting her loose on the wall to find her way back to her sisters and brothers.
When they were alone in the dark , winding corridor,
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