FanStory.com - A Time to Rest and Revealby davisr (Rhonda)

Sunny gazed at her as though he understood and concurred.

"He's a smart cat," Theo said, "and a good traveler."

"I wish I had something to feed him. I didn't even have time to grab a can of food."

"We can give him a few minutes to hunt some bugs. Once we get to my home, there will be plenty to feed him."

They both watched as Sunny scampered off into the night. Every once in a while, he gave a meow to let them know he was close.

"Do you have cats?" Echo perked up at the thought of something familiar ahead in the unknown valley.

"Sort of. I have this little sister, Hannah, who has about every animal you can imagine, cats included."

"Oh, is she the one you said would love Sunny?"

"The very one. She's a sweetheart."

Echo cleared her throat. "Will you answer a few questions for me?"

Theo raised an eyebrow. "You know there isn't much I can talk about until we get where we're headed."

"I get all of that, but I have a right to know some things. I trust you, but curiosity and worry are getting the better of me."

Theo responded with a guarded nod. "Ask, and I'll answer what I can."

"Let's start with Georgios," Echo said. "What's the deal with him?"

"He's my father's son from a previous marriage. His mother was killed in a fire when he was a child and he's lived in his own home since way before I was born."

"Can you share with me why he doesn't look quite human?"

"Not without a lot of explanation we don't have time for, plus I think he would rather tell you himself."

"I completely understand. Do you two get along with each other?"

"Absolutely. We work together, and he visits now and then at the family home." Theo leaned against the tree trunk and looked at Echo. "What else?"

"Why are your eyes the same color as my cat's?"

Theo laughed the same explosive laugh he had earlier. Echo liked the way it made her feel. Sort of like a thunderstorm clearing out fog.

"I've no idea, but I have my father's eyes, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a cat in his lineage."

Echo laughed, too. "Sorry, that came out of nowhere. I just guess I'm trying to figure you out, and am afraid if I had a lifetime to do it, I couldn't."

Theo's eyes twinkled just before he looked down. Hanging in the air was the word, lifetime. Echo hadn't really meant to throw it out there, but there it was, the one word they had both contemplated for twenty years, but feared to consider.

Echo quickly changed the subject. "Tell me about your parents. What are they like?"

"My mother, Diantha, is beautiful. She has red hair like yours, and comes from your world. My father, Phoebus, is ruggedly handsome. He has black hair like mine and, of course, cat green eyes. Which, incidentally, he got from his father."

"Who is?"

Theo gave her a sideways glance. "A very long story."

"Got it." If Echo had expected the nut to crack so soon, she was destined to be sadly disappointed.

"Look, I know you're tired and sore," Theo said. "You've been through a lot, and have untreated wounds, but we have to get moving. Sunny is back from bug foraging. The sooner we get to Concorde Valley, the better we'll all be."

"Are you wounded, too?"

"No, just worried."

Echo nodded. Somehow she felt comfort in their shared concern. Theo looked at her with such compassion she felt encouraged to ask another question weighing on her mind.

"Who are the Specters really? I know you don't want to talk about them, but they are haunting my thoughts. Some things are better to know about then to develop your own theories."

Theo's eyes darkened as he bent his head in thought. He sighed and looked back up.

"Are you sure you want to know here in the deep shadows of the forest?"

"As I said, I need to know."

Theo bobbed his head in acknowledgement, then chose his words carefully.

"I told you Specters are some of the many servants of our enemy," he began, "but what I didn't tell you was who the enemy is."

"Right, you said that explanation would have to wait."

"I know." Theo reached out and took one of her hands in his. "And it looks like this is the time for it. I would have chosen to wait until we got to Concorde Valley, but your need to know has become greater than my desire to conceal."

"Thank you. Who is he?"

"He goes by many names, but we call him Hades."

Echo's eyes widened and she gave a little snort. "Hades? You mean, god of the dead, Hades?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, Theo, he isn't real."

Theo looked back at her with raised eyebrows. "Do you want me to explain, or go back to promising to tell you later?"

"No, I'm sorry, go ahead."

"As I was saying, Specters work for Hades. And just in case you've heard he's really a nice guy with a tough job, think again. He's wicked to the core. As for the Specters, they're beings part living, part dead, and are sent out on Hades' bidding to fulfill his dark purposes."

"And what was his dark purpose with me and those women they killed?"

"To be honest, I'm not completely sure. I didn't know he was behind all of this until I saw Junior."

"You know him?"

"Unfortunately, we've met before."

"And he's really Hades' son?"

"Yeah, one of several. His mother is a Specter, which makes him only half. He has some of their powers, but is fully living."

Echo didn't respond right away. She knew her time for questioning had to be drawing near to a close.

"One more thing," she said. "I smelled an earthy odor outside my apartment door just before I saw Junior."

"Yeah, I smelled it, too. What do you think that means?"

"You don't know?"

"I have a good idea."

"Was it because his father is head of the Underworld?"

"That's a pretty good guess, I'd say."

"And," she pressed on, "You said you and Junior have common Greek roots. Just how close are those roots?"

Theo visibly cringed, but as he didn't protest, Echo went on.

"I also smelled the ocean," she said. The reporter in her was beginning to make connections so fast her head spun.

"The ocean?" Theo repeated. "That's odd."

Echo folded slim arms across her chest. "Smell of dirt, Hades, scent of the ocean..."

Theo blinked his eyes a few times in an attempt to distance himself from the inevitable onslaught. "Echo, I really don't think this is the time or place."

Echo ignored him and pressed on. "That's Poseidon, if my mythology is correct."

Sighing deeply, he turned his face. "It's only a myth until you learn the truth."

"Then tell it to me, Theo. If Hades had Junior, who was Poseidon's pony in the race?" Echo's breathing came faster as she pressed in.

Theo turned back. In his deep eyes, Echo saw the truth. Truth she had somehow known most of her life, but hadn't understood. "You're a god, aren't you?"

Theo shook his head. "I'm no god, Echo. None of us are. We're just members of a race of immortals once thought to be supreme beings. There's only one true God and we serve Him, just as you. Most of us claim the title of Guardians. We use what we're given to protect humanity."

"I'm not sure Hades subscribes to that line of thought."

"No, Hades serves only himself." Theo broke off a twig and threw it into the darkness beneath them.

"Who is Poseidon to you?"

Theo took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "My grandfather."

"The one with the green eyes?"

"Yes, Ma'am, the one with the green eyes. Sea green, by the way, not cat."

Echo let the comment go for the moment. "You were his pony in the race, weren't you?"

"In more ways than one." Theo tapped her head with his in a way Echo was beginning to think was somewhere between a hug and a kiss.

"You're being mysterious again."

"It's as much my nature as digging the truth out of a person is yours."

Echo couldn't help but smile. "I know and respect that. Thank you for leveling with me as much as you could."

"You're welcome. Can we go now?"

Echo handed Sunny to Theo, then stood up as gingerly as she had sat down. She knew moving through the trees hurt less than sitting still, so braced herself for the journey. She took Sunny, gave him a hug, and placed him in the backpack. Theo took the beloved burden and carried him on broad shoulders.

Echo nodded to Theo her readiness to go on. She knew, with the instincts of her profession, she'd pushed as far as she could for information. She was certain Theo would reveal more as the need arose. For now, she was satisfied. The nut had cracked, even if just for a moment.