24. Ares

I didn't think that coward had the guts to return. Yet, here standing before me, is Hermès. The grimace on his face tells me he isn't here with a good message.

"Back so soon?" I ask as he takes a seat across from me at my desk.

I prefer to be out in the bar mingling, but as the boss, I have to take care of the boring human side of it all. I had my wife handling it but she didn't have the brain for business.

"I've come from Olympus. Guess who I ran into?" Hermès grimaces.

"Judging by the look on your face, I'd have to say Hades. Did you stay long enough to find out what she was doing there? Or did you run away with your tail between your legs?" I ask, an eyebrow raised.

"Seeing as I'm standing before you now, no. If Hades has chatted with Harper at all, I'm lucky to still have legs," Hermes replies.

I trail a finger down the side of my face before speaking again. "Seems that Harper can handle herself."

"You really think I need some reminding? But Hades knows that I've been talking to you, do you really think that she's gonna explain her plans in front of me? She is not as stupid as you think," he states.

"So you think. Why are you really here?" I ask him directly. No more games, Hermes isn't a team player, he only looks out for himself.

"If you think I'm useless, then I'll just be on my way. I'm a messenger, what else do you think I do?" Hermes asks, rolling his eyes.

"That would have been just as easy to text. I've seen you use this human gadget," I say, holding up the little device that my wife insists I carry. Why, is beyond me? All she does is yell at me or question where I'm at.

"I despise those things. It's less personal that way. When I deliver news I want to see their faces, especially if it's bad news." He smirks.

"So, is there anything else you need? I don't understand the purpose of this little visit. I know you're not here to tell me that you are fighting with me."

"If Hades is at Olympus, I think she's searching for allies."

"So she's scared. Why else would she do that? I guess I'll stop making her wait and gear up for the fight." This time, I'm the one to smirk.

I've ignored the call of battle and blood for too long. War is my life.

"You're going now?" Hermès asks.

"I'm not telling you any more of my plans. You have no loyalties to me. How do I know that you aren't spying for Hades?" I counter, with my eyebrow raised. "You ran back here easily. Either you are a spy or a coward and I don't have time for either. "

I wave him away as I push back from my desk. It's time to act and rally the troops. Enyo is probably biting the bullet to shed some blood. She may be a little more war craving then I am, but that's hard to imagine.

Hermès is out the door before I reach it. When my boots hit the bar, my eyes fell on my twin. She has a mortal in her clutches and that smile on her lips tells me that she is going to destroy my little home away from home.

"Enyo, put the nice mortal down," I commanded.

Her eyes meet mine but she doesn't comply.

I have two words on the tip of my tongue that will get her attention.

"It's time."

At this, she drops the poor guy and he scuttles away from her and out the door at a fast pace. I have to contain my laugh that threatens to leave my lips and Enyo is at my side in a flash.

"Are we going now?" she asks, not even trying to disguise the eager emotion in her tone.

"Soon, we have a few fighters to collect and then we take the fight to the Underworld," I promise.

"That throne will be yours, brother. How our father could keep a weakling on it, is a testament to his idiocy."

"You're not wrong," I say as we head out into the fresh night air.