Chapter 13

Eurydice lost track of the time as Orpheus serenaded the raucous party. She let her mind wander, completely disassociating from the chaos around her, blocking out each of Orpheus”s lyrics. They all plucked at her heart strings, and she wasn”t ready to reconcile how he made her feel as opposed to his actions. They were at odds with one another, and she wasn”t going to try and decipher them in the middle of a party.

When Orpheus paused in between songs to grab some water, Eurydice took the opportunity to feign that she was going to look for the lady”s room. She quickly stepped off the stage and disappeared into the crowd, barely listening as Orpheus dedicated another song to her and started up his set again.

Eurydice returned to her previous hiding place in the corner, grabbing a cup of wine for herself and watching the rest of the party unfold. A few people had begun to turn away from Orpheus and were sneaking off to dark corners or helping themselves to the banquet. Eurydice was debating a quick exit when there was a sudden pulse of power from beside her, the pressure in the atmosphere dropping drastically. Eurydice was too familiar with immortals not to recognize the telltale sign of their arrival, but the rest of the party didn”t seem to have any idea what was going on. The ripple of magic echoed from beside her, making her shiver.

Eurydice turned around and bit back a little gasp of surprise, realizing none other than Hermes and Dionysus had arrived at Perseus”s drunken house party.

“By the gods,” Eurydice exhaled heavily. “This can”t be that good of a party.”

Hermes was smirking, leaning against the wall with a golden circlet adorning his blonde curls. He was wearing a short toga with shining sandals, with matching wings and straps that criss-crossed up to the knee.

“My darling muse,” Hermes smiled, perpetually looking like he was keeping a secret, “every party gets better when we show up.”

Dionysus”s laughter boomed in agreement. “Besides,” Dionysus”s expression intensified, “my wine means my rules, and I don”t trust a single one of these fools.”

“Isn”t it all your wine?” Eurydice asked gently.

“Exactly the point he”s making, lovely,” Hermes cooed. “Dionysus doesn”t like it when men get too handsy and blame him for it.”

“I don”t like it when anyone gets too handsy and blames me for it,” Dionysus added, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Revelry and consent are not mutually exclusive.”

Eurydice said nothing, still slightly in awe that she was face to face with Hermes and Dionysus. She was used to being around immortals, especially the Underworld gods, and Pan was a deity too, but there was a great difference in power between immortals and some of the major gods of the pantheon.

“He has a bit of a thing for castrating people.” Hermes waved his hand in the air like he was shooing a fly. “It”s rather endearing, actually.”

Dionysus only grumbled something in response, too low for Eurydice to hear, but Hermes started laughing in response. She knew it was rude, but she couldn”t stop staring at Dionysus. Was it rude, though? Eurydice”s thoughts started running wild. The gods thrive on attention and devotion.

Dionysus was nearly double Hermes”s size, with a broad chest and wide shoulders. His chiton was a deep, dark purple, and his hair was black and streaked with gray. It hung down to his shoulders in elaborate curls. He didn”t have a circlet or any other obvious identifier of his divinity, but his entire demeanor radiated immortality. His skin was ruddy and tanned from orgies and parties out in the sun and days spent in the grape fields, with warm lines by his eyes and mouth, which betrayed how much Dionysus laughed. As intimidating as he was, there was a warmth around him that Eurydice found herself drawn to. She knew Dionysus and Pan were very close, and that paternal feeling was rubbing off on her too.

“Are you not having a good time, friend of Pan?” Dionysus seemed to read Eurydice”s thoughts, leaning toward her and lowering his voice. Hermes”s brows shot up.

“You”re not having a good time, are you?” Hermes echoed, as if this was a sudden realization for him. Eurydice sighed heavily and turned away from the gods, her eyes going to Orpheus on the stage. She must have been silent for a second too long because Dionysus and Hermes both nodded in understanding.

“Of course I”m having a good time.” Eurydice almost visibly cringed at her feeble attempt to deny Hermes”s accusation.

“I would know,” Dionysus stared at Eurydice, “and you are not the picture of a party attendee who”s enjoying themselves.”

“Well,” Eurydice balked under Dionysus”s unwavering glare, “it”s been...difficult. Adjusting to being in a relationship again. That”s all.”

“Should we petition Eros on your behalf?” Hermes smirked, his brow raising slightly. There was nothing mocking in his words, but something in his tone made Eurydice blush with embarrassment. Hermes was Pan”s father, after all, and he had a way of being incredibly protective over his son. Even, apparently, protecting his son from his own friends.

“It”s normal, I”m sure. We”ve been through a lot that most couples will never even begin to understand.”

Eurydice was cut off by a sudden barrage of exuberant screaming, getting everyone”s attention. Perseus and Orpheus were in the center of a small crowd, aggressively chugging jugs of wine that were being poured directly into their mouths by lovely serving girls. Eurydice”s stomach dropped at the sight, and the sick feeling of nausea returned.

“Bastards,” Dionysus growled. “They didn”t even let that wine breathe.”

“I don”t think this is the crowd to appreciate a good vintage,” Hermes chuckled as he watched Dionysus”s angry expression. “You are so pretty when you”re mad though.”

“Save it for Hercules,” Dionysus grunted. Hermes turned his attention back to Eurydice.

“No one would blame you if you left him,” Hermes suddenly blurted, jumping straight to the heart of the matter.

“What?!” Eurydice blanched, the color draining from her face as a few thorns exploded on her shoulders. “I mean... I couldn”t... What would everyone say?”

“What would everyone say?” Hermes”s brow raised. “My sweet, beautiful flower child, do you think I”ve gone about living my life by being concerned about what people think?”

“Well, you”re a god.”

“You”re a nymph,” Dionysus countered quickly. Eurydice looked around the party nervously, her eyes falling on Orpheus once again. He caught her gaze, as if he sensed her looking at him from across the crowded room and smiled. There was something about it that stirred Eurydice”s memory, like she was looking at a glimpse of Orpheus from years past. A warm feeling took feeble root in her chest, and Eurydice”s heart picked up.

Hermes and Dionysus saw the look on Eurydice”s face, and they nodded in understanding.

“You care for him,” Hermes stated simply, his eyes evaluating Eurydice.

“I do,” Eurydice acquiesced.

“You can care for someone and know that you are still not right for one another.” Dionysus sipped at a cup of wine, keeping a careful eye on the party proceeding around them.

“Hush, drink your wine.” Hermes tsked in Dionysus”s direction. “You”re only going to confuse the girl.”

“As if you don”t have your own reasons for being here.” Dionysus”s eyes got wider as he obliged Hermes and took another deep draught from the cup he was holding.

“Is there... Is there a reason that you came here to talk to me?” Eurydice put her hand on her hip, suddenly wary why the two gods had come to Orpheus”s party and were talking to her in the corner.

“You”re my son”s best friend.” Hermes shrugged. “Do I need a reason to check up on you?”

“You never have before…” Eurydice started to argue with Hermes when Dionysus”s face suddenly turned red.

A deep, almost guttural sound came out of his mouth as he dropped his cup, sending wine splattering over the pristine marble tiles of Orpheus”s dining room. Eurydice gasped sharply and tried to see what had gotten Dionysus”s attention, quickly turning towards the noise. A small crowd was fighting near the end of the banquet table, and Orpheus and Perseus were on their way to the dispute. Hermes and Dionysus started moving, and Eurydice followed out of curiosity. A woman was angrily pushing against another man”s chest while he spat angrily. A second woman had her arm around the first woman”s waist, joining in shouting accusatorially at the drunken man.

“What is the meaning of this?” Dionysus was spitting angrily, his voice echoing off the rafters. A thin, shining silver circlet appeared on his brow as he grew taller while his divinity took over. The simple purple garment Dionysus had been wearing suddenly revealed itself to have a matching elaborate silver trim as etched sandals appeared on his feet. A wicked looking scythe appeared in his hand while his eyes flashed black and violet.

“Whoa-a,” Perseus hiccuped, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding, Dionysus. We”re honored that you would grace us with your presence.” Perseus made a feeble attempt at a bow, tripping over his own ankles. Dionysus was still livid, holding a white-knuckle grip on his blade. He couldn”t take his eyes off the man who”d been berating the tipsy female.

“You see,” Hermes suddenly appeared next to Eurydice, his voice low in her ear, “most mortal men don”t realize that Dionysus is the god of wine, but that means that no one abuses it. He castrated Zeus over his many violations of consent.”

“You”re kidding.” Eurydice blanched as she turned towards Hermes, dropping her voice down to meet his hushed tone. The argument was carrying on beside them, and out of the corner of her eye, Eurydice could see Dionysus stepping in front of the women to defend them.

“Do I look like I would joke about something like that?” Hermes placed his hand on his chest dramatically. “Don”t answer that. It”s true. There are two things that Dionysus holds dear, my lovely garden flower. And those are the proper techniques for sealing a barrel of vintage wine and the importance of informed consent.”

“Huh. I wouldn”t have guessed.” Eurydice found herself looking for Orpheus in the crowd again, unamused to see him sitting down at the banquet table behind Perseus with a serving girl in his lap.

“Men aren”t that keen to go around spreading the news that they were castrated by Dionysus, so that part of his reputation... Oh.” Hermes gasped salaciously, realizing what Eurydice was staring at. “Well, he”s certainly a keeper.” The sarcasm in Hermes”s tone was evident.

“We”re going through an adjustment period.” Eurydice rattled off the excuse without even thinking.

“So you”ve said.” Hermes hummed something inconsequential. They both watched the chaos escalate as Dionysus thundered out a loud string of curses. He dropped his scythe on the floor and clapped his hands twice. A massive boom echoed off the rafters as vines exploded through the walls. The sentient branches started weaving around the ankles of the partygoers, causing mass chaos as attendees started to scream and flee. The vines caught several of the angry, drunk male guests around their legs and suspended them in the air.

“Oh my,” Hermes grinned, a mischievous gleam appearing in his eye, “this is what I was hoping to see this evening. Dionysus always looks ravishing when he goes all ”berserker farmer.” Hercules will be frustrated he missed this.”

Eurydice didn”t know how to respond to Hermes as she tried to process the scene in front of her. The dining hall had descended into chaos until the only people left were the men held in Dionysus”s thrall. He had the blade of his scythe pressed to one man”s thigh, asking if he enjoyed the helpless feeling that came from being so incapacitated.

“He certainly knows how to make a point,” Eurydice murmured, not feeling particularly upset for any of the ill-fated dinner guests.

“Eurydice!” Orpheus”s sharp voice called out through the vines that were covering the dining hall, and soon, he emerged from underneath the banquet table. “My love!” he cried in relief, opening his arms as he stumbled towards her. ”I was worried that you were injured. Are you okay? Let”s get out of here, quickly.” Orpheus was talking too quickly, clearly coming off whatever high or drunken stupor he”d been in.

”I”m all right, Orpheus. It”s fine.” Eurydice put her hands on his shoulders and rubbed them soothingly. ”Don”t panic. We can go home.”

”My love,” Orpheus repeated cupped her cheek, stroking his thumb gently over her skin, ”let”s go home. I just want to be with you.”

Eurydice”s heart gave a jump, and it betrayed her slightly. Was that really all it took? She watched Orpheus be the life of the party for a few hours, so now she had a stomach full of butterflies because he wanted to leave with her?

”Excuse me,” Hermes butted in, his lips pressed in a thin line, ”I”d like to speak to Eurydice for a moment.”

Orpheus”s jaw dropped at the sight of the god next to his wife and nodded dumbly.

Hermes tugged on Eurydice”s elbow and pulled her away to the corner of the room again. His judgmental expression vanished as he looked down at Eurydice, chewing his lip as if he was debating whether or not to tell her something.

”If you ever need anything, call me. I”ll answer. Pan speaks highly of you.” Eurydice was taken aback by the offer. It wasn”t every day that a god offered you the extreme favor of being able to call on them.

”I don”t see why that would be necessary,” Eurydice found herself pretending to assure Hermes that everything in her life was going swimmingly, ”but I appreciate the great honor you”ve shown on me by extending such an offer.” She bowed her head, but Hermes only let out a loud, guffawing noise.

”Ha! Keep those elaborate pleasantries for the rest of the pantheon.” Wings appeared on Hermes”s feet as he prepared to depart.

”Oh, and one more thing?” Hermes raised a brow and leaned in a little closer towards Eurydice. ”Those lyrics that Orpheus was singing to you, sweet muse? He stole those from Sappho.”

Hermes disappeared in a cloud of golden magic, leaving Eurydice in the wreckage of the banquet hall.