Chapter 15

When Eurydice finally blinked her eyes open, her bedroom was glowing with late afternoon light. It was a misconception that nymphs and dryads were daytime creatures. Eurydice found pleasure in being both a day and a night person. When she woke up with a smile on her face, all she could think of was her moonlight walk with Pan. As the memories came flooding back, she ran to the window, thrilled to see their trees blossoming in the sun.

”Beautiful,” Eurydice exhaled heavily, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. She turned around and quickly started doing her hair, brushing it out and throwing it up in a braid. While she was finishing getting dressed, her other memories from the night before came rushing back. It hit her like a bolt of lightning, shocking her system and draining it of the warmth she”d been feeling.

”Orpheus...” she groaned, sitting back down on her bed and chewing her lip anxiously. What had he been thinking last night? He had been kind to her and exalted her in front of everyone in attendance at Perseus”s party. But drinking excessively? Getting friendly with the serving girls? And Hermes”s accusation... Although it couldn”t have been an accusation if Hermes said it. Hermes was the god of many things, including a trickster, but the god of messengers wouldn”t lie about something like that either.

The great Orpheus, stealing lyrics,Eurydice hissed mentally.

She looked around the small, barren bedroom. She preferred it to the opulent rooms of the manor, but she knew that Orpheus intended it as a slight. He”d hoped that she would be lured into the master bedroom by the embroidered bedclothes and elaborate furniture, but Eurydice would just as soon sleep outside. Still, the spare mattress and small table in the bedroom were a testament to how Orpheus had hoped to drive her into his arms. He said one thing and did another. It had only been a couple of weeks and surely, as her husband, he deserved a little bit more time than that to fall back in sync with his wife?

”With any luck, he”s still asleep,” Eurydice muttered to herself, brightening her own spirits with the thought of checking on last night”s progress.

Eurydice practically floated through the house without a word. Orpheus had his own staff of adoring fans who were willing to do anything he requested around the house, and more than once, Eurydice found herself wondering what ”anything” truly entailed. This afternoon, however, she was given a blessed reprieve when there was no one to be found in the house. It was quiet enough that she could hear the birds in the garden, causing her to pick up her pace.

Eurydice stepped into the sun, practically sighing in relief as the sun warmed her skin. The garden was in bloom like never before, with every flower bed exploding over its confines. Eurydice clapped her hands with joy at the sight of how much gardening she now needed to do. Anyone else would likely be put off at the sight of such an overgrown mess, but to Eurydice, it was paradise. It proved that her and Pan”s efforts from the night before had been accepted by Rhea.

Eurydice started whistling a happy tune, causing several swallows to swoop down and start bathing in the fountain. She sat down on the ground in front of the flower bed closest to the door and got to work.

The hours passed until the sun was setting again, Eurydice spending the rest of the daylight in the garden. The space was bathed in pink and orange light as Eurydice took another walk through the elaborate garden, double-checking all her handiwork. She stopped at the small grove of trees, which were already in full bloom, thanks to a little bit of Pan”s magic the night before. Orpheus preferred to keep the kitchen stocked with meats and bread; Eurydice was delighted to see that Pan had planted her a collection of apricots, peaches, nectarines, and cherries. She couldn”t even remember telling Pan that she got annoyed with Orpheus”s preferences for mealtime, but maybe he simply remembered that fruits were her favorite.

The trees were enchanted; Eurydice could tell when she placed her hand on the trunks, and they were blessed with a rapid cycle of growth. She imagined she”d be eating fruit by dinner time and would have a fresh harvest at the same time tomorrow.

”What a lovely gift,” Eurydice smiled to herself. She sat underneath one of the widest trees, deciding to wait until the fruit ripened and watch the sunset. She had slept through most of the day, but the burst of gardening tired her out again. The waning light of the sun made her sleepy, and her eyes were about to flutter closed when there was a sudden strong breeze that rippled through the garden.

Eurydice knew the presence of immortality when she sensed it. There was a pleasant, white light that appeared in the center of the garden. It flashed bright as the sun for a brief moment, and Makaria stepped out of it.

”Makaria!” Eurydice brightened, wondering what she had done to deserve visits from Pan and Makaria in the span of a single day.

”Oh, lovely nymph.” Makaria grinned, holding out her arms for Eurydice as she crossed the garden to join her. ”Did you do all of this? I love what you”ve done with the place. I must say,” Makaria got a devilish grin on her face, ”I had to do plenty of decorating myself when I moved in with Thanatos.”

”Oh, yes, of course,” Eurydice laughed awkwardly and hugged Makaria. ”Well, I”ve only really touched the garden. That is the only part I”m interested in.”

Makaria sat down underneath the tree, her watchful eye picking up the shift in Eurydice”s demeanor.

”Do you not like the house?” Makaria tilted her head. She”d become very familiar with Eurydice”s tells.

”Well, houses aren”t really my thing, you know? I”d prefer to sleep in the garden anyway.” Eurydice motioned to the stunning grounds around her.

Makaria looked right at home among the stunning blooms. Her long, white hair was shining in the setting sun, and she was wrapped in a tunic that looked like oil—black at first sight, but it shifted colors when she moved. Eurydice couldn”t help but wonder what Makaria had been doing before she decided to pop in for a visit. The life of someone who was known as ”blessed death” must be interesting.

”Regardless, you”ve done a marvelous job with the space.” Makaria smiled warmly. She had always been a very kind, if not aloof, presence in Eurydice”s life. It was something Eurydice had always appreciated about the goddess. She knew there was a lot surrounding Makaria”s own story of understanding and belonging in the Underworld, and one day she hoped to hear it.

”You”re being too kind.” Eurydice was pleased; she cared much more about compliments regarding her gardening than her appearance. It made her flush infinitely more so than thoughts or comments on what she was wearing.

”Now, I have to ask.” Makaria”s hand dropped casually to the handle of her scythe, and she traced the leather wrapped around it. It was worn in several places where her fingers must have consistently gripped it; the thought made Eurydice shiver internally. ”How are you enjoying living here? Besides not being in the forest, of course. How is Orpheus?”

Eurydice should have anticipated that this question was coming, but something about it set her off guard again. She appreciated how many gods were checking in with her regarding her arrival in the Underworld, but at the same time, it was a little exhausting defending Orpheus constantly and explaining herself. Makaria must have sensed this as her face turned a little more quizzical.

”You don”t have to answer if you don”t want to,” Makaria supplied, her hair rippling like water in the sunset”s low light.

”No, I don”t mind,” Eurydice lied easily. ”Everything is going well. As well as to be expected, at least. There is an adjustment period, but I”m happy to be with my husband again.” Eurydice nearly split her face in two with the strength of her smile, hoping that it was convincing enough for lying to a god. If Makaria noticed, she didn”t say a thing. Her face became impassably neutral, without a single tell or even a slightly raised brow. The atmosphere between the two changed slightly, and Eurydice”s stomach sank with guilt.

This is what it means to be married, Eurydice tried to console herself with her thoughts. It”s important to defend your husband. Orpheus and I can work out our issues without everyone else”s interference.

”An adjustment period is to be...expected.” Makaria”s tone was somehow both neutral and cautious, which was a carefully curated skill that only the gods and immortals seemed to possess. ”I would simply hate for you to go a single day without finding joy in your life, Eurydice. You”ve suffered enough. Besides, you”re fucking dead anyway,” Makaria laughed, ”so you might as well make sure you”re enjoying it. If you were alive, I”d tell you that life is too short to be unhappy, but you”ve got all the time in the world to make decisions for yourself. I”m here if you ever need anything.”

Eurydice”s heart started beating faster, and she started to fight against a lightheaded sensation. She was a private person, and this was officially one inquisition too many. She knew it wasn”t fair to judge her friends this way, but really, how much input on her life was she supposed to consider? There were too many factors bouncing around in her head, and it was starting to feel like she had a constant hive of bees between her ears. Before she opened her mouth to respond, Orpheus”s voice called out from the other end of the garden.

”Eurydice? Are you out here?” Orpheus shouted in alarm. ”What in the name of the gods has happened to the garden? It”s disgusting. These unkempt weeds are everywhere.”

Eurydice”s heart sank. The garden was not overgrown, and she would know. It was finally full of life, with blooms and bushes and birds. How could she find a way to make Orpheus see the world the same way she did? She recovered quickly as she realized Makaria had unsheathed her blade, a venomous look on her face. From where Orpheus was in the garden, he couldn”t see Eurydice and Makaria. He was unaware that someone was listening to the way he spoke to Eurydice and what he had to say about her efforts.

”Orpheus,” Eurydice shouted quickly, waving her hands, ”we”re over here. Makaria is visiting.” Eurydice stressed the goddess”s name, hoping that it would put Orpheus on his best behavior. It did just that. When he responded, Orpheus sounded as polite and optimistic as ever.

”Oh, the lovely goddess! What a surprise.” He sounded like a politician as he emerged from the garden path, walking eagerly over to the grove of fruit trees.

Orpheus had spent the entire day sleeping off his hangover, yet he was gleaming like his own golden lyre. His chiton was pressed and featured a purple trim with an expensive brooch at his shoulder. Eurydice tried to not roll her eyes at the sight.

He”s outside in a garden right now. Who walks through a garden with jeweled sandals? Be fucking barefoot like the rest of us.Eurydice barely avoided another guilt spiral when she realized how sharply she critiqued her husband in her mind; that wasn”t giving him a fair shot, was it?

”It”s lovely to see you here, Makaria,” Orpheus held his arms out in a welcoming gesture.

”It”s ”goddess,” thank you,” Makaria replied with a curt nod. Eurydice watched as the muscles in Orpheus”s jaw twitched. She could tell he wasn”t used to being corrected in such a manner and didn”t appreciate Makaria”s sharp insistence he not use her first name.

”Goddess,” Orpheus replied through clenched teeth with a tight smile. He turned his attention to Eurydice. ”These trees are certainly new, aren”t they? And already bursting with fruit!” Orpheus walked closer and went up on his tiptoes, plucking a nectarine from one of the low hanging branches. When it didn”t pop right off the stem, Orpheus grunted, snapping the entire branch in half to get at the sweet fruit. Eurydice visibly flinched at the sharp crack of the tree limb falling apart.

”Yes.” Eurydice was quick to flash another reassuring smile. She was well aware of Makaria”s attempt to light Orpheus on fire with her stare. ”These grew last night. They”re enchanted,” Eurydice”s voice picked up in excitement, ”so you know that they”ll bloom...”

”Of course!” Orpheus slapped his forehead as if just remembering something obvious. He tossed the nectarine up int he air and caught it. ”It must have been the music.” He smiled at Eurydice. ”Your sweet presence just coaxes the best things out of me, my love. And then the music makes the trees grow. That”s what all the songs say about us, you know. You give me the power to make the rocks weep and the trees grow.” Orpheus held out a piece of the nectarine to Eurydice. She leaned forward to take it with her fingers, but Orpheus pulled it back quickly, a playful grin on his face. He shook his head and held it out again, clearly indicating he wanted to feed her.

Eurydice flushed with embarrassment. She was as wild as the forest, but she didn”t appreciate such a display of forced affection. It made her feel cheap. Nonetheless, she obliged, as Makaria was sitting with them and clearly judging Orpheus. Eurydice was keen to prove that everything between them was fine, even if just for the reason to convince herself that everything was going fine.

Eurydice leaned forward and allowed Orpheus to feed her a small wedge of the fruit. The sweet, citrusy tang of the nectarine was completely obliterated by the foul, wine-soaked taste of Orpheus”s fingers as he haphazardly shoved the piece between her lips. Eurydice nearly recoiled, turned off by the old sweat that still clung to Orpheus”s skin from the night before. He didn”t allow Eurydice to delicately pluck the fruit from his fingers, instead, practically choking her with his eagerness.

Eurydice sputtered a short cough, reeling backward as she swallowed the nectarine. She slapped her chest twice, trying to rid herself of the gagging sensation. It was entirely unpleasant and felt incredibly violating in its own way. Eurydice didn”t want to dwell on the fact that such a small gesture and physicality between them made her feel so sick, but she suspected that was because of Orpheus”s sense of entitlement to her that he flexed any time that he seemed to get the chance.

”Careful, my love.” Orpheus seemed annoyed. ”I suppose these fruits are a bit more bitter than intended. We”ll have to make some sweeter music together and see what happens.” Orpheus”s comment would”ve come across as playful between almost any other couple, but he only made it sound predatory. Eurydice could see Makaria gripping and releasing her blade repetitively out of the corner of her eye.

No one said anything for a few long minutes. Orpheus kicked at some of the rocks on the ground, whistling a half-assed tune while he looked up at all the blossoms on the fruit trees. Eurydice fought against the urge to start crying. She wanted to run. She wanted to be alone. No, she needed to be alone. Everything in her peaceful life had been taken from her, and while good intentioned, there were too many forces trying to understand what was happening between Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice needed to figure it out for herself first.

”Well,” Orpheus finally cleared his throat, ”I”ll get going, I suppose, and I can leave you two to your conversation...”

”No, no,” Makaria interrupted Orpheus sharply and stood up. Her soft, shining clouds of magic began swirling around her feet as she began to disappear. ”I”m the one intruding. Please, enjoy your evening.” Makaria vanished entirely until only her disembodied voice echoed throughout the garden. ”And Eurydice? If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

The emphasis on ”you” was clear; Makaria”s favor was being offered to Eurydice, not Orpheus. As soon as the goddess”s presence vanished entirely from the garden, Orpheus”s face soured.

”I don”t like that goddess,” he snarled. ”Eurydice, I don”t want her visiting you here anymore.”

”She”s a goddess, Orpheus,” Eurydice sputtered in surprise. ”Do you think I control her movements?”

”No, I suppose not,” Orpheus sighed dramatically, as though a visit from one of the Underworld”s most beloved deities was thoroughly inconveniencing for him. ”Why don”t you come in for dinner, Eurydice?” His tone softened. ”I”m sorry about Perseus”s party last night.” Orpheus”s cheeks pinked with a little bit of shame. ”It wasn”t very becoming of me to act the way I did.”

Eurydice was taken back by his apology, but it was welcome nonetheless. The smallest seeds of hope in her chest anchored their roots a little bit deeper. Orpheus extended his hand out to her, and she took it, accepting his aid as he helped her to her feet.

He offered Eurydice his arm, which she gracefully accepted, and he escorted her through the gardens and back towards the main house. The silence between them was somewhat peaceful, for once, and didn”t feel awkward.

Eurydice was getting whiplash from Orpheus”s moods, but she would take any pleasantness with him that she could.

As they were about to step into the house, Eurydice paused. She turned around and looked lovingly at her new grove of fruit trees before turning back to Orpheus.

”One thing, Orpheus,” she paused, and he nodded for her to continue, ”I grew those trees. I did. You didn”t even play any music here last night.” Eurydice”s words started coming out in a rush as she tried to get her entire statement out before she lost the confidence. ”Those trees are from my efforts, with...you know, some help with the creatures of the forest.” She was careful to exclude Pan”s name although she didn”t know why. ”I don”t appreciate you taking the credit for my responsibilities like that.”

Orpheus stared at Eurydice for a moment, and she expected him to roll his eyes at her or disregard her. Instead, he leaned in towards her and pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

”Of course, my love. But you know, we are married. What”s yours is mine.”

Orpheus dropped Eurydice”s arm and walked inside, hollering for the closest serving girl to start preparing the banquet hall for their dinner. Eurydice turned towards the garden and wondered if she could clear the outer wall if she had a running start.