“Go see if she’s okay,” she said to Odysseus, and he went to Athena’s side. For a moment, Cassandra wasn’t sure. The next thing she saw might be the tip of Atropos’ shears through Odysseus’ back. But Athena wrapped her arm around him, and he helped her stand.

Cassandra heard her whisper, “Fucking feathers,” and smiled.

“What did you do?” Odysseus asked. He looked at Cassandra with wonder.

“What I was put here to do,” Cassandra said, and felt the dark part of her mind click shut.

EPILOGUE

Athena stood in her kitchen, making sandwiches. One black nose and one red one pressed close to the countertop, so she tossed the wolves each a slice of roast beef.

“That’s plenty,” she said when it seemed as if they’d beg for more. She smiled. If she forgot that they could walk on two legs and speak, she could almost become fond of them. And with their deaths gone, they weren’t nearly so disgusting. Panic’s red coat was almost pretty.

“Is that for me?”

Hermes poked his head around the corner.

“Make your own,” she said, but pushed the plate toward him. Old habits died hard. She might be following him around with sandwiches forever even though he didn’t need them. His cheeks were back, and his arms and chest were on their way. He was well.

“Tell me the truth,” he said with his mouth full. “When Ares didn’t show up to fight, you thought he had run off.”

“I didn’t think that,” she replied. “And you wouldn’t think that, either, if you’d seen him at the end.” The back door closed. Ares, coming back from the woods after the wolves. “He was by your bedside like a nursemaid, eyes big and wet as Henry’s German shepherd.” She smirked and handed Ares a sandwich over her shoulder.

“The hell I was,” Ares muttered.

“The hell he was,” Hermes agreed.

They stood in the kitchen and ate in silence. The space felt crowded with so many gods inside it. So many true gods. Over the course of one battle, they’d outgrown the house.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” Ares said.

“For where?” Athena asked.

“The underworld. To spring Aphrodite,” Ares said. He chewed for a moment, and cleared his throat. “If Hades gives me any trouble…”

“Gives you any trouble?” Hermes scoffed. “After we just saved every god’s life? He’d better fall down groveling and shower you with pomegranates. He’d better shove a bunch into a fruit basket and send it over here posthaste. Trouble.”

Athena smiled. “If he gives you any trouble, you know where to find us.”

Ares nodded, and she thought she saw the corner of his mouth turn up. Just a little. Then Odysseus’ feet sounded on the stairs, and Ares stuffed the last of his sandwich in his mouth and left. Hermes, too, took his plate and waggled his eyebrows.

“Was it something I said?” Odysseus asked as both gods and two wolves walked past him. He slid his arms around Athena’s waist. The feathers had fallen out and healed without a scar. Before long, she might not even remember what they felt like twisting through her skin.

She put her hands over his. He was her hero, as he’d always been.

“Well, goddess,” he said, and kissed her. “Where to now?”

*   *   *

“Weather’s getting warmer. Everyone says we’re going to have a hot summer. I thought about bringing flowers, maybe in a pot, but if I don’t get here for a few days I don’t want them to wither. Of course, maybe you could do something about that?”

Cassandra stood before Aidan’s grave, talking to him, as she had every day since they’d returned. Every day. But it wouldn’t be that way forever. Eventually the visits would slow, and then stall out. That was just how it was. No matter how much you loved someone.

“You’re not here anyway,” she said. “Under that rock and all that dirt.” She looked up into the sky. Aidan was there. The sun. He was in the light, and the wind. And he was with her, too. In memories, and even the fat gold coin in her pocket. The past never left.

“Your sister is thinking of selling her house. But I don’t think she will. I think she’ll keep it, as long as we’re still here.” But Athena wouldn’t stay. She, Odysseus, and Hermes would move on, and soon. Andie said that every time she and Henry went over, it felt as if they might walk in and find the place vacant. Cassandra hadn’t seen any of them in days. Only Thanatos. Thanatos lingered, and looked at her in that way he had that told her he wasn’t going anywhere. Cassandra didn’t know whether Athena would bother to say goodbye, or if she would ever see her or Hermes again after they left. But she was surprised to find that she hoped she would.