Kelly Hashway - Face of Death

Did Zeus just say Hades had created the feud? Maybe he didn’t blame me.

“You can’t be serious,” Hades yelled.

“Have you ever known me to joke?” Zeus’ face showed no emotion.

I raised my hand like a little schoolgirl. “Excuse me, Zeus. I have a deal I think would be fair for all involved.”

He sat forward in his chair, lacing his fingers in his lap. “Go on. However, unless the deal includes Medusa’s soul, which I can clearly see resting inside you, you should consider revising it.”

He’d sensed Medusa’s presence immediately. He really was more powerful than Hades.

“Actually, it does.” My voice wasn’t my own at all. It was Medusa’s.

What are you doing? I asked her.

What needs to be done. The gods have wanted my soul for a long time. I need to show them I’m willing to give them what they want in exchange for your freedom .

Medusa . Even my mental voice was shaking with emotion. I’m not ready to say goodbye to you .

I know, my child. I don’t want to say goodbye to you, either, but we must do what is best for our people .

What was best for the Ophi was having Medusa with us. Medusa, do you trust me?

You know I do .

Then let me make the deal .

It is your body. I will not speak through you again.

Thank you, Medusa .

I hoped this would work. “Zeus,” I paused, waiting for him to allow me to continue. He nodded. “I know you and the other gods want Medusa’s soul to move on to the afterlife where you feel she should be. I’ve discussed this with Medusa, and she wants me to take her place. To lead the Ophi and be the one to give them power. I agreed, but now I see I was wrong. I can’t become the next Medusa. There is no such thing.”

“Then there will be no deal!” Hades yelled behind me. He rushed to the throne. “Brother, she doesn’t want to give up Medusa’s soul, which means we do not have to go along with whatever she wants. Put an end to this now.”

“Wait!” I held my hand up. “I’m not finished. Please, hear me out.” Again, I waited for Zeus, ignoring Hades completely.

“Go on,” Zeus said, dismissing Hades with a wave.

“Hades has trouble ruling the underworld alone. That’s why he took Persephone. Only, she doesn’t stay here all year long.” I hoped reminding Zeus that Hades had kidnapped his daughter would work in my favor. “What I’m proposing is that Medusa’s soul will fill the gap Persephone creates when she leaves. She’ll help Hades rule—not as his wife, though, but as his partner. Who better to help souls move on than Medusa?”

Zeus wrinkled his forehead, thinking about my offer. Hades turned and glared at me.

Jodi, may I?

Go right ahead .

“Hades,” Medusa said, her voice coming from my lips once again. “You’ve seen what Jodi and I are capable of together. You don’t want an enemy, and neither do we. Jodi’s powers are now under control. As long as you promise not to interfere with the Ophi, and allow her to teach them the right way to be necromancers in their own world, then I will assist you for all eternity in Persephone’s absence. I will be nothing but helpful to you. Not as a servant, but as a partner.”

“I wouldn’t get your powers,” Hades said. “How does this benefit me?”

“You would not need my powers. I’d use them myself to help you rule here.”

Hades could pretend he wasn’t happy with the deal, but he knew as well as I did that having Medusa’s help was definitely going to benefit him.

Zeus nodded. “The deal sounds more than reasonable to me.”

“Hang on!” I said, regaining control of my voice again. “There’s one more thing. No, two more things. First, Medusa shouldn’t have to be locked inside some statue at the school when she’s on the mortal plane. Can you return her body to her? And second, if Hades should break his end of the deal, I want you to promise you’ll stop him.”

Zeus drummed his fingers on his knee. “As for Medusa’s body, I cannot produce it. As you know, she was beheaded. Her head was a prize of sorts, and I will not take that away from its victor. However, she can exist as a soul, much like she’d look here, fully in form.”

“Without the snakes?” I asked. “She was beautiful before Athena cursed her. Will you allow her to take that form again?”

“You’re asking me to go against my daughter now? Isn’t it enough that I am making my brother adhere to a deal with you?”

“Honestly…no. Hades brought this on himself. He came after me and tried to make me break our deal. If he hadn’t done that, I would’ve upheld my end of it.”

Zeus glared at Hades. “By your lack of comment, I’ll assume that’s true. However, Medusa betrayed Athena, and I cannot deny my daughter the curse she placed on Medusa as a result. She will remain as she is.”

I felt a tugging sensation. Medusa, what’s happening?

Zeus is trying to take me out of your body. It would be wise to assist him .

Even though I wasn’t happy with Zeus’ decision, I mixed my blood and released Medusa’s soul from my body. She appeared next to me, beautiful—except for her snakes—and wearing her locket, which once again contained her blood.

“How?” I looked at Zeus, who shook his head at me like I was an ignorant mortal. He was king of the gods. Restoring the locket and returning it to Medusa was nothing compared to what he was capable of.

Medusa removed her locket and held it out to me. “This is yours now. Lead them well.”

I took it, surprised that it was exactly as it had been the first time I’d seen it. Alex helped me put it on. My fingers rose to touch the precious bloodstone. I was never taking it off again.

I faced Zeus. “Thank you.”

He nodded. “Now, as for your second condition. If either you or Hades breaks your end of this deal, I will intervene. As I said earlier, I won’t have this sort of thing happen again. Balance will be restored, and it will remain. You know the rules, Jodi Marshall. And, Hades, you know them as well. Consider yourselves warned.”

I smiled, happy to agree. Hades, on the other hand, scowled. His hands had been tied.

“Now,” Zeus said, “seeing as Persephone is with Demeter, I believe this throne belongs to you, Medusa.”

She gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “I couldn’t be more proud of you, Jodi.”

My eyes teared as she let go of me and took her place on the throne.

“Hades, are we in agreement?” Zeus stood and moved away, motioning for Hades to take his place.

“What can I say? You’ve won, brother.” Scowling, he stepped up to the throne and sat next to Medusa. They were the strangest pair, but I knew they’d work together. Zeus would make sure of it.

“There’s only one thing left before I go,” Zeus said.

“Wait!” This wasn’t over yet. “Zeus, Hades took a friend of mine. Two, actually. Melodie is human. He killed her to hurt me. I’d like her back.”

Zeus nodded. “I have already returned her to her mortal life. She will have no memory of being here.” Maybe I hadn’t given Zeus enough credit. He was a decent god after all.

“And Jared. Hades killed him.”

“Jared was an Ophi casualty. I cannot reverse that.” He said it matter-of-factly and with no feeling whatsoever. That brought him down a notch in my book.

McKenzie sniffled behind me. We’d be having another memorial when we got back to the school.

“Jared will be with Matt and Amber in the afterlife,” Zeus said. “But Amber is in Tartarus and Matt’s—”

“They’ve been moved to the Elysian Fields. I have restored all the souls to the places the judges have deemed suitable.” Zeus smirked at Hades, exerting his power over him and the underworld. I could’ve hugged him if he didn’t scare the living dead out of me.