Zeus woke up to soft kisses landing gently all over his face.
"Is time out over?" he asked, slowly opening his eyes, and be greeted by the radiant face of Ceres, smiling down at him.
He hissed when she teasingly bit his shoulder.
"My hips still hurt," she said, eyes narrowing at him, though there was a small smile playing at her lips.
Zeus chuckled and pulled her to lay fully on top of him, wrapping his arms around her. He lazily traced circles along her spine, making Ceres hum in contentment.
"Are the kids back?" he asked, placing a kiss on the crown of her head.
"Not yet," she murmured, resting her cheek against his chest, idly drawing lazy doodles on his skin. "But I think I can hear some competitive screaming in the distance."
Zeus laughed. "Sounds like the youngest will come home crying again. Tofu probably started teasing her."
"They do this all the time. He'll let Pixie win the first few rounds, and then crush her at the end."
"And you let him?" Ceres lifted her head and gave him a sharp look.
"I know," Zeus said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "He seems selfish, always doing whatever he wants, but deep down, he's incredibly selfless. Just like you. Well… except when it comes to Luna. He's very territorial when it comes to her."
Ceres stared at him for a moment, then slowly straddled him.
"Tell me," she said, her voice quiet. "How did you and the others come here… to Solmara?"
And so, Zeus told her.
But he didn't start with his deal with Lucifer. No, he began with the moment everything fell apart. The day he lost her. The day she died in his arms.
He spoke of how her mother collapsed again and again from grief. How people from all walks of life, those Ceres had helped, from the animal shelter, the orphanage, the women's shelter, arrived at her funeral and wept for her, surprising even her own family. He spoke of how he tried, truly tried, to go on without her… but couldn't. How the world seemed to move on, especially her parents, thanks to her younger sister, but he couldn't, no matter how much he tried.
Then came the fire. The animal shelter went up in flames, and he had rushed there to help save the animals. But in one room, he found ten animals, trapped but unmoving. They didn't want to escape. As if they'd rather die in the fire, like they had no reason left to live.
It triggered something in him.
He realized he was doing the same. Spreading misery to everyone around him because he couldn't let go. And in that moment, he simply… gave up.
He woke up in the abyss.
And that's where Lucifer offered him a deal. A cruel one, but one that gave him purpose. The ten animals became his children once they crossed into Solmara. And everything he endured from that point forward, every sacrifice, every hardship, was to fulfill his end of the deal.
To see her again.
As Zeus spoke, Ceres tried her best to hold back the sobs building in her throat. She wanted to understand, not just his pain, but Lucifer's motives, and the price that had been paid.
"Love?" Zeus wiped away her tears gently once he finished, brushing a thumb across her damp cheeks.
Her eyes, though puffy, were suddenly filled with fire. And then, without warning, she punched him in the gut.
"Argh!" Zeus groaned, doubling over slightly from the pain. "Love, what was that for? I'm human right now. That hurt."
Still, he caught her hand and blew softly on her knuckles, just in case it stung.
Ceres smiled through her tears. "Evadne told me to punch you when we met… for leaving your mom and dad behind."
Zeus froze.
Ceres caught it, the flicker of pain in his eyes, even beneath Lucifer's mask.
The guilt of leaving his parents… it still haunted him.
Ceres offered a gentle smile. "But she told me to tell you not to worry about them anymore. She's taking care of them, for you."
Zeus looked at her, stunned, and she continued.
"Caspian and the others made sure they were safe. Your parents actually adopted a son. His name is Hades. And, get this, he and Evadne are betrothed." Ceres grinned.
Then she told him everything Evadne had shared, every detail, every piece of news from the world he had left behind. And though sorrow still lingered in Zeus's eyes, it was tempered by something softer, relief, and gratitude.
"I just hope Hades steps up and starts acting right," Zeus muttered, resting his head against hers. "He doesn't realize how damn lucky he is to have Vee."
Ceres chuckled. "You know, I don't think my baby sister's telling me the whole truth about her and Hades. I've got this gut feeling, you know what I mean? Like… while she was telling me all the trouble she got Hades into, I saw something more than mischief in her eyes."
Zeus raised a brow.
"It's in the way she tells her stories," Ceres continued, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. "It's like Hades just… gave in. Like he accepted that he's completely under her mercy. And then there's Casadin. I think there's something going on between the three of them."
Zeus exhaled deeply. "Well… in my opinion, three's a crowd."
"But," he added with a smirk, "let's not forget, three also means harmony."
They both laughed, the sound tinged with disbelief at the idea of an intimate triangle between Hades, Evadne, and Casadin.
Zeus pulled Ceres back down to his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly, protectively.
"Tell me, love," his voice deepened, serious now, "what deal did you make with Lucifer?"
Ceres sighed.
"Your deal with him… was never really about saving the demihumans," she said softly.
"I figured as much," Zeus replied, pressing a kiss to her head. "When I found out he placed you right under my nose, I knew there was something more."
Ceres shifted in his arms to look at him, her expression unreadable.
"The deal is… I help him bring Lilith back to his side."
Zeus's brow furrowed. "Lilith?"
"She's the woman Lucifer love," Ceres explained. "But the Creator separated them. Lilith was cast into the Forgotten. According to the book Cosmo gave me, she can be reborn… but only if three threads are tied."
She sat up, repeating the words from memory.
"The First Thread, The Blood of Adam's Kin
She will be reborn through the bloodline of Adam, but not just any, he must be of kings, of lines that remember the cost of love.
He is a man who waits, endlessly, unshaken by time or temptation, bearing the curse of longing in silence."
"The Second Thread, The Tear of Heaven's Favorite
A soul beloved by the heavens, born of grace and tragedy. One who weeps not for herself but for others.
Her tear, shed in pure, selfless sorrow, will light the path back to Lilith's soul."
"The Final Thread, The Sacrifice of the Shadow-Bearer
One born of shadow must offer their body and magic to veil Lilith's return, creating a divine shroud so that even the Creator may not see her reawakening.
They will cloak her with darkness not to hide her, but to protect her."
She met his gaze, voice lowering to a whisper.
"And finally, when she takes breath again, she must be named.
Not Lilith, but a new name, whispered in love by a soul forgotten by the heavens.
A soul who once lost everything, and remembers what it means to want nothing."
Zeus stared at her in stunned silence.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" His voice dropped, thick with disbelief. "You… me… and Luna… we're the threads?"
Ceres nodded slowly. "That's what I've been thinking. I know for a fact… you're going to be Lilith's father."
Zeus grew quiet, pensive. Shadows flickered in his golden eyes as he sank deeper into thought.
"That's why he sent me a thousand years before you," Zeus murmured. "And maybe… maybe that's also why he erased my name from my memory. He said I could only remember my real name once we found each other again, after I fulfilled my end of our deal. He asked me to use a different name. According to him, it was just a way to hide the truth from his twin… that he was sending me to Solmara."
Ceres blinked. "Ahmm… If you're going to be Lilith's father, and if I'm understanding it right… that means Luna has to carry her?"
Her voice grew faint, almost mournful at the thought.
Zeus frowned, trying to grasp what she was implying, and then his eyes widened in horror.
"Love?! You're not actually thinking that!" he exclaimed, scandalized.
"I am," Ceres admitted, her tone laced with guilt.
"She's our daughter!" Zeus nearly choked. "She may only carry my blood, but technically, she's yours too. Have you forgotten? You were the one who gave her a second chance at life!"
"I know…" Ceres whispered, biting her lip. "That's why I thought… maybe that's what the prophecy meant. The sacrifice of the Shadow-Bearer."
Zeus let out a groan and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Love… I don't know if I should laugh or get mad at you. First of all, Luna is a demi-human. And demi-humans can't procreate unless it's with their mate."
"But they can with humans," Ceres replied softly.
"The Holy Beast might smell my blood as human, because technically, I am. But I'm still a demi-human. I'm a demon, remember?" Zeus reached out, cupping her cheek gently. "Here's what I believe, Lilith is going to be our child. Luna is just going to carry her. Like… a sister carrying her unborn sister to protect her from harm."
"But I can't get pregnant anymore," Ceres murmured. "This body… it can no longer create life."
Zeus paused for a beat. "Considering Lucifer is behind all this… I'm sure the answer lies somewhere, twisted in his plans. But I'm absolutely certain, without a doubt, that I won't be bedding Luna. I'm very positive about that."
He groaned again, frustration evident in his voice. "Ugh, Love… why would you even think that? Yes, you and Luna may resemble each other. But never, not once, have I lusted after her just because of that. She's been my daughter through and through, okay? Aghh… my head hurts."
"I'm sorry," Ceres said with an awkward laugh, feeling even more guilty for bringing it up. "That's why I told Lucifer, I'd only agree to his terms if I could fulfill them with you. I'm not really good at… interpreting these things, you know."
Zeus chuckled, pulling her in and kissing her roughly. "You are good at this. But most of the time, you'd rather take the easiest path. You're too damn impatient."
Ceres laughed. "True," she agreed.
Then she suddenly fell silent, a shadow of confusion crossing her face.
"But there's still something I don't quite understand," she said slowly. "There was a part in the prophecy… 'When she takes breath again, she must be named. Not Lilith, but a new name, whispered in love by a soul forgotten by the heavens. A soul who once lost everything, and remembers what it means to want nothing.'"
She looked at Zeus. "Do you think that still refers to Luna? Because when she was still a kitten on Earth… she was forgotten by her owner, right?"
Zeus grew thoughtful again, brow furrowing.
"I don't think so, Love," he said after a moment. "Luna wasn't forgotten. She was abandoned. Remember?"