Hypnos didn't hurry to leave. Arms crossed, she stood by with a look that said she couldn't wait for the show.
She was anticipating the moment when Eros would come begging for her help. When that time came, she would make him suffer for all the grievances she'd endured lately.
Every bit of frustration she had stored up, she was going to take it out on him in one go!
Clearly, she'd forgotten one key fact: Eros never begged. He only used every trick in the book to force people into doing what he wanted.
Yet after waiting for a long time, Eros still hadn't so much as glanced in her direction. He remained seated, wrestling with his thoughts.
Hypnos began to grow restless. She had finally found a moment where Eros might be desperate enough to need her, she couldn't let this opportunity slip by.
Unable to wait any longer, Hypnos decided to give him a little nudge. A subtle reminder that someone was available to help him.
"Human, you, "
Clearing her throat and trying to recapture that old presence, Hypnos had just opened her mouth when,
A golden glow broke through the dim light at the entrance to the Underworld.
A sprightly figure zipped overhead: winged helmet on her head, feathered sandals on her feet, and a Caduceus staff in hand.
"Hm?"
The figure let out a surprised murmur, and after flying past the two of them, circled back.
"I thought I saw a familiar face, turns out it was you."
It was Hermes, with that same carefree demeanor and a faint divine radiance clinging to her figure. She waved cheerfully at Eros.
"Hey there, handsome Eros. Why are you sitting here sighing at the gates of the Underworld?"
At the sight of her, Eros's eyes lit up.
A new idea struck him. The conflicted expression on his face melted away, replaced by a smile.
"So it's you, Lady Hermes. What brings you to the Underworld?"
"Oh, just the usual. Escorting a few poor lost souls down here."
With one hand holding her hat, Hermes shook her staff, and countless ghostly spirits spilled forth, descending onto the Underworld soil.
These were souls that had resisted the pull of death, wandering the world out of obsession or desire. Guiding them here was one of Hermes' divine duties.
Occasionally, Queen Persephone herself would share this task, and Hermes would simply accompany her.
Hiss… Eros suddenly realized something rather important.
But that wasn't a priority now. What he needed to figure out was how to slip past Hera's watchful eye and escape the Underworld.
He was still trying to think of the best way to explain his situation to Hermes, something that would convey his predicament without sounding suspicious.
But Hermes beat him to it with a sly smile.
"You're fretting about Queen Hera, aren't you?"
"...Hm?"
"Don't worry. That thunderbolt earlier? Hard not to notice."
Waving her hand casually, Hermes made it clear she hadn't gone out of her way to investigate.
"Once I saw Hera's handiwork, and then saw you here… I could pretty much piece together the whole story."
Wait, what?
Eros tensed. Had their affair been exposed?
He'd never said a word to anyone. Could it be that Hera outed herself?
"Tsk tsk… gotta say, that Queen of the Gods really is petty. Father's had dozens of lovers and she never cared, but when it comes to you, wow."
Hermes clicked her tongue. Eros finally realized,
Right! He'd almost forgotten. Hera was still furious about the whole "lover of Zeus" situation.
After what happened in Tartarus, Eros had subconsciously brushed that aside, thinking it wasn't a priority anymore.
Surely, compared to Tartarus, Hera wouldn't still be hung up on that… right?
"Indeed. Her Majesty the Queen is terribly jealous. And I, the innocent one, bear the brunt of her wrath."
He followed the thread, putting on a sorrowful face.
"I labored so hard, fought my way through the Underworld, only to stand on the edge of freedom, unable to take even one step forward."
"I sighed just now because I saw no path forward in this cruel trap."
If Hermes hadn't seen Eros in full demonic battle-frenzy back in the palace of Hades, she might have actually believed him.
This woeful expression was perfectly suited to a mortal lamenting the cruelty of fate.
But Eros? He had beaten Hades and was protected by Nyx. There was no way he was really feeling despair.
Still, Hermes could tell, Eros wanted her help.
After a moment of thought, she responded warmly.
"Don't be so despondent, Eros. If fate brought us together here, then surely it means I'm meant to help you."
"I'll draw Hera's attention elsewhere, just long enough for you to escape."
Helping Eros would also earn her a favor in return. As for Hera, this was a minor thing. Even if she found out later, what could she really do to Hermes?
But what Hermes hadn't anticipated was just how deep Hera's hatred for Eros truly ran.
She thought it was just jealousy, not a divine vendetta.
"Thank you so much, Lady Hermes."
Eros responded with just the right amount of gratitude, enough to make Hypnos' face freeze in disbelief.
Excuse me? Were they both just going to pretend she didn't exist?
The words she had wanted to say were now stuck in her throat.
Eventually, all she could do was stomp in frustration, flap her wings, and fly away in a huff.
Damn that Eros. She never wanted to see him again!
Watching her retreating back, Eros wasn't particularly concerned.
After all, the next time he visited the Underworld, he could always give her another little "surprise."
For now, he had to focus on returning to the surface.
"If you're ready," said Hermes, "I'll head back to Olympus and begin distracting the Queen. If you see wing-shaped clouds in the sky, it means I've succeeded. Use that moment."
But Eros stopped her with a shake of his head.
"No need for all that trouble. Besides, it's too risky."
He trusted Hermes, but it wasn't worth the gamble. If Hera caught wind of it, she'd search the world for him.
"I have a plan. Listen closely…"
Eros leaned in and began whispering animatedly. He didn't worry at all about Hera overhearing.
But far above,
Seated upon the heavenly throne atop Olympus, Hera opened her eyes.
From this perch, she could observe all things happening on Earth, and especially the entrances to the Underworld.
She hadn't forgotten what Eros had done to her.
The humiliation. The rage. They clung to her heart like thorns.
Even after bathing hundreds of times in the spring that could restore a goddess's chastity, the mark Eros left still remained.
She would never forgive him.
If Eros never returned to the surface, so be it, Hera would let him rot in the Underworld.
But if he dared to walk freely upon the Earth, smiling and laughing again…
Just the thought of it made her tremble with fury.
She had everything planned. Hera was camped at the gates, waiting to catch him the moment he emerged.
There was just one problem.
Before leaving him, she had secretly placed a divine mark on his body, to track his location.
She had seen him at the Underworld entrance just now… but the mark hadn't responded.
Had he noticed it and erased it?
Maybe someone else's energy was masking it?
Forget it.
She set aside the thought and focused entirely on her watch.
He would have to leave eventually. She could be patient. She'd wait as long as it took.
Once, she had sat here watching Zeus, making sure he wasn't off wooing new lovers.
Now, she watched someone else… with very different feelings.
Her gaze fixed on the Underworld's mouth. She vowed: next time Eros appeared, she would not let him escape.
But no matter how long she waited, Eros did not reappear.
Only Hermes emerged, light-footed and breezy as ever.
Hera glanced at her briefly, then looked away.
Hermes was always flitting around on random tasks, nothing unusual about that.
She didn't give her a second thought and resumed her vigil.
This hatred, she would carry forever.
Meanwhile, having left Hera's sight completely, Hermes fluttered away on the wind until she reached a safe distance.
Only then did she stop and say:
"Alright, looks like your plan worked perfectly. You can change back now."
One of the twin snakes entwined around her staff slithered down her arm.
As Hermes watched, the snake twisted and stretched, until it transformed back into Eros.
Hera had seen Eros take the form of a monstrous beast before, but she had never imagined he could turn into the Caduceus itself.
And just like that, Eros had slipped past her defenses.
"Now, let me think… which lovely mortal woman should I visit first? Io? Europa? Semele? Or was it Danaë?"
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