Chapter Nine

The world was spinning, Hekate had been in charge of her body the better majority of the day, Kate's body wasn't used to switching so swiftly from each of the three faces, let alone channeling so much magick. Her knees hit the ground as she was slammed back into her body so fast the wind was knocked out of her. She heaved and kept on heaving even when nothing came up.

"Hekate, are you alright?" Persephone was kneeling next to her rubbing her back. Finally, Kate stopped heaving and looked at the goddess. As soon as their eyes met Persephone wasn't there anymore, one second she was giving comfort the next she was ten feet away glaring at her.

"What happened to Hekate mortal?" her voice was so full of disgust, clearly she thought very little of mortals.

"I'm just guessing here but I would say my body needed a break," Kate stood up wiping her hands on her pants, "I'm Kate, I'm-"

"You're her vessel, the way she got away from Ares in the first place, that still doesn't tell me where she is."

Kate tapped her head, "She's still up here, just quiet, actually she is much quieter than usual."

Persephone studied her closely, she searched her face, their eyes met again, she saw something there that made her face soften and she stepped closer.

"So she lives up there," she tapped her head. Kate nodded and turned to study the field.

"She says she still has a body but when she left it was in the Crone's form kneeling in front of Ares. Honestly, if it wasn't burnt to a crisp I would be surprised."

Persephone shared a secretive smile with her, she seemed to be trying to let her in on some joke, but Kate couldn't figure out what the joke was.

Shaking her head, she waited for her to explain. Her smile faltered and she came to stand next to her, not touching but closer than she had been moments before.

"Before I led Hera and Aphrodite here I came here myself, I had to know how Hekate had trapped the God of War, not many gods had done that before. When I got here everything was still thriving, everything except on the path where Ares was trapped. I followed it and came across Hekate's crone form," she paused and stared out to the field, "I won't lie I thought about leaving her there, I even turned and walked away from her. I was furious she had been able to avoid her fate when so many before her hadn't. My steps faltered though and I thought about what would happen if I were to leave her body there. Though I was still angry she had been my friend once, and if anyone could escape their fate it would be her. I came back and took her body somewhere I thought would be safe." She turned to Kate her eyes brimming with light pink tears. "I tried to take her from this realm but her wolves wouldn't let me leave with her so I called on the only other goddess I thought could help."

Realization dawned, of course, the wolves were left here not only for their protection but to protect Hekate, and there was only one goddess capable of protecting all of them.

"Artemis, so she didn't steal the wolves she took them and Hekate's body to her forest to keep them safe."

Persephone nodded, "It was the only way I could think of to keep them safe, but..." she trailed off.

"But Artemis wasn't exactly happy about Hekate abandoning them here, with no one to take care of them."

"Yes, she and Hekate weren't exactly what you mortals would call friends, and abandoning them here did not help with that."

"Okay, so where is this forest?" Kate asked gritting her teeth, she was frustrated and of course, Hekate was being completely silent.

Persephone pointed up and Kate groaned, kicked the ground, and stomped back the way they had come. "Great, how do I get back up there?"

"Not that way," Persephone stepped in front of her and pointed toward the path, "You aren't Hekate right now, and mortals can't leave Hades without my husband's permission."

"So move out of my way so I can go get it," she reached to push her out of the way but before she could touch her a vine whipped up from the ground and twisted around her wrist stopping her.

"You will not touch me mortal, you are in my graces because I hold affection for the goddess inside you but you will show the proper respect to me."

Kate snorted and the vine tightened digging into her wrist, "Okay, okay, I apologize but why can't I ask him to let me go."

The vine released and Kate rubbed her wrist, "He only allows it in special instances and this is not special enough."

"Aren't they friends?" she was almost positive there was something in her books about them being friends.

Persephone looked away, "They may have been once, but it is of no concern to you. Follow the path to Hekate's home. Go around the back to her herb garden, there you will find a small portal that will take you out of here."

Kate's brow rose, she hadn't missed the part where she hadn't said exactly where it led her to. When she didn't elaborate she shook her head and turned back to the path. She took a few steps but stopped when she felt a light touch on her shoulder. She turned back to Persephone confused, the goddess seemed smaller as she looked sadly at her.

"I know you are not here right now, but," she reached out and wrapped her arms around her holding her tightly, "I am so sorry Hekate, I never should have helped them, I hope you will be able to forgive me." She pulled away and wiped at her eyes.

"I can't speak for Hekate, and I don't know why she is being so quiet right now but I will tell you I believe everyone is capable of redemption." She squeezed her hands, then turned and headed down the path.

Kate followed the path in silence, the repairs the two goddesses had made had brought beauty back to Hekate's home but there was no sound. The crunch of the path under her boots was the only sound and she was starting to feel a little crazy, even Hekate's three faces hadn't spoken. It was a little annoying, what was the point of having voices in her head if they clammed up at the oddest times?

"Hello...would someone please talk to me, I feel like I'm going crazy," and if I had talked like this in the mortal realm people would think I was going crazy.

"I am sorry Kate, we are just so tired, being in this realm is hard on a mortal body, even with a goddess inhabiting it," the Mother's voice was quiet enough that if they had been anywhere else Kate was sure she wouldn't have been able to hear her.

"I suppose I can understand that after just a night of you taking over, I am exhausted, I can't imagine what it is like to do it here for an entire day," she pushed a loose piece of hair from her face, she wasn't sure if she was going to bring it up but she needed to know. "So why did we come here? And don't say it was for the wolves, you knew where they were."

No one spoke and Kate kept walking in silence, finally, "We need our immortal body to fight Ares," the Maiden spoke up, "We love you Kate, but you are just mortal, and to defeat Ares we need to be less...."

"Vulnerable?" Kate finished for her, she stopped walking and looked out at the field, "So all of this was for your body because you don't think I can handle myself in a fight?" her voice was quiet, she didn't want to admit it but she was hurt. As far as she knew the goddess had never willingly left her vessel until now, she had only ever left when they died and she stepped into a new one almost immediately.

"It has nothing to do with your fighting or magick skills," the Crone's voice cracked sadly, "We have never been attacked like this. If it was just Aphrodite or Hera then we would have a fighting chance."

"But this is both of them and Ares. Ares doesn't play by any rules and so far only a handful of people have been able to fight him and win," added the Mother.

Kate turned and continued following the path not saying anything. It seemed to her that if all three of these gods were after Hekate, she was better off staying in a mortal body. If Ares wanted the Maiden, and Hekate was still residing in the body of Kate then her immortal body would still be the Crone, and Ares wouldn't be able to get what he wanted. At least not without forcing her out of Kate's body and she didn't think he had the power to do that.

"What is the point of going back into your body?"

"In our body, we can't die, we can be hurt, but we are immortal, we don't die," the Mother said her voice inquisitive.

Kate nodded, "Okay, but is that the only reason? It just seems like you being in your body could hurt more than help."

"How so?" she asked.

"Well think about it, you left your body with that face presented so that Ares would be disgusted and leave you alone. But if you jump back into your body couldn't they force you to present your Maiden face, and wouldn't that be giving Ares exactly what he wants?"

No one spoke and Kate shrugged her shoulders, "It was just a thought," she spotted a small cave a few yards up the path, "Is that your home?"

"Home," all three faces vibrated in her head making her long for the silence again.

"Okay, so not necessary," she made her way to the entrance. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, not a castle but maybe a cottage, or cabin. She had not expected to walk into the mouth of the cave and be awed by what she saw. Everywhere she looked there were bottles, herbs, liquids she had no name for, books, cauldrons, just about everything a witch goddess should have. But it was the walls of the caves themselves that awed her, instead of candles there were large glowing purple crystals.

"It's beautiful, but how is it not touched, after what Ares did to the rest of this place I was expecting more rubble," she traced her fingers along a bench, dust hadn't even touched it.

"This is our home, we made sure to protect it," the Maiden said distracted, Kate could feel her trying to look through her eyes, she was searching for something.

"It's already been a long day, would you just tell me what you are looking for instead of trying to push me aside, I don't think my body could take it anyways," she set her bag on one of the workbenches and dug around for water and a granola bar, she was starving and couldn't remember the last time she had eaten.

"What we came here to find, we need to go through the portal and find Artemis," her voice was so frustrated she obviously couldn't find what she was looking for.

"Well I am beat, I need to catch a nap before we go through any more portals," she looked around for a bed or cot, but she didn't see one at the front of the cave, she went deeper inside and found a large bed covered in furs and sighed.

"We don't have time for this," the Maiden was exasperated.

"We are going to make time for it, if you want your body back you can't run mine into the ground before we find it," she kicked off her boots and shimmied out of her pants. Jumping into the bed she snuggled herself deep under the covers and laid her head on the feather pillows. Her eyes felt like the Sandman had unloaded his entire supply into her eyes.

A small laugh sounded in her head and she smiled to herself, "What's funny?"

"I'm picturing the face Morpheus would make if you called him the Sandman to his face," the Maiden giggled harder, it was contagious and soon Kate was laughing too, though she wasn't sure why.

"Ssshh," the Mother said soothingly, "You need to rest, the sooner you get sleep the sooner we can find the portal and get to Artemis." She began softly humming and soon everyone was quiet as Kate drifted off to sleep.