“What will you say to him, when you see him?” he asked.
Maybe nothing. It could be like it was at his grave. No words. But it wouldn’t matter. She’d have him back, and whatever she had to say, she’d have all the time she needed to say it.
“Well?”
“I’ll tell him I love him,” she said finally. “And that I’m glad he’s dead. I’ll tell him I’m grateful he protected me, and that he deserved what he got.” She breathed out, and to her surprise, began to feel sleepy. “And then I’ll bring him home.”
23
TRIP TO THE UNDERWORLD
Some hours later, Odysseus woke her. It was still full dark, but she came awake immediately and grabbed her backpack. Together they put on their jackets and crept to the door. A folded note was taped to the other side.
“It’s from Andie and Henry,” Cassandra said.
“What’s it say?”
“It says, ‘We hope you find him. We miss him a lot. Good luck, and be careful.’”
“Real poets, those two,” Odysseus said, and looked at Henry’s closed door. “Do you think they’re in there?” He waggled his brows. “You know.”
“What? Gross. No.” Cassandra tiptoed down the hall and down the stairs, then slipped into her shoes in the entryway. It was lucky that Lux was no longer a stellar guard dog, or they’d have been busted for sure. After the wolf attack he’d become timid and a much deeper sleeper.
They closed the door quietly and jogged through yards to Athena’s.
“You’re so going to get packed off to boarding school for this,” said Odysseus.
“No way. I can distract them with my boyfriend, suddenly back from the dead,” said Cassandra, and realized she was smiling.
“Right. Maybe try the long-lost twin brother angle. That always works.”
“Hey!”
Henry, Andie, and Lux ran to catch up.
“What are you doing?” Cassandra asked. “Go back, or you’ll get us all caught.”
“You’re going to get us caught.” Henry scowled. “You didn’t even make up a story for Mom and Dad. I told you to before you went to bed.”
“If you wanted me to listen to you,” she said, “you should have bossed me around more when we were younger.”
“I tried,” said Henry. “You were a brat.”
“You’re covered staying at my house until Friday,” Andie said. “Assuming you’re back before then, Tom and Maureen will never know a thing.”
“Thanks, Andie.”
“Cassandra?” Andie asked. “If you … can’t bring him back. Would you tell him…” She paused. “That I miss his stupid face. And thanks for … you know. Dying for us.”
Cassandra steeled her jaw.
“We’ll be back soon.”
*
Athena met them at the door in boots, jeans, and a jacket. A burlap sack that looked mostly empty hung in her right hand. When she said pack light, she meant it. She poked Cassandra’s backpack.
“Whatever you’ve got in there, clear it out by half and let Hermes repack it with food.”
“Okay.” She nodded at Odysseus. “Thanks for staying with me.”
“Anytime,” he said, but he was already distracted, his eyes on Athena. Cassandra had barely walked down the hall toward the kitchen before they started to whisper.
“Will you at least think about what I said?” Odysseus hissed. “You don’t know how to fight this war!”
“I know how to fight every war!”
Cassandra turned the corner and heard no more. Hermes’ clattering around in cupboards made sure of that.
“All right,” he said. “I’ve got granola bars, beef jerky, bottled water, a few apples, some canned meat, and bread.” He touched each lightly. “And, of course, a bear-shaped bottle of honey. Everything you need for a trip to the underworld.”
“Okay,” said Cassandra. “What’s with the honey? Odysseus mentioned it, too.”
“Well, it’s pretty good on the granola bars. Or, if the dead surround you, you can take the cap off and throw it in the other direction.”