“How … how did you get them to let you?” Andie asked.
“I told them the truth. That we had a chance to find Cassandra. That Hermes thought he knew where Athena might hole up.” He let out a stressed breath. “The hardest part was convincing them it would be a bad idea for them to come along.” His big, dark eyes were steely and still. “I hate seeing them like this, almost as much as I’m worried about Cassandra. This has to work.”
*
They drove for as long as they dared. It would’ve been nice to drive straight to the eye, but they were just as likely to run over it, and besides, Hermes doubted that Demeter would take kindly to tire marks on her hide. So they ditched the rented SUV and shouldered their packs, ready to walk until they hit Demeter’s skin, stretched across the desert.
“You sure you remember the way?” Andie asked.
Hermes nodded. He remembered the way. Just not exactly how far they’d had to go to get there. And he didn’t have the option of a handy little owl guide if things went awry.
I really hope I haven’t dragged them both out here to dehydrate.
“What if she moved?” Henry looked out across the landscape and Hermes followed his eyes. It was hot. Cacti in the distance seemed to waver, covered in haze.
“Not likely. She seemed pretty dug in the last time we were here.” A disturbing image reared its head: Demeter shaking loose and scuttling across the hard-packed dirt like a manta ray at the bottom of the sea. “Besides, I think she wants us to find her. Why else would she make contact?”
“Maybe she was just sympathizing,” Henry said. “Trying to be a good aunt. Maybe she doesn’t really know anything, and they’re dead.”
Hermes’ shoulders slumped. “You know, you’re a real ball of sunshine sometimes, Henry.”
“Don’t start bickering,” Andie said. “You’re both sort of annoying me already.”
Henry shook his head and they started off. It wasn’t long before he overtook them both with long strides.
“Don’t mind him,” she muttered to Hermes. “He’s just practical. He doesn’t want us to get our hopes up.”
“I don’t know why,” Hermes muttered back, “when hope’s all we’ve got.”
The walk was long, and hot. All three were soaked with sweat in under an hour. A light wind kicked up now and then, just to pepper them with dirt and dust. Andie and Henry’s black hair was dull with it. Talk died off except to ask for water. No one asked to stop for a break. Soon enough the sun tipped behind the horizon, and the desert began to grow cold.
“Hold up.” Andie stripped out of her backpack and dug inside it, then pulled out a hooded sweatshirt.
“Good idea,” Henry agreed.
“I don’t even want to put this on my dirty, sweaty arms,” Andie grumbled. “But it’s so cold.”
It was cold. And to Hermes it felt unseasonably so, after having a sheen of sweat on his skin all afternoon. Andie and Henry shivered, though they tried to hide it. It wouldn’t be much longer before they’d have to stop, and he’d have to track down fuel for a fire.
Not like when Athena and I were here. Back to back through the night. Two godly Popsicles.
“Hey!”
Hermes jumped up. Henry had shouted so abruptly his voice squeaked.
“I think…” He scuffed his sole gently against the ground. “Is this her?”
Hermes zipped to where Henry stood and brushed sand and small stones away from the leather that disappeared into the dirt. His smile spread ear to ear, and he bent his head to the earth and kissed her.
“Ew.” Andie toed Demeter gently. “I mean, you said what she would be like, but … ew.”
“It’s like someone stretched an elephant rug out over the ground,” said Henry.