"Um, no. Definitely not, and again you're freaking me out with that entire train of thought. I've heard enough stories about you Greeks and all that. In fact, tell you what, forget I said anything at all about Spawn. I'm out of here. You take care, Z. I'll see you online."
Zarek hung up the phone and turned it off. Might as well. Jess was the only person who ever called him anyway.
He stood in the center of his cabin, aching so much that he could barely breathe.
Alone now, he needed Astrid in a way that defied his ability to comprehend. He wanted something of hers.
No, he needed something.
Sliding the stove aside, he went back to his tunnel where he could remember holding her. Down here in the darkness, he could pretend she was still with him.
If he closed his eyes, he could even pretend she was in his dreams.
But it wasn't her. Not really.
Zarek let out a ragged breath and picked his coat up from the ground. As he started to pull it on, he caught a whiff of roses.
Astrid.
He clutched the coat to his skin, burying his face deep in the fur so that he could capture her scent.
He held it in trembling hands as emotions and memories crashed through him, racking him.
He needed her.
Oh, gods, he loved her. He loved her more than he'd ever imagined possible. He remembered every touch she'd given him. Every laugh she'd had around him.
The way she'd made him human.
And he didn't want to live without her. Not for one moment. Not a single one.
Zarek fell to his knees, unable to deal with the thought of never seeing her again.
Holding his coat that smelled of her, he wept.
Ash pulled away from Zarek, giving him privacy to grieve.
Artemis was outside in the temple courtyard, having one of her screaming tantrums over the verdict while he was alone in her throne room with Simi safe on his chest.
"What fools these mortals be," he breathed.
But then he too had been a fool for love. Love made fools of everyone. Gods and man alike.
Still, he couldn't believe Zarek had let Astrid go any more than he could believe Astrid had left.
Och mensch!
Artemis materialized before him. "How is this possible?" she railed. "Never in the entire history of her life has she judged a man innocent!"
He looked at her calmly. "Only because she's never before judged an innocent man."
"I hate you!"
He laughed bitterly at that. "Oh, please don't get my hopes up. You almost gave me a hard-on with that thought. At least tell me this time your hatred will last more than five minutes."
She tried to slap him, but he caught her hand. So instead she kissed him, then tore away from his lips shrieking.
Ash shook his head as she vanished again.