My mother was stolen by Hades right after I tripped over the finish line of my first year under the sun. I've never forgotten the outrage my great-uncle inflicted upon my family in an act of extreme audacity. I still feel the frigid satisfaction that flowed from his shadowed heart upon the moment of our greatest despair.

The centuries have failed to dull any of our need for vengeance against the creature of the deep, but this day will be different.

Maybe it's just me, but knowing better starts with knowing something. I remember the fading light of my mother's life when she was at her most drained and hopeless. This isn't how my father remembers her. My brothers don't remember her at all.

"That's why I'm going," I said aloud after a long blab session with my husband.

Charis plucked a few more notes into his lyre strings before he met my eyes with steady jade eyes. "Moni. You have to know for sure this is the right time. Your father's keeping his distance. You must respect his wishes, as the head of the family."

While I folded my arms in irritation, I knew Charis was right in some ways. "She's mortal. She doesn't have forever, so neither do I. I wanna see my mother how she should be seen. That's why I gotta go!"

"It seems you've convinced yourself," Charis noted and plucked out a soothing cord on his lyre. "Don't let yourself forget who you are just to discover who she is."

"I've been myself longer than she's been her. That's just wrong."

Charis looked back up, and this time he set aside his lyre. "I want you to have whatever you want, and if that's your mother, I want you to have that time with her in the right way. You know it's more complicated than stomping up to her and declaring yourself her friend, right?" A hint of humor flickered at the edge of his lips.

"Yes." I sighed away some of my irritation to join him in smiling. "But you know, it worked."

"Did it?" Charis leaned back in his seat, against the cushions embroidered with the outline of Pegasus in flight. "I think I'm still making up my mind."

"I can help you with that," I replied, stepping closer with my lashes lowered. "There are a few things I've figured out instinctively... and because Papa won't stop talking about her." I trailed my fingertips along his chin, and he smiled. "You know you love me," I murmured in my most honey-dipped voice.

"When did that happen?" Charis slid his arms around my waist.

"Depends on if it was when I told you to love me or a little sooner," I teased, nudging my knee against his.

"You always think you need to tell me these things," Charis mused. "Don't worry. It was so long ago, I'll let you make up the story."

"Then I say you fell in love with me as soon as we were both old enough to feel that and that we were always destined to be together, and that's why your mother lured your father away from my mother just in time to have you."

Charis rolled his eyes. "Best origin story ever."

"We can tell it to my mother soon and see if she laughs. Papa always claimed she had a good sense of humor; I bet she'd agree it was funny."

"Irony did seem to be her forte... From what little I recall of the woman," Charis nodded thoughtfully. "Do you think you'll make her a goddess?"

"I'll do my best. Papa deserves her, and so do the rest of us. She earned her freedom and immortality three thousand years ago. I'm gonna get it for her."

"Let me help." Charis swatted my rear and pivoted me around with hands on my hips. "You'll need a plausible excuse for never having a life on earth before. What'll you tell her?"

I cast my gaze around our room. "I've seen enough of her life. I can claim we have similar experiences, and maybe that's all she'll need to hear."

"She's a clever woman, Moni; don't take her credulity for granted."

I waved my hands to dismiss the concern I knew was entirely valid. "No one ever said she was stupid. I'll just tell her the truth. I'm a girl from Thebes whose mom died a long time ago, and I'm tryin' to figure out who I am. How'd I do there?"

"You've convinced me," Charis nodded his approval. "We'll just have to see how well you can pull off your act once your mother is in the audience."

I didn't let myself get in my head about it. There was no time to ruminate. I'd only talk myself out of the plan.

For my debut at the Theban metro, I got myself all kitted out in a look that, with any luck, would make my mother think of me as a good potential friend. Short purple dress over a blue short sleeved shirt. Shoes good for running. My hair was down and parted, so tendrils bounced against each side of my face.

I looked pretty average for a goddess, but standing on the platform waiting for the train to stop at Cadmus Station, I hoped I was friend-shaped enough to pull off this whole crazy plan.

The city had changed over the centuries, molded by the marks my father left on it. According to the stories I'd heard of it before my father arrived in the city, it was one of the bleakest points in the mortal realm. Now, the bustling streets were warm with smiles, and the music piped into the underground was upbeat. Typical for a city touched by both Dionysus and Hercules.

I was letting the music distract me when a bright blue light flashed in the periphery of my vision. The source of it was an uncle who was never too difficult to identify.

"Hermes," I said without looking, "glad you came to see me off."

"It's gotta be some important journey if you'd go without the shortcuts…" Hermes stood beside me on the platform with his hands in his pockets. "Do you think it'll be worth the time?"

"Time's the operative concern," I replied, my eyes darting up and down the platform. "I'm really hoping you don't distract me before I can meet–"

There she was. Sunglasses perched atop hair that curled the same way as mine despite the fact mine was inherited from my father. Her eyes were downcast, watching her feet as if afraid she might trip over something, making me snicker. Maybe she was afraid of tripping without a hero to catch her.

Hermes raised his ever-present rosy glasses. "Been awhile…"

"I've gotta be my mom's best friend," I said, as much to myself as to him. "Wish me luck, Uncle Hermes, and please make sure this trip's a good one! I promise I'll get you a present as an offering!"

When I heard no reply, I checked over my shoulder to find that Hermes had disappeared once again. Just because I couldn't see him didn't mean he'd left me. I hurried along to funnel into the same train car as my mom, following the swing of her ponytail.

Part one of any friendship was meeting the other person.

Should it be a natural situation where we didn't talk until something happened? Should I try to be interesting enough that she wanted to be friends, or–

"You'll wanna hold onto something." The voice was casual and a little mocking. That was my mother. She looked at me the way someone might a dog that might knock over a food dish. Did she notice we had the same nose when she wrinkled hers at me?

It was so unreal I almost forgot what she'd said until the train lurched, and I went tumbling toward the back of the car.

As I braced myself against the back of the car, my mother eyed me sidelong.

"Are you always so graceful?" she asked.

"Not sometimes!" I declared, standing up and smoothing my skirt back into place. "I'm going to a new city for the first time, so leaving Thebes got me all caught up."

"Uh-huh…" She looked away, out the window. I thought she'd forgotten I was there until she asked, "University?"

"Oh! Yep! That's what I'm doing!" I grinned excitedly. "How about you? Is that why you've got a big bag with you, or do you just wander around town with that?"

She raised a brow and looked down at her eggplant duffel covered in little keychain talismans. Among them were little golden charms of Athena's helmet, a glittering bunch of grapes… and a medallion with my father posed and flexing.

Megara shifted her bag on her shoulder as if uncomfortable with my scrutiny. "You've got lots of energy. Definitely haven't started classes yet."

"That won't get me down," I promised.

She scoffed lightly.

"I'm sorry if I'm a bit weird today. Everything's about to change for me, and it would be great for me if I could do that with a friend."

She raised a brow at me. "Name."

"Harmonia!"

"My friends call me Meg. We'll see a few of them at the next station. If you get in good with them, consider yourself in a trial period."

"Thank you!" I hopped in place, and several other passengers glared at me for being too exuberant. They had no idea! That was fine. "Meg," I said aloud, delighting in the recognition in her eyes. "My friends call me Moni. So you should, too. I've decided we're gonna be best friends."

Megara tilted her head, then shrugged. "I'll see how long it takes before you change your mind. Try to save some of that energy for the rest of the trip."