All were present save Hermes, who continued to serve Than’s father in the Underworld. Even the statues of Athena, Hestia, and his mother had been brought to the hall and placed near their respective thrones. Than thought this was probably for the best, for Mount Olympus was the safest fortress in the world. He wanted to remain to learn more about the investigation. He also had questions, especially about the goddesses who’d been turned to stone. How long before they would be returned to normal? But as soon as he handed his prisoner over, Zeus dismissed Than, and so he left. Meanwhile, one of him had remained in the woods outside of Therese’s house to watch over the souls of Therese and her parents, who now sat on the wooden deck like they once did when alive. The Malevolent may be in custody, but there were other, lesser, deities who enslaved lost souls. Melinoe was the worst and most prolific of them, but Than didn’t want to take any chances. All of the other souls in the area had been safely returned to the Underworld.
