Chapter 16

"You've got this, Andy," Thanatos spoke words of encouragement to me as I timidly placed a hand on the elderly man lying on his deathbed.

The old man looked at me when he felt my hand on his arm and gave me a gentle smile, gratitude in his eyes.

I leaned forward and whispered reassuring words in his ear as the tethers that bound his soul to the mortal plane snapped one-by-one. As the last tether snapped, the old man let out a soft sigh, and his soul left his body. I stood up straight again, tears in my eyes.

Thanatos took my chin in his hand, and tilted m face towards his. "I'm proud of you. You did a wonderful job, Andy." He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, causing my ears to burn as I blushed furiously. "Let's head back to the office so you can rest a bit and process what you just did."

* * *

"He kissed you?!"

"On the forehead. And I doubt it meant anything," I said, blushing once again as I paced Thanatos' office. He had been called in for a meeting with Persephone, so he allowed me to rest in his office. Charon had come in to speak with him but, instead, she now sat on the couch, head moving back and forth as she spoke with me.

"It means something to you."

"No, it doesn't."

"If it didn't, you wouldn't be walking a hole into the carpet right now," Charon said, crossing her legs and leaning back on the couch. "What was going on when he kissed you?"

"I had just reaped my first human soul, and I was crying."

"Do you like him?"

"W-what? I mean, yeah. He's nice, friendly, helpful. What's not to like?"

"No. I mean, do you like him. Like maybe even have fallen for him?"

I could feel my ears warming at Charon's words. I immediately wanted to get on the defensive but stopped myself. Perhaps she was right. I'd been living under the same roof as Thanatos for nearly a year now. We'd talked and worked together every single day during that time. I'd gotten plenty of time to get to know him on a deeper level. I did find him physically attractive. Could I have been falling for him during all of that time?

"Nope. Just found it weird."

"Methinks thou doth protest too much," Charon said with a chuckle. "What if I told you he likes you as more than a friend?"

"I'd call you a liar. I'm doughy. I snore like a chainsaw. I'm a bit of a slob. I sit in chairs awkwardly. There's no way any man or woman would want to be with me or could even like me as anything more than a friend."

"You're nitpicking. You're a wonderful person. You're beautiful, and you have a great personality."

"Why did you come here, anyway?" I asked, desperate to change the subject.

"I'm researching The Memitim for Thanatos, and I wanted to give him an update."

"Oh. How's the research going?"

"It's hard to research them when the cops are looking into the deaths we think they're behind," she said, running a hand through her hair.

"Do you want me to help you?"

"No," Charon shook her head, "it's better if I do this alone. Besides, you're needed here. There's always a possibility of another mass exodus. I don't want the office short-handed."

I took a seat in the chair across from the other woman and nodded my head. "Just let me know if you need any help."

"Will do."