“But I’m your grandfather! Family should be together.”

“I don’t think you are my grandfather,” I said, gently. It seemed absurd in any case as we were about the same age. “And I am close to the family I know.” They all felt extremely dear to me now, even though Ma never approved of anything I did and Thetis drove me crazy regularly.

“Athene promised me, a descendant of mine and Simmea’s,” he said.

“She did?” I wouldn’t have thought she’d be so cruel. Then as he moved his head and I saw the breadth of his forehead, I remembered how he had reminded me of Ma when I had seen him on the boat. There was something about his chin too that was like her, especially now that he was leaning forward. Ma was festival-born and didn’t know either parent. Kebes had participated in festivals when he’d been in the City, so he could possibly be her father. Ma had hated him the one time they’d met, so I knew she’d be absolutely horrified if I mentioned this theory to her. But if he was her father, since Simmea was Dad’s mother, then it was possible that Thetis and I could be descended from both of them. But even if this was true, it was an unkind trick of Athene’s to make him believe he’d had a child with Simmea, when it clearly meant so much to him. Then I remembered that if it had existed, it would have been a child of rape, and stopped feeling sorry for him.

“Athene can’t have promised you Marsilia would stay here,” Hermes said, picking up his cup.

“But I want her to,” he said. “And she’ll like it when she gets the chance to know it. I won’t give you the message otherwise.”

“No,” Hermes said, putting his cup down again firmly. I was relieved he was being so staunch, and then I remembered that moment on the harbor earlier in my time but later for Kebes. Hermes knew I wouldn’t have to stay, and so did I. What a relief! Being caught up by Necessity suddenly felt wonderful. “What did Athene say?”

“That if I would do as she and Necessity asked me, and keep the message for her, then a descendant of mine and Simmea’s would come for it,” Kebes said, sulkily.

“How could she know?” I wondered aloud.

“She gave you Hilfa, she knew you and Thetis would be involved. If I hadn’t brought you, I could have gone to get one of you, and either of you would have agreed,” Hermes said. He turned back to Kebes. “Marsilia came. You’ve seen her. You know she’s happy, and she doesn’t want to live here and now. She has told you Lucia is thriving in her own time. Now, give us the message.”