The lot of them walked up the sand and stood before the two gods as Triton studied them expressionlessly and Medusa smiled in welcome.

“It is good that you came,” she stated.

“And thank you for the welcome,” Jorie replied, dropping to a knee and bending his head to her.

Silence gave his hand a tug, and Mars was not feeling much like bending a knee to two gods he did not worship and who put him, his wife, his friends, and countless others through hell.

But he did it all the same.

As the others did beside him.

“Rise, my kings and queens,” Medusa invited.

He stood as did Silence at his side as well as the others.

Medusa’s face grew grave. “We wish you to know, we do understand how much was lost.”

No one said anything.

Though, Mars doubted they did.

“And we know there is nothing that can salve the hurt or take away the pain,” she went on.

Again, no one spoke.

But Mars knew that was the sad, bloody truth.

“But we shall try,” she whispered, turned her head and prompted, “Beloved?”

Triton grunted.

Then he flicked a disinterested hand.

And before each of them gleamed a golden trident with three intricately forged spikes at the ends.

“Take hold, my kings and queens,” Medusa instructed. “These are yours, for I sense you have grown close, and would like, with a toss of your trident, to be in the realm of another to commune and make merry.”

Mars glanced down at his wife, who was reaching out to her trident, and as her fingers wrapped around, she looked up at him in happy wonder.

Gods, his Silence.

He grinned down at her and took hold of his own trident.

“This will also,” Medusa went on, “if you have hold of it, allow you to visit Jorie. And perhaps,” she lifted both hands, palms cupped and facing up in front of her before spreading them out, “us.”

Triton grunted again.

Medusa leaned forward and said conspiratorially, “He is used to his own company. We will have to work on his hospitality.”

“You have our gratitude,” True spoke for them all.

She tipped her head to the side and asked, “For all you did, all you lost, all you gave, do you think this is all we will give you to show our gratitude?”

A golden magical trident that made travel between realms happen in seconds and gave him the opportunity to visit his brother-in-law when Silence went to see him, Mars was content.

What further form a god might consider to show gratitude made Mars brace.

The goddess did not make them wait.

Medusa threw her arm out before her, cast it left, toward Aramus and Ha-Lah at the end, and brought it right, where Mars and Silence were at the other end.

From her fingers, shimmering glitter flew.

Gathered.

Multiplied.

Separated.

Formed.

And in front of Aramus formed his man Cat.