The Titan War God Returns

Her Deep Words

Iron spent hours studying the map for all their regions again. It had been three years, and he knew that some things might have changed. 

He would need to learn all the routes and places again. 

When he heard a knock on the door, he said, “Come in.”

Diana walked in.

“I was hoping I would find you here,” she said.

Iron grunted. “Is there a reason you need me?” He asked.

“It’s Jane,” Diana said.

Iron became alert instantly. The speed and urgency with which he got up and faced Diana surprised her.

“What is wrong with her?” Iron asked worriedly.

He would be damned if anything happened to Jane. She was the closest thing he had to remember the only woman he had truly loved by, and he would not allow anything to happen to her. 

“There is nothing wrong with her,” Diana answered carefully.

If she had known that he would react like this, she wouldn’t have approached the news in this manner. She could not recall the last time she saw Iron like this. As a matter of fact, she had never seen him this way before. He was always so expressionless and emotionless, and he ruled the Titans with power and strength.

Whatever happened to him since and war and wherever he had been must have really caused some changes on Iron, but Diana didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t dare.

It was not in her place.

For all they knew, the Titans were happy to have Lord Dante back. 

Well not all of them. The truth was that Diana and Eric knew that some of the Titans weren’t exactly thrilled to have Lord Dante back as their god.

“He should have remained missing forever. Of what use is his return?” They had overheard some of the Titans gossiping amongst each other.

“And now, he returns and gets to have his throne and power back. What about the war? What about those years he was absent?”

“Where did he go?”

“Where has he been?”

They had questions that they wouldn’t dare look at Lord Dante in the eyes and ask him, and because their questions went unanswered, they had grown some sort of resentment towards Lord Dante. Diana did not justify their feelings, but she understood their anger.

Lord Dante’s absence for so long had affected the Titans in more ways than one, and deep down, Diana really hoped that Lord Dante would be able to redeem everything and bring things back to normal again.

“Then what is it?” Iron asked, bringing Diana back to him.

“She has been asking after you,” Diana said.

“Me?” Iron asked.

He was surprised because the last time he conversed with her, she hadn’t seemed like she knew him, and now she wanted to see him?

“Yes, Lord Dante,” Diana responded.

Iron abandoned everything he was doing instantly and went to meet her. He was doing everything possible to ensure that not only was Jane safe, but that she never had to worry about anything; it was Iron’s tiny way of easing his conscience.

Of freeing his mind from the guilt of Hera’s death.

If he could make life easy and better for her, he would feel a little less wounded. Iron hoped that his gestures, above all else, would make Hera less upset with him wherever she was. He had punished himself long enough by going away and becoming someone whom he wasn’t. However, that part of his life was over, and he couldn’t stay away any longer.

That didn’t ease his conscience.

Hopefully, looking after Jane would.

When Iron got to the room where Jane was kept, she sat still and was gazing into thin air. His heart almost wrenched at the sight of it. He could only imagine what she might have gone through.

“Iron,” Jane said, her voice gentle and soft.

Iron’s heart stopped beating for a split second because her voice reminded him of Hera’s. Jane sounded just as Hera, and his heart squeezed in pain.

“How are you finding this place?” Iron asked her.

He took a stool and sat close to her. 

He noticed that she was still holding onto her stick with precaution. Well, he understood that it would take some time for her to become completely comfortable. Eric and Diana already told him how terrible things had been for her, so he could understand her reserve.

“Fine, thank you,” Jane answered. 

“You are safe here, okay?” Iron tried to assure her.

“Okay,” she simply said.

“Have you had something to eat?” Iron asked although he doubted that food would be her problem.

In their world, eating wasn’t something that was of utmost importance. They were not like mortals who operated with blood. Iron could go days without eating and he wouldn’t even notice it. As long as a Titan had enough air, he was fine.

“How long am I going to be here for?” Jane asked smartly, but still calmly.

She definitely exuded the kind of gentility and softness that Hera had, and that had been her strongest weapon. Because people always perceived her as meek and soft, they often wanted to take advantage of her, little did they know that she was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Iron could not just fathom what could have gone wrong that made him lose Hera forever…

Anyway, he took his mind from Hera and fixed it on Jane. The more he thought of her, the more devastated he felt.

“You are never leaving my sight, Jane,” Iron told her again, and he said so with deep certainty so that she wouldn’t have to worry about shelter or protection again.

Jane was quiet for a while, and she didn’t shift her gaze or even blink. Not once.

“You wanted to see me,” Iron broke the ice since it appeared that she wasn’t going to say anything.

“Someone you know has been arrested for murder which she didn’t commit. Usually, she would have freed herself, but they are planning to assassinate her to pay for the death of their son, and you are not doing anything about it,” Jane said.

Iron was lost for a few seconds, wondering who Jane could be talking about. 

He tried to think, but nothing was forthcoming.

“Who are you talking about?” Iron asked deeply.

But Jane shook her head and remained deadly quiet.