Myron was closing up his forge when he noticed Lucius escorting a human-looking woman across the square. He watched quietly as the demon, holding the woman's hand, laughed as he chatted to her. She seemed to be as enthralled by the charismatic devil's son, as she was by the city hidden miles below the human world. Olympian Army personnel were surrounding the pair as they kept the myriad of creatures back from them.

"I cannot believe all of this is underneath my London, Lucius, it's quite incredible. You say my father knew about it too?"

"Yes my lady, the only human to ever know of our world's existence is the reigning monarch. It was an agreement we made with Merlin when he granted consent to the city being built."

"Merlin? As in the wizard from the Arthurian legends?"

"Indeed your majesty."

"How truly fascinating, Lucius." She paused and looked about the square. "Oh how marvellous, is that a centaur?" The pair looked at Myron as he, suddenly feeling self-conscious continued to bring his racks of weapons back into the forge.

"Myron is indeed a centaur, your majesty. Son of the great Pholus himself." She eyed Myron then her face lit up.

"Does that mean unicorns are real too?"

"They are indeed your majesty. We have a small wild herd living in Hera park, just off the square here." He held his arm out towards the large park down the road from Myron's shop. With its lush green grass and huge leafy trees, it barely looked like it was underground, thanks to the lights cast from above by the witches and wizards.

"Oh Lucius, I really must see a unicorn. And please, call me Bess, we are friends now."

"Your wish is my command, Bess."

Cadmus trotted over to Myron and picked up a basket of daggers to help his friend pack away his shop for the night.

"Funny, he didn't flirt as much with the father or the dour-faced sister."

"Didn't she scream about him being the devil's son and burning him?"

"Well yes, but he is. We had to get a witch in to wipe her memory, far too religious that one to cope with knowledge about our world. The Ogres are taking bets that he'll bed that one tonight."

"She's pretty, does she have a king?"

"Nope, just her."

"Then I think it's a pretty safe bet that Lucius will bed her tonight. Could be interesting if he gets a child in her belly. The grandson of the devil ruling England one day."

"I think the gods would strike him down for that one, no matter who his father is."

"I don't know, no one's ever found out who his mother is."

"I heard it's one of the Olympian goddesses, that's why he's always favoured Olympian cities. I think it's Hera."

"Hera?" Asked Myron, equal parts amused and shocked. "You're not serious?"

"Of course, his mother is too ashamed to claim him and keeps him secret. Hera is famed for her loyalty to Zeus, it would make sense for her to hide him if she'd betrayed her husband." Laughing, Myron put the bar down on the huge double doors that fronted his forge and trotted into his home at the back followed by the little satyr.

"You don't think he's a little handsome to be Hera's son?"

"Lucifer is his father, he could have gotten his looks from him." Placing bread and cheese on his coffee table Myron bent his legs and settled himself on the huge plush rug on the floor while his friend placed a carafe of wine and glasses next to the food and sat on one of the chairs.

"I really wonder what goes through that head of yours, my friend."

"Well? Who do you think his mother is?" Myron considered it as he poured himself a glass of wine.

"It has to be a lesser goddess if she is in fact a god and not a nymph, or the whole theories rubbish and his mother is a demon or even a human. My guess would be someone like Nemesis. She can't be one of the higher gods, she couldn't have hidden it."

"Why Nemesis?"

"Well she is in the business of punishment and so is Lucifer." Cadmus considered this as he scratched at his wiry curls.

"I don't know, I don't see why Nemesis would hide it. It would make her more fearsome not less. I still think it's Hera."

"Well, then my little friend. Let's hope neither Hera nor Zeus have heard you. They may strike you down where you sit." Hunching into himself as his ears flattened to his head the satyr looked about the room uneasily as Myron began to laugh.

"That's not funny, centaur." He said nervously.

"Oh my friend, don't worry. I'm sure they'd just have the Fates, fate you to a Troll or Ogre as revenge for your blasphemy." Cadmus laughed at that and relaxed as he reached for a piece of bread.

"They wouldn't be so cruel, not with all the beautiful nymphs and dryads in the world. There's a new nymph moved into Hera Park, she already has my heart, I couldn't possibly give it to a Troll." Myron belly laughed.

"It's fine, your heart isn't the organ you want to give the nymph."

***

Sweat dripped down Myron's torso as he pounded the metal he was working with his huge heavy hammer, for most of his kind the smell of fire was terrifying, but to Myron, the warm smokey scent of his forge was his biggest comfort. He looked up as shadows fell across the floor to see Lucius and the human Queen standing in the entry to the forge watching him. So Lucius did keep the Queen with him overnight mused the centaur as he plunged the metal into the barrel of water and trotted out to them.

"He's so large and powerful." Said the young Queen as if he couldn't hear her. As far as humans went she wasn't unattractive with her thin, tall stature, red hair, pale skin and amber-brown eyes. The centaur could see why the demon would have bedded her, even though he himself found the odour all humans had, rather off-putting.

"Bess, allow me to introduce Myron, son of Pholus. Myron, this is her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England." The centaur bowed his head slightly to the human, she looked at Lucius.

"Can I touch him? I would be the envy of all to have such a steed, my own horse pales in comparison."

"I'm a centaur, not a horse." Said Myron gruffly as he glanced at Lucius.

"Indeed my lady, Myron, is not a horse, but a noble centaur and a master blacksmith. Whenever I need the services of a smith it is to him I turn." The human pouted for a moment then as if she had never insulted him she looked at Myron's wares.

"Did you make all of these master Myron?"

"I did." He replied in his deep voice trying not to show his irritation at the woman. In her world, she might be a Queen, but in his, she was the lowliest of creatures. He knew he was prejudiced against humans, but they had caused him nothing but misery every time he had encountered them.

"Do you have a wife, Master Myron?" Enquired the Queen.

"I had a fated one, but she was taken from me and I have yet to find her."

"A fated one?" Lucius took the Queen's hand and placed it on his arm as he nodded to Myron. He turned her and started to walk back onto the square with her, he could see the centaur's irritation at the human.

"Our world works a little differently to your Bess, the Fates decide on a life partner for us and we are destined to find them." Turning back to his forge the centaur let an audible sigh escape his lips. He'd almost managed to go a day without thinking of his loss, without thinking of the woman he'd only seen for an instant. Almost.