The worst part of all this was that, deep down, Gaia didn't have an answer. All she wanted was to erase Thalia's pain and bring the Mousai home, but she didn't have an answer for how to fend off Mania and Lyssa. How does one reason with the unreasonable, or scare off the unscareable? To distract them both from her own silence she held onto Thalia, petting her hair and rubbing her back in soothing circles.
"No, honey," she whispered into Thalia's hair. "I'll do anything to keep that from happening to you."
The way it did to Terpsichore, and Calliope, and possibly Melpomene and Urania, and Clio. The way it- no.
Her grip tightened on her granddaughter slightly. "I'll keep you with me always if necessary, but I will see you safe, darling. They might not be reasoned with, but someone will be. I will protect you." She drew back just enough to look Thalia in the eye. "Okay?"