Page 81 of Love and Death
“Ah, there you are. I have something that may help you in your escape.”
He reaches through the brambles behind him and pulls out what appears to be a mess of thick, leather straps and a pair of black boots.
“These will muffle even your mortal steps,” he says kindly, handing the boots to me.
“Thank you,” I gasp, gratefully accepting them as he turns to hand his other gift to Cerberus.
“What in all the gods’ names is this?”
“A harness and bindings,” Rhyzihr says, “so you can carry them both.”
The hellhound stares at him in surprise for a moment, but then steps forward to take them from him.
“I hate to think what you used these for.”
“You can worry about that later,” the incubus says with a knowing smirk. “Now, go before it is too late.”
24
HAZEL
Eros now harnessed to the hellhound’s back, we begin the next stage of our escape. Slipping out of a relief in the surrounding wall that looks like it’s long been hidden behind thick, dead vines, it becomes instantly clear that the city streets aren’t sleeping.
Cerberus guides me quietly past curtained windows that flicker with nervous movement, torches swiftly blown out at even the slightest of sounds. The clatter of pebbles kicked by boots that are not our own skitter down alleyways that we are quick to avoid.
The guards are here, somewhere, looking for us. That much is clear.
Cerberus stops suddenly, his hand outstretched to prevent me from rounding the corner without him. I barely have time to bite my tongue before I hear heavy clanking footsteps come to a standstill somewhere in the next alley, just out of sight from us.
“Has this section been searched?”
Deimos, I’d bet my life on it, and not only from the way Cerberus’ grip tightens on me.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Good. Search it again. I want every palace upended, every god, servant, and creature turned out of their beds until they are found.”
“At once, my lord.”
One pair of boots hurries off to do as the god has bidden them, but the other doesn’t move.
“He cannot be far,” Deimos mutters to himself. “I swear I can still smell the fleshling’s blood on him … the taste of her fear.”
Cerberus’ jaw sharpens, his lip curling up over a fang as if he’s preparing himself for a fight. I place a gentle hand on his and am relieved to see the tension drop from his shoulders.
I have no doubt that Deimos’ days are numbered in the hellhound’s book, but the last thing we need right now is to draw more attention our way. Another minute drags by before the bloodthirsty god finally turns to head down another alley.
Still, we wait until the sound of his boots dies from our ears before Cerberus grabs my hand and leads me onward. We turn down another alley and then abruptly duck through a broken hole in the wall to our right, stepping into the ruins of a small amphitheater.
In the center of the open space is an ancient archway, vines and moss climbing over its jagged stone, and inside is a single set of stairs leading down to a metal gate that has somehow managed to stand the test of time.
My feet drag slightly as we step toward it, and Isuddenly start to worry about what I might find in a catacomb that lies so deep within the Underworld itself. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Cerberus carefully pushes the gate open and pulls me inside. Shutting it behind us, we begin our descent into the dark.
Into the catacombs.
I stumble several times and only manage not to tumble the whole way down thanks to Cerberus’ hold on my hand. He, on the other hand, seems to have no problem navigating the dark.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, my stomach drops as he lets go of my hand for a moment before it alights in flame to illuminate the landing.
