Page 47 of Deadly Games
“I thought only you could travel between realms,” I protested.
“Technically, yes, but my job requires the transfer of various parcels and missives,” Hermes said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “There are no size restrictions, or prohibitions against live cargo.”
“That seems like a rather loose interpretation of the words,” said Dionysus.
“Yeah,” Loki agreed. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch. I offered the favor in good faith,” Hermes said, shrugging. He glanced back at me and his lips quirked. “However, I am a man who tries to stay ahead of the times. In the event that you succeed on your journey and young Hades becomes the master of the realm…”
“You’d like to have the future Queen of the Underworld in your pocket,” Loki said knowingly. “It figures.”
Hermes’ smile widened to a Cheshire grin. “Nothing in life is free, my boy. Certainly not charity.”
“If we succeed, you can have whatever you want,” I assured him. “If we don’t, this realm isn’t going to last long anyway.”
“Fair enough,” Hermes said, holding out his staff. “Gather together and try to hold still.”
Loki, Dionysus and I exchanged a nervous glance before pressing together in a vague triangle. I grabbed onto both of their hands, knowing how easy it was to get separated on the journey between worlds, and not a moment too soon. With another stream of light, the hotel room disappeared and we were left standing at the edge of a barren desert that stretched on as far as the eye could see. There wasn’t a hint of life or color anywhere, and the air not only felt dead, but capable of siphoning away the life force of any living thing who had the misfortune to venture here.
“Welcome to the Underworld,” Loki said, releasing my hand to lead the way down what seemed as if it was supposed to be a path, long since worn away from many weary travelers and countless centuries of neglect.
I followed him with Dionysus close behind. Even with the three of us, it felt like we were vulnerable out in the open, not knowing what lurked behind the jagged stone cliffs lining the path.
“What an ambiance,” Dionysus muttered, rubbing his arms. I wasn’t sure if it was from the chill or the general creep factor that only intensified the further we went into the dark realm.
“Cronus isn’t one for beautification,” Loki said, uncharacteristically somber once more. “Still, it’s degraded significantly since the last time I was here.”
I reached out to brush my fingers over a withered root sticking out of the cliff in front of me, but there wasn’t even a spark of hope or life within it.
“Everything here is so...empty,” I murmured, realizing that was exactly how Hades had felt the first time I’d touched him. Granted, it wasn’t extended contact and I was too pissed to think much of it at the time, but I could only imagine what it had been like for him to spend so much of his life here. To know that as soon as he graduated from the Academy, he was going to be trapped here for the rest of his immortal life. “It’s like the entire realm is on the verge of collapse.”
“It is, according to Ares,” said Loki.
I stopped walking, tuning in to the faint vibrations I felt in the earth. The others stopped to look at me.
“What is it?” Dionysus asked, frowning in concern.
“I feel something. Someone,” I clarified. At least, I hoped it was a someone. It was impossible to know which of the monstrous tales about the creatures of the Underworld were true. Given the fact that Fenrir came from here, I was betting on more than I would like.
“Stay close,” Loki said, leading the way through the narrowing passage between the cliffs up ahead.
“You’re my consort, not my bodyguard,” I informed him.
He rolled his eyes, and I shushed him before he could say anything. “Listen. Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Loki asked, looking around.
“It sounds like someone’s crying,” I answered. The sound was closer now. Faint, but clearly the mournful tones of a woman’s sobs. “I think someone’s in trouble.”
“Kore, wait!” Dionysus cried, running after me as I rushed up ahead.
The moment the cliffs broke into an open valley, I found the source of the strangely melancholic sounds. Hunched over on the side of the road was a small figure in a tattered green cloak, her back turned toward us. She was rocking herself slightly and even though we were out in the open, her cries didn’t seem much louder.
“Wait,” Loki hissed, reaching out to grab my arm before I could approach her.
“He’s right. We can’t trust anything here,” Dionysus said, coming to my other side.
I hesitated, watching the pathetic figure in the distance. “Hey,” I called, deciding we were still far enough away. “Are you alright?”
