Page 31 of Monster Whisperer
Anatolia just laughed.
“I see things about you, River. You have the ability to locate lost things if asked the right question. You will be integral to ending this.”
“So, I can talk to animals, find lost things, and set things on fire? What am I?”
Anatolia tapped her finger to her nose.
“That’s a conversation you will have to have with your father. I’m not about to get on his unpleasant side or Hades. I don’t need that kind of negative energy coming at me.”
I started cackling like a madwoman. Anatolia was the queen of negative energy. She fucking left dead animals with her signature lipstick in people’s beds when she finally realized they would not return her affection. When I was her victim, I couldn’t go anywhere without seeing her lurking. She found out my private cell phone number and texted me all the time, and she was one of those emoji happy deranged people. She permanently ruined tacos for me with emojis.
“Threaten her with some negative energy, River. She has it coming,”I said.
“I can’t, Pavlina. I don’t know a thing about that green flame. I could kill all of you.”
“I didn’t say use it. Just threaten her with it.”
“If she were so easily threatened and killed, all of you would have done it by now. I already have Demeter to worry about. I don’t want another angry God after me.”
“Excellent point, but she has answers, and you can’t exactly threaten Hades.”
“We must find out another way. At least we know what I can do now.”
River focused back on Anatolia.
“Why is my fire green?”
“Because of your father.”
“Can it kill a phoenix?”
Well, fuck. I thought she should have kept trying to trip Anatolia up about what she was. It would shut Demos up, but she just went straight for it. The pretty little River didn’t beat around the bush. I think I liked her even better now, but I would have played with Anatolia more. I had to keep reminding myself Anatolia never left a dead sheep in River’s bed, so she had no reason to want revenge on this oracle.
“Nothing can kill a phoenix, River,” Hades said. “I couldn’t even keep Demos from being reborn.”
“Ha! You hear that, pigeon? There’s nothing to be afraid of, coward!”
“You should be afraid, you filthy web-slinger. It can still kill you. You forget, I’ve died several times. It’s not pleasant.”
“That’s why you will teach baby bird to control it, Demos.”
“I said I was. Stop nagging me, minotaur.”
“Fine. None of you want to tell me the big secret of what I am. Next question. Can this fire kill a Goddess?”
“You aren’t going anywhere near Demeter, River. If she kills you, your father will bring an army, but instead of helping us, they will try to kill everyone here.”
“Self-defense, Hades. She wants these monsters dead, and she might not want me here treating them, even if she thinks I’m just human. So, I’ll ask again. Can I kill a Goddess with this flame?”
Hades just sighed and pinched his nose.
“Gods and Goddesses are immortal, River. You can’t kill her. None of us can. Why do you think the Titans are still alive? The only way to end this is for the Gods in Olympus to come to fetch her and keep her in a cell there or lock her with the Titans.”
“Do you have a plan for that?” River asked.
“No, but I can make one now that I know where she’s keeping my wife. If we can rescue Persephone, she can speak for herself and rally the Underworld, who believes Demeter’s lies. Persephone has never had any problems speaking her mind unless Demeter is involved.”
“And we need to find out what’s really going on with these collars. If the monsters in the pit know the truth for good, they may fight, and we can get that key from around Demeter’s neck.”
