by T. G. Ayer
When she saw the claws, glistening in the weak grey light she panicked. She spared a moment to snort, appreciating the irony. She was stuck between a claw and a hot place. A really hot place. This was it then. She shut her eyes, clenched her body for the impact. For the giant claws to rip into her flesh and spear her.
Evie opened her eyes when she felt herself become weightless. She was floating, almost flying. Where moments ago there was solid stone beneath her feet, now there was nothing. She felt a sharp tension beneath her arms and glanced behind her. The huge claws were fastened beneath her arms, lifting her across the last impossible step toward the solid ground across from her. It had understood what she wanted. She didn't want to even try and understand how the creature had known what she needed. Maybe the same way the bird had known she needed its guidance to get to Kampe, but Evie wasn't going to waste time trying to figure it out.
It let her down slow enough for Evie to get her footing, releasing her just in time for her to make a running landing. The bird swooped around her and landed beside her in a flurry of wings and black dust just as she skidded to a stop.
It stood before Evie, its black head cocked to the side, one glassy eye staring at her, almost contemplative.
"Thank you." Evie felt slightly embarrassed talking to a bird of all things. But there was something strange in the way the creature was staring at her. It wasn't as if it could answer her anyway.
"Do not thank me, angel." The voice surrounded Evie like the arms of a loved one, caressing and warm. Evie spun around, but there was nobody behind her. Turning back to the bird she almost fell over her own feet. It said a lot about her mental state when her dexterity was this pathetic.
The bird was gone.
Chapter 23
In its place stood a tall woman. Her pale skin glowed with a luminescence that could not be attributed to the dull grey light of the fake sky above. Her long blonde hair flowed over her shoulder and her robes gleamed white and silken.
"Who are you?" Evie shivered in the face of the eerie pale beauty of this woman. Woman? No, this was no woman.
"I am Hecate." She smiled and moved closer to Evie, until she was but inches from her face. Evie wasn't sure if she should move, wasn't sure if she like the perusal as Hecate walked slowly around her, as if examining a slave for the bargaining.
Evie swallowed, and found her throat dry. "Why did you help me?" This was important as one thing Evie knew was Gods never did anything for Humans unless they gained in some way.
Right on cue Hecate said, "I have my reasons. Come, I will show you the way." The goddess turned, pale and mysterious. Evie followed in silence, not daring to ask further questions. They walked along a ridge of rocks that towered so high above that they seemed to lean inward and threatened to crash to the ground at the slightest movement. A maze of rocky outcroppings, crevices and caves.
Soon Hecate drew to a stop and turned. Evie would never have found this cave without her help. A jab of dislike hit her, twisting deep within her gut. Another of the Stooges neat little tricks to ensure Evie failed. What would they have to gain from her failure?
Evie stared at Hecate, unsure again of what she should be saying. Having to thank a god for her help was a new experience. One which would have been better had it never happened at all. But seeing that it did, Evie wondered if she should thank Hecate again.
She never got the chance. While she deliberated her thanks, Hecate smiled and flew upward becoming the bird in half a blink of Evie's eye. She watched as Hecate circled, watching from above. This time she didn't caw.
Smart bird. Woman. Goddess.
Perhaps it was best not to warn the inhabitant of the cave.
The dark mouth beckoned, and Evie entered slowly, keeping to the walls as the passage wound down and around a large cavernous room. If this was Kampe's home, then Kampe needed to call in a cleaning service.
Soon.
Evie tucked herself within the shadows and listened. Water trickled somewhere in the cave. A cat mewled from a far corner. Flames flickered in a stray draught. Something was dragged across the floor of the cave, slithering, slippery and scaly in unison. And breathing. She reached for her weapons, knife and sword comfortable in each hand, and moved forward step by step.
The room was empty except for little mewling sounds that echoed around and around, disorienting Evie. She shook her head and concentrated, trying hard to pick out the direction of the crying. She moved toward the sound, cautious, aware that Kampe may return at any minute. In the corner, on a bed of linen, Evie found the source of the mewling. Not a cat, but a baby.
A beautiful infant.
That was when she felt the air move behind her. Too late to react, the blow hit her like a sledge-hammer and Evie went tumbling across the floor, sending baskets of fabrics and other unknown objects skittering in all directions.
Evie tried to get to her feet as quickly as possible but her head was spinning, she couldn't even think straight let alone rise to her feet.
"Who are you?" the voice hissed, loud as if right in her ear. Looking for the voice at her side, Evie found the face of a woman who had once been a great beauty. Now ravaged by age and hatred and death, only the last vestiges of beauty remained. And those remnants were tossed to the wind as Evie's eyes followed the line of the woman's body. Her torso was female, with pendulous breasts, her body skeletal, covered by long, matted hair. From the waist her body split in two, as if each of her legs were a different living creature. On the left a snakes body coiled ending in a rattling tip just inches from Evie's foot. The other was a scorpions tail, gleaming black with a stinger that looked more deadly than a real scorpion's tail.
The legs were shocking enough but the belt closed the deal. Encircling her waist were the heads of dozens of wild animals. Bears, tigers, lions, hyenas, jackals, panthers. Every kind of carnivorous creature and more than Evie had never even seen before.
Evie scrambled backward until her back met cold stone. Nowhere to go. And Kampe just advanced on her.
Evie could do nothing but wait for her fate.
"Speak." Kampe's scorpion tail waved over Evie's head and closed the distance to the soft flesh of Evie's cheek. The cold, dark point of the stinger traced a line down her cheek and the Evie sat paralyzed with fear. This was not what was supposed to happen. Where the hell was this pearl anyway? Kampe's neck and hands were bare of any adornment. The cave was a hovel and even if she kept a pearl hidden here, how would Evie ever know where to look.
The stinger traced its way under Evie's chin and pressed against the soft skin, forcing Evie to rise to her feet to avoid being impaled on the sharp point. Kampe's eyes glittered, venom swirling in the whites. Perhaps it was time she spoke. Before she had a nasty meeting with the business end of Kampe's scorpion limb.
"I'm looking for someone." Evie searched desperately for a name. Any thing to satisfy Kampe.
"Tell me who, girl, and I may spare your life." The voice rippled along Evie's skin, raising goose bumps all across her arms.
"My mother." Evie saw the hand of the baby reach into the air above her, a tiny foot raised to touch the toe. Pink flesh so pure and pearly white. Pearly. The realization slammed into Evie, stunning her.
The Pearl of Kampe.
The baby was the Pearl. She had to steal Kampe's baby from her.
"Who is your mother?" The words were hissed into her ear as Kampe turned and sent a tender glance at the infant.
"I don't know. All I know is that my father allowed her to be killed and I have come to find her." Evie hoped the monster would not take the time to think through her lie. Besides, she had no intention of sticking around long enough.
With Kampe's attention fixed on the infant, Evie ducked beneath the stinger, sliding her dagger back into her boot. She would have better range with the sword and she needed a free hand for the baby. She ran around the cave crouching low as she scrambled to the child. As soon as Evie fled, Kampe caught sight of her and screamed her rage. The babe sc
reamed with her, fearful now of the awful sound filling the cave. Evie's ears hurt so badly that she was slightly disoriented, a little off balance. But she pinned her eye on the baby and ran.
One round around the cavern got her to the child. Kampe, concentrating on Evie, had no idea of the angel's intention or she would have been protecting her baby.
Evie bent low, raced passed the basket that held the child. As she flew past she hooked her free arm through the handles. She kept running, keeping an eye out for Kampe.
That was a mistake.
The creature was incomparably large, both her limbs having great range. As Evie headed for the rising path up to the entrance, she heard the screaming she-dragon behind her. Evie refused to look back, afraid of what she would see. She just ran. Evie reached the entrance and only then allowed herself to glance back to make sure she had a head start.
Another mistake.
Evie felt the pain before she realized the stinger had penetrated her thigh. Pain did one of two things to Evie depending on its reason and its location. Emotional pain brought tears when it was relevant. Physical pain just plain pissed her off.
Evie struck with her sword, slicing straight through the black shell of the tail, and continued running out of the cave. She ignored the stinger still embedded within her thigh.
A caw emanated from above. Hecate. Evie didn't need to bother to search the skies. She felt the air above her change, the talons curl around the straps of her backpack as she was lifted through the air.
Evie just concentrated on keeping hold of the baby.
Chapter 24
In mid-flight there was nothing else to do but stare at the child. What did this baby have that the Judges wanted? And what would happen to Gavriel if she didn't hand the child over? So many questions. Evie didn't want to be responsible for the life of another person. The heavy flap of Hecate wings blew gusts of wind against Evie's face.
No it had nothing to do with her, this political game of the underworld. Minos and his partners, Hecate and now the Pearl. There was more going on here than Evie cared to know about.
It didn't take long for Evie's feet to touch the ground and Hecate deposited her at the base of the mountain, right in front of the stairs to the Temple of Judgment. Evie opened her mouth to thank the goddess but she ended up closing her gaping mouth as she watched Hecate rise into the air and wondered if she would ever be able to thank the Goddess properly.
Her mind full of questions, Evie trudged up the stairs with her bundle of silent baby. It was as if the child could tell that something monumental was about to happen. At the entrance to the Temple even the vipers were silent, swaying and coiling but silent. They too knew something was happening. Or maybe they were shocked that Evie had returned alive and with the prize requested by the Judges. Evie hurried forward and drew close to Gavriel and met his eyes. He still stood, imprisoned in the column. It was possible his expression was one of relief. But she couldn't be certain. A sound drew her attention to the Judgment Table, where the three Judges now sat, waiting.
Expectation was not one of the expressions on their faces. Annoyance, surprise, amusement, and a little anger perhaps. As Evie suspected most of it was almost a game to them.
"Come forward, Nephilim."
Evie stood before the table, hugging the child to her.
"I see you have the pearl." Minos leaned forward as if he expected Evie to pass the baby to him.
But she was not ready. She was at least owed an explanation. She drew the bundle away and asked, "What do you want with the child?"
"That is not your concern. Be thankful you are not expected to dispatch of Kampe's spawn as part of your task, Nephilim. Now hand over the child and you will have the archangel back, and your boons of course."
Torn, Evie looked over her shoulder. Already the glass column seemed to be melting. Her duty was to Gavriel and getting him out alive. Reluctantly, and with a heavy heart, she handed the child to Minos.
"What will you do?" Evie still wanted to know what would happen to the child.
"Why, the child as you call it, must die, of course," said Radhamantus as he pulled the swaddling off the child.
Evie stepped away from the table in shock. Pure white horror rippled through her. The child was a child no longer. Although the face still resembled a baby, the rest of the body was that of a scorpion. One which Evie had hugged so close to her chest just moments ago.
"Sometimes it is better not to believe what you see," Aeacus said quietly. With those words the judges, table and all, disappeared.
Gavriel grunted beside Evie. She grabbed for him as he crumpled to the marble floor.
"Are you okay?" she asked, panicked and still off balance, the image of the little white scorpion baby burned into her retinas.
"Yes. I'm fine. But you are not."
It seemed that all it took was for Gavriel to mention her injury for Evie to feel the pain. White hot agony ripped through her thigh and she stumbled to the ground.
The stinger.
She'd forgotten all about it. She had to get it out of her flesh. Not to prevent any further poison from leaching into her bloodstream, rather to be rid of any part of Kampe that was still with her. She shivered with disgust.
Gavriel held her up and spoke softly, "Come, we have to leave. They have kept their word but who knows how long they will hold open the door." Gavriel drew Evie to her feet and helped her toward the other side of the room. An archway had opened, beyond which stood green fields and trees laden with pure white flowers. "Someone will help us there."
Evie heard the note of hope in his voice and could not deny him that. So she kept silent and let him lead her through the doorway.
It turned out to be a doorway into another world.
Elysium. Heaven in the Underworld.
Evie and Gavriel shielded their eyes against the bright glare of the white marble temple. Startling contrast to the black, viper-ridden temple of Tartarus. Green rolling meadows peeked at them through a rotunda-like circling of columns. Neither spoke as they stared at lush valleys, trees hanging heavy with fruit ripe for the picking. Their feet touched sun-warmed marble floors. Warm from the sunlight streaming through ivory marble columns.
Sunlight.
Evie ran to the steps of the Temple and stared at the sky. Some kind of miracle was happening here to create the fluffiest of cotton-wool clouds and a sky so blue it surely was aboveground. The air was cool and fresh, tinged with the crisp odor of leaves, grass and the gentle perfume of flowers. More than a pleasant change from the depths of Tartarus.
But the view would have to wait. As soon as Evie put weight on her foot, searing agony gripped her, rippling through her muscles and drawing nausea through her belly. Stars danced in front of her eyes and there was only the barest chance to take a breath.
How much of Kampe's poison already ran through her veins? Her thigh throbbed to the beat of her heart and Evie felt herself lose consciousness.
It was a merciful thing, passing out. Despite being outwardly disgusted with herself for such un-warrior like behavior, Evie studied the ebony stinger as it lay on the small table beside the bed. She was secretly grateful for the bliss of unconsciousness that had saved her from the agony of its removal. Even detached from Kampe's body, it still bore a residue of evil within it. Evie still had trouble focusing. The poison had infiltrated her bloodstream so thoroughly that all that got her out of Tartarus while still standing was pure adrenalin.
Shadows shifted and a woman walked into the rotunda, gliding in on silent feet. She sat beside Evie on the bed, taking care not to disturb her. Warm hands checked the bandages wrapped around her thigh and Evie tried hard not to flinch at the inspection. The gentle smile on the woman's face reminded Evie that she had no idea who this angel of mercy was.
"Evangeline. It's about time you woke up." Gavriel entered and stood beside the woman.
It was the way their bodies touched, the barest of movements, that piqued Evie's interest. That wa
s the action of a domesticated pair or at least two people who knew each other very, very well. Evie met Gavriel's eyes and raised one eyebrow. His returning smile was a mixture of sheepish boyishness and pride.
Placing an arm around the woman's shoulders he said, "Evie, this is Dania. My wife."
Somehow it did not surprise her at all. That the Judges would deem this as a suitable boon. That Gavriel would be this happy to be with his wife again. His wife? Evie blinked. Was there not a child included in this equation? She looked around Gavriel, hoping to see his daughter hiding behind him. Evie wanted to ask where the little girl was but Gavriel gave a tiny shake of his head and she bit her tongue. She would find out soon enough.
Then she thought of Patrick. She glanced up at Gavriel. "Is Patrick here?"
When he shook his head Evie's heart twisted. "He wouldn't be able to enter Elysium. Only those pure of soul gain access. And Patrick, with his long life and the many things he'd had to do in his lifetime, was not pure of soul."
Evie wanted to argue with that pronouncement. But she knew it would be useless. Patrick wasn't in Elysium and Evie wouldn't be able to see him. That was all there was to it. She didn't have the strength to demand more.
Instead she changed the topic. "So how do I get to see Daniel from here?" she asked gruffly, wanting everything to go back to business. Not wanting to see that sliver of pain which had glittered in Gavriel's eye for a split second. Not wanting to think about what it meant.
"Well, as soon as you are up to it, we will get it arranged." Dania's voice was soft and gentle. Too gentle for Evie. All she wanted was to get out of there. Away from all the niceness that surely hid a black grief.
"I am fine. Can we go as soon as possible?" Evie asked Gavriel and smiled at Dania, as she rose to her feet. She didn't hear Gavriel's answer. Perhaps it was agreement. More likely it was stern admonition.
