Crossroads

by Wendy Saunders

  ‘I just have to take these shades to the Judges and then I’ll take you to Hecate.’

  ‘Thank you Charon.’

  ‘Don’t thank me yet, she’s notoriously difficult to deal with.’

  Settling back onto the uncomfortable bottom of the boat she reached for Theo’s hand and felt his fingers entwine with hers. Looking up she watched as they passed beneath a huge Elm tree, it was so vast its branches spanned the entire width of the river. She watched idly as pictures and images flitted across the leaves.

  ‘What’s that?’ she murmured.

  ‘Don’t touch it,’ Charon warned, looking up at the beautiful ancient tree in disgust. ‘False dreams cling to every leaf; trust me it wouldn’t be good for you if you were to touch it.’

  ‘But it’s so beautiful,’ she whispered.

  ‘You witches,’ he shook his head, ‘so drawn to nature. It may be beautiful but that is what makes it so dangerous.’

  Olivia settled down again and after a while the gentle rocking of the boat and the soothing lap of the water began to lull her towards sleep. Suddenly she felt a gentle bump as the boat slid against the shore.

  ‘Stay here,’ Charon whispered and for pity’s sake don’t let anyone see you.’

  He climbed out of the boat and the two shades followed him obediently. Too curious for her own good Olivia risked a small peek over the edge of the boat. The shore sloped upwards to three gigantic stone seats, which resembled thrones. Braziers burned between them and three old men sat in the seats, towering over Charon who appeared dwarfed in comparison.

  ‘Minos, Rhadamanthus, Aeacus,’ Charon bowed respectfully as the shades drifted forward to be judged and he began to back away quietly.

  ‘WAIT!’ Minos suddenly roared, standing up to his full immense height. ‘What is the meaning of this Charon!’

  ‘My lord?’ Charon swallowed nervously.

  ‘You have brought mortals into our presence!’ his voice boomed all the way down to the banks of the shore.

  ‘My lord,’ Charon began slowly.

  ‘Bring them forth and let them be judged!’

  Chapter 21.

  ‘WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?’ Aeacus thundered, as he too rose from his chair. ‘This is heresy, you flaunt our laws by bringing mortals into our realm!’

  ‘My lords,’ Charon took a step back trying to placate them.

  Rhadamanthus sat watching, quietly curious.

  ‘You know mortals are forbidden here,’ Minos hissed, ‘you will be punished for this.’

  ‘Enough!’ Aeacus roared, ‘bring them before us!’

  ‘My Lord,’ Charon tried to intervene, ‘if I could but explain.’

  ‘Olivia,’ Sam hissed as she began to move.

  ‘Sam we don’t really have a choice; they already know we’re here. We might as well face them. The quicker we do, the quicker we can be on our way.’

  ‘She’s right Sam,’ Theo replied. ‘I don’t think we have any other choice, we’re in their realm now and at their mercy.’

  ‘Not if I can help it,’ Olivia muttered sourly as she sighed in frustration. She really didn’t have time for this.

  She sat up as Theo climbed over the side and leaned in to helped her out. Sam trailed behind them as they started up the embankment towards the three giant men. There really was no other way around it, they were going to have to confront them.

  She stared up at the imposing sight of the three colossal old men towering above them. Two of them were glaring murderously at them, the other seemed content to remain in his seat watching events unfold with interest.

  Olivia tried to focus but her mind seemed to keep wandering and everything around her seemed to hum with a strange vibration. She could feel the undercurrents of power running through the ground beneath her feet, the vast ancient power in the very air as she drew it into her lungs. A strange kind of dreamy lassitude fell over her and oddly she found herself feeling at ease. She could sense the tension in Theo’s body, in the rigid set of his jaw and shoulders. Sam, who was now on her other side flanking her protectively, was radiating nervous energy. She should have been afraid and her logical mind was telling her to be careful. The ancient men before her looked upon them as nothing more than mortal insects and yet she found she did not fear them. If anything they were really annoying her.

  ‘Alright Minos’ she sighed, ‘you have my attention. You can stop shrieking like a fishwife.’

  His eyes widened and his nostrils flared in anger, almost as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

  ‘INSOLENT MORTAL!’ he thundered, ‘HOW DARE YOU!’

  ‘Olivia!’ Sam hissed, ‘what are you doing?’

  ‘Be quiet Sam,’ she told him quietly.

  ‘I WILL HAVE YOUR SOUL FOR THIS!’

  ‘No,’ Olivia replied coolly, ‘you won’t.’

  ‘You are a very, very foolish mortal,’ Aeacus leaned closer to her, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

  ‘You think so Aeacus?’ she replied calmly.

  ‘I will have the flesh stripped from your bones and fed to Eurynomos, then I will personally condemn your soul to the fields of punishment for all eternity,’ Minos growled dangerously.

  Olivia yawned insultingly and glanced down at her watch.

  ‘Are you quite done with your empty threats old man, because we do have somewhere we have to be and you are interfering.’

  Minos sputtered furiously, almost as if he was so angry he couldn’t even form the words.

  A small chuckle had Olivia glancing across to the third seated man who was watching her in amusement, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

  ‘Something amusing you Rhadamanthus?’ she asked casually.

  ‘Perhaps I am just enjoying the very rare sight of Minos rendered speechless. As someone who very much enjoys the sound of his own voice it is a rare occurrence indeed.’

  ‘Glad I stopped by to entertain you,’ she replied dryly.

  ‘Tell me girl,’ Rhadamanthus leaned forward, ‘how is it you know who each of us are?’

  Olivia stared back at him thoughtfully, that was an extremely good question. She’d seen their names in the history books of course, but the moment she’d approached she’d instinctively known which was which.

  ‘Lucky guess,’ she answered cagily.

  ‘Very lucky,’ he smiled in amusement.

  ‘Rhadamanthus!’ Aeacus growled, ‘stop conversing with it and let us pronounce its punishment.’

  ‘Aeacus,’ he sighed in resignation, ‘you really are getting to be as bad as Minos. Use your head, can you not tell this one is different.’

  ‘Olivia,’ Sam growled under his breath, ‘will you stop provoking them. These are the Judges of the Underworld.’

  ‘Judges?’ she scoffed, ‘more like three crotchety old men who just like the sound of their own voices too much.’

  ‘Crotchety?’ Aeacus sputtered indignantly, ‘how dare you speak to us like this!’

  Rhadamanthus seemed content to sit back with a small smile playing on his lips.

  ‘Theo,’ Sam hissed, ‘do something before she gets us all killed.’

  ‘What do you expect me to do?’ he asked. ‘If she’s not going to listen to the Judges of the Underworld, what makes you think she’ll listen to me?’

  ‘We really don’t have time for this,’ Olivia sighed, ‘I’m here because Hades asked me to come. If you have a problem with it then I suggest you take it up with him.’

  ‘Hades?’ Both Aeacus and Minos echoed, while Rhadamanthus leaned forward in interest.

  ‘Yes Hades,’ she repeated.

  ‘You lie!’ Minos roared reaching out to pluck her from the ground.

  She felt her power burst out of her, like a dam bursting its banks, sudden and violent. The vast ancient power she’d felt in her own world when she’d called forth Hellfire, paled in comparison to the power she summoned now that she was surrounded by the source of it. A
great wall of Hellfire exploded in front of her, knocking Minos back several paces and throwing him backwards towards his stone throne.

  Aeacus took an involuntary step back in shock and Rhadamanthus chuckled lightly.

  ‘It seems the child has power,’ he looked across at Olivia meeting her eyes. ‘Tell me child, why are you here?’

  ‘That is my business,’ she replied quietly. ‘If you want to know you are welcome to ask Hades but for now I suggest you let us go on our way. From what I understand Hades doesn’t like to be crossed.’

  ‘What is your name child?’

  ‘Olivia West.’

  ‘Olivia West,’ his mouth curved as he spread his hands, ‘then by all means you are free to depart.’

  ‘Rhadamanthus!’ Aeacus hissed.

  His held up his hand silencing his companion.

  ‘Thank you Rhadamanthus,’ she replied quietly as they turned and headed back towards Charon’s boat.

  ‘Olivia?’ he called softly, causing her to pause and turn back towards him, ‘you be sure to come back and visit me sometime.’

  She smiled in amusement, ‘I may just do that.’

  They headed back to the boat in silence and climbed in. Olivia settled herself down on the small bench. There didn’t really seem much point in hiding now and she didn’t feel like lying back down on the floor of the boat. She pulled off her backpack and planted it between her feet, rolling her shoulders to ease the ache and as she looked up she found Theo, Charon and Sam all staring at her.

  ‘What?’ she asked innocently.

  ‘No one has ever spoken to the judges that way,’ Charon frowned.

  ‘Well then I’m sure it’s a refreshing change of pace for them,’ she replied.

  ‘Holy Hell Olivia,’ Sam shook his head incredulously, ‘you have balls of steel.’

  ‘No, I’m just sick of them all thinking it’s okay to throw their weight around because they think they’re a big deal.’

  ‘Olivia they kind of are a big deal,’ Theo answered.

  ‘It just gets my back up,’ she frowned, ‘the way they refer to us, the way they say mortals like we’re some kind of sub species. Yet we’re the ones they call when the world needs saving.’

  Theo started chuckling, leaning forward and kissing her.

  ‘Is it any wonder I fell in love with you,’ he shook his head in amusement.

  She kissed him back and entwined her fingers with his.

  ‘Charon, can we go to see Hecate now?’ she asked. ‘I have to get to the Crossroad before Nathaniel and I really don’t want Hades pissed at me anymore than he already is.’

  Charon nodded in understanding and used the pole to push the small boat away from the shore.

  ‘So where are we going,’ Theo asked.

  ‘We are on the River Acheron at the moment. Not too far upstream the river forks and splits off into the River Styx. The Styx circles the Underworld seven times, that is how we’ll reach Hecate’s temple.’

  Theo nodded and settled more comfortably onto the bench next to Olivia.

  They set off along the river and before long they did indeed branch off onto the River Styx. The rhythm of the boat and the gentle lap of the water was lulling and time began to slip past unnoticed. Sam stared down absently into the murky water of the river and his thoughts began to drift. He’d done it, he’d finally done the one thing he’d dreamed of for longer than he cared to admit. He’d defied his father, not only that he’d betrayed his people. He’d become a traitor…because he’d chosen Scarlett over his own people. He had put his own desire to protect her ahead of those of his own people, his own father.

  He frowned unconsciously, Olivia was right he needed to talk to her, he needed to explain to Scarlett…to tell her…what? What exactly was he going to tell her, that his father had convinced him to use her? She’d never forgive him and it was all his father’s fault. Everything was his father’s fault. If he hadn’t convinced him to betray the one person he cared about most in the universe he wouldn’t have to pretend he was dead, that he’d been lost to the Void.

  The thought suddenly occurred to him, he could never go home. How could he explain the truth to Scarlett when he couldn’t go home. He was in an impossible situation, if he stayed away and let them believe he was lost he would never see her again, but if he returned home he would be forced to betray her and he would lose her anyway.

  He suddenly felt a wave of hate flood his body, hot and vicious. He found himself clenching his fists, maybe he should return home and kill his father, after all he deserved to die. He felt the anger spike even more as the back of his neck began to burn. He could do it; he could kill him.

  ‘Sam,’ Charon spoke softly, ‘don’t do that.’

  ‘What?’ he snapped angrily.

  ‘Don’t stare at the water.’

  ‘What?’ he looked up at Charon and as he met his eyes he could feel the anger begin to drain. Shame flooded his cheeks in horror. Had he really just been thinking moments earlier of murdering his own father?’

  ‘The Styx is not called the river of hatred without reason,’ he told him quietly. ‘It will feed and amplify any feelings of hate you have. Do not to look at the water for too long. Try closing your eyes and focusing on something else.’

  Taking a deep breath, he looked up to see Olivia’s blue black dragonflies dancing just ahead of them. Focusing on them he tried not to think about his father, nor the fact he was now alone, adrift in the world with no plan and no one to count on but himself.

  Olivia tucked her hand further into Theo’s and rested her head on his shoulder. Everything felt different down in the Underworld. It was like every atom and molecule pulsed with that strange ancient well of power she drew her Hellfire from. She could feel it all around her, throbbing like a heartbeat, calling to her, drawing her in like it was trying to tell her something but its voice was too faint for her to understand.

  ‘Hecate’s temple,’ Charon startled her out of her thoughts.

  Olivia looked across to the furthest bank. On either side the river was flanked with thick dark bushes and undergrowth obscuring much of her view, but somewhere above she could just about make out a flat rectangular white building glowing eerily in the darkness.

  The boat bumped the bank gently, Charon jumped smoothly ashore and moored the boat securely. Olivia pulled her backpack on as Charon reached out to help her step across. He stepped back as Theo and Sam followed curiously.

  ‘This way,’ he told them and disappeared into the brush.

  There was no daylight in the Underworld; it was a world of perpetual night but it was not dark, far from it. As they stepped through the brush to follow Charon Olivia drew in a startled gasp. It was like stepping into a strange alien world. The path ahead of them was filled with trees and plants she couldn’t name and had never seen before and probably never would again. The leaves and buds and petals glowed with a strange phosphorescent light, dozens of vibrant electric shades of blue, green, red, yellow, orange, pink and purple. It was like a whole jungle of plants and flowers lit with an ethereal glow and it was beautiful. Bright eyes glowed in the shadows and the air was filled with a strange buzzing sound, like insects were flitting around just out of sight. The peculiar glowing forest was teeming with life; with creatures she couldn’t even begin to put a name to. She walked along slowly behind Charon, her dragonflies hovering over her shoulder.

  The undergrowth suddenly parted in front of her and Olivia paused in awe. She’d seen pictures of Greek temples, ruins of temples, partially reconstructed temples but they had always been rather sad and tired looking, ravaged by the passage of time in the mortal world. The building in front of her was nothing short of breath taking. It was small by comparison to other temples and structures but rather than detract from it, it made it lovelier somehow, more intimate. It looked rectangular in shape, with steps leading up to several tapered columns, slimmer at the top than the base. A frieze ran across t
he front of the pitched roof but from this angle Olivia couldn’t make out the designs depicted on it.

  She realized as they mounted the steps that the columns and the pitched roof were only part of the entrance way. Once past the grand columns it opened out into a lovely courtyard with a pool. It wasn’t a rectangular building as she’d first thought but rather a collection of interconnecting buildings, more like a villa than a temple. Suddenly Olivia understood that although Charon referred to this place as Hecate’s temple, it was in fact her home, not a temple that would have been a place of worship for the mortals to honor their Goddess.

  A tiled walkway surrounded the pool and was edged with more columns, which led inside. They followed behind Charon who strode ahead confidently as if he knew exactly where he was going. They entered an open room which overlooked the pool where a huge bed sat before them, framed by a canopy of fine diaphanous material and covered with thick cushions in jewel colored tones. Amidst the cushions lay a body, elegantly draped in a gossamer light material which covered pale smooth skin. Hair as black as midnight spilled over the pillows in thick coils and curls. Several wine jugs were piled up on the floor at the side of the bed, one tipped over on its side allowing a rich crimson liquid to spill across the tiled floor.

  ‘Hecate?’ Charon approached slowly, ‘Hecate?’

  The figure murmured and stretched slightly but otherwise did not acknowledge him.

  ‘Hecate?’ he sat down on the bed next to her and placed his hand gently on her back, shaking her lightly.

  ‘Go…way…’ the slurred response came from the cushions.

  ‘I can’t Hecate,’ he apologized, ‘we need your help and we don’t have much time.’

  ‘Isay…goway…’ she slurred again, ‘Idon…talk...anyone.’

  Charon sighed as he scooped up one of the jugs and sniffed.

  ‘Dionysus’ wine,’ he shook his head.

  ‘Is she drunk?’ Theo asked.

  ‘Unfortunately,’ he replied. ‘I don’t think we’re going to get her to talk when she’s like this.’

  ‘Is this usual for her?’

  ‘Not it’s not actually,’ Charon frowned.