by Muse, M. W.
“How could you do this to me? I loved you!” Kate cried.
Legacy pushed open the door. Seth sat in one of the dining chairs with his head in his hands. His blonde groupie stood in the corner with her arms crossed, glaring at Kate.
“You don’t understand. I don’t have a choice here. It’s beyond my con—” Seth stopped talking when he looked up and saw Legacy standing in the room. He growled and shot up. “It’s because of her that I have to do this. My life is not my own.” Then he looked Kate again. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. He glanced at Blondie and barked, “Let’s go.” Then he stormed out with the whore of Hades on his heels.
Kate sniffled, jarring Legacy’s attention back to her. “What’s going on? What did you say?”
“Nothing’s going on. I tried to get some answers out of him, but he wouldn’t budge.”
Legacy gritted her teeth. “What did you say to him? Did you tell him anything?” Gods, if Kate blabbed about their impending escape attempt, she was going to shock some sense into her starting right now.
Kate shook her head and bit her lip. Her eyes fluttered several times as if she were trying to fight off tears. “I didn’t say anything relevant.” She sat down in the chair he’d vacated and rubbed her hands along the arms of it. “I-I just wanted to know about that skank he’s with.”
Legacy took a calming breath and walked toward her. She wasn’t surprised her comrade wanted answers about that, but she was mollified that the discussion hadn’t been centered on their upcoming escape. “What did he say?” She sat next to her devastated friend and patted her leg.
“That it wasn’t what I was thinking. That what he’d felt for me was real, but it didn’t matter anymore.” She sighed and looked up. “That’s the gist of it.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt so strongly for him.”
Kate frowned at her. “I love him. Just because I don’t gush all over him and giggle with the girls doesn’t mean I don’t.”
“I get that, but—and don’t take this the wrong way—but it seemed like he was more serious about you than you were about him.”
She shrugged. “My parents were worried I’d come home pregnant or something. I downplayed it for their benefit,” she said, her voice cracking.
Legacy nodded and decided she needed to get Kate’s attention focused on the current matter at hand. “I got caught up in a dream and overslept, I think. Since that woman was here, that must mean he’s headed out on his midday patrol. We should start looking at the tunnels.”
“Yeah.”
“Are you okay? I mean, this could be it. If we find our way out now, that may have been the last you’ll ever see of Seth,” Legacy whispered. She hated bringing up the obvious, but she didn’t want any surprises when it came to making a run for it.
Kate nodded quickly as a tear slid down her cheek. Legacy guessed she didn’t trust her voice to speak right now, and no way was she going to push the issue.
“C’mon. The sooner we start exploring the tunnels, the sooner we get out of here.” Legacy stood and offered a helping hand to Kate. She took it and stood. Legacy cupped her shoulders and stared intently at her. “And that’s a good thing. Please don’t forget that.”
Kate gave her a chiding look. “I’m not going to run up to Seth, throw my arms around him, and beg him to take me back so I can live out your destiny here in your place. Give me some credit.”
Legacy chuckled. “I’m trying to, Kate.” She let go and headed for the door, stopping to look over her shoulder at her partner in crime. “Believe me, I’m trying.” She just hoped Kate believed in herself as much as she professed. But only time would tell.
Gods, Legacy was so ready to get out of here.
* * * * *
“We turned left at the last split. I promise.” Legacy swiped her arm across her dirty, sweaty brow and motioned for Kate to wave her torch-sporting hands toward the right. Their expedition earlier today had been long enough for them to search two of the tunnels completely and the third partially. The first tunnel hadn’t gone very far, leading out to the horse stables about one hundred feet from the main house. She’d figured at the time that the subterranean passage was utilized for secret trysts that involved rolling in the hay both literally and figuratively. The thought of hooking up on a dirty barn floor in a place that was literally Hell on Earth triggered the eww factor.
“Are you sure?” Kate hesitated before pointing her fiery hands in the direction Legacy had indicated. “This path looks familiar.”
The second tunnel this morning had led to a watershed adjacent to the stables. It was then that Legacy determined the two paths had been escape routes leading away from the main house. The path to the barn was probably used to get to the horses for a quick getaway. The path to the watershed was an alternative place, but still an effective hidey-hole since they’d had a complete view of the barn from a window inside the shed this morning. She was relieved she’d kept the tryst theory to herself to keep from hurting Kate’s feelings because Legacy would’ve looked like a sex-crazed idiot. Why would the king of the underworld sneak around to get it on with women? Having a means to escape his home in case of an attack was a much more plausible concept.
Since the first two tunnels were quickly dispelled as being useless for their needs, the girls had quickly entered the third. Almost right away the differences among this tunnel compared to the others were evident. Instead of short, quick dirt paths to one location, the third tunnel weaved and turned, forking off in different directions at irregular intervals, laying a framework of a cobblestone maze. They’d only inspected two paths before running out of time and having to make their way back to the house this morning. When they’d been away from Seth’s constant evil glare this afternoon, the girls had discussed strategy. Neither was sure how long it’d take to investigate all the secret passageways beneath the main estate, but one thing was certain. They only needed one way out. They didn’t care where all the tunnels led as long as they found one that seemed promising for their escape.
Seth had left about ten minutes ago for his second daily expedition, and the girls wasted no time getting back down to the tunnel and utilizing the strategies they’d covertly discussed.
“Positive.” Legacy dusted her hands along her ill-fitting jeans. She pulled out a handful of material scraps, grabbed a piece of one before it fell to the floor, and put the rest back in her pocket. She pushed scrap into the crack following the third stone after the corner. “See. Told you this would work. It’s not glaringly obvious, but it’ll help us if we get lost.”
Kate waved her flame toward the ground and illuminated it. “I hated that shirt. I just enjoyed ripping it to pieces this afternoon regardless of it coming in handy.”
Legacy chuckled. “C’mon. Times a-wastin’.” Kate nodded her head in the direction her torch was aimed, indicating that Legacy should precede. She did with Kate following right behind her. They walked for several minutes, making three separate turns and stopping at each to mark their way with the shirt remnants Legacy had brought. When they reached the fourth turn and Legacy stopped to mark that turn as well, Kate shifted her weight and looked around nervously.
“Um, there’s something I should tell you.”
Legacy glanced up, immediately halting her work on securing the marker. “Why don’t I like the sound of this?” She stood up slowly and put her hands on her hips.
“It’s probably nothing, which is why I haven’t said anything before now, but I don’t know…”
“Girl, if you don’t spill now, I’m going to grab your hand and light a real fire under your ass. We don’t have time for heart-to-hearts down here.” Legacy squatted and pushed the scrap of material into the crack. Then she stood and started walking. “Move and talk.” No way was she just going to stand down here and have a conversation. If Kate wanting to speak, she could do so while looking for an escape route.
“Seth kissed me.”
That made Legacy stop. From the
way Kate said it, she hadn’t meant a long time ago. She whirled, almost hitting Kate’s torch hand. “What the hell?”
“Okay, just listen. It happened the night before we snuck into the den and did the fireball one-way video call to River and Adin. It was just that night, and he hasn’t tried since. I mean, I don’t think he has.” Kate shook her head.
Legacy gaped at her. “Seriously? That was weeks ago! Why are you just now telling me that, and what do you mean don’t think he’s tried it since? Wouldn’t you know?”
Kate sighed and started walking again, but going much slower than they had been. “I just mean it was really weird. He came to my room and apologized for getting me involved in all this. He apologized for the piece of ass that’s been hanging all over him. It was just weird. It was like he was himself. He said something like, ‘I wished I could make it stop, but it won’t come true. But if you get the chance, all you have to do is wish you were back,’ and then he kissed me fast and hard. He pulled away quickly and then his face turned cold again. He growled, and I thought he was going to attack me. It was like he was a completely different person. He moved so fast that I knew I was in trouble, but he just brushed past me and slammed the door as he left.”
Legacy grabbed her arm above the flame, making her stop. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because his mood swings don’t seem right. That’s why I tried confronting him when you walked in on us in the den. He’s acting really weird and that bitch with boobs is just another example.” She yanked her arm free and started walking again. Legacy followed, but around the next bend, they were at a dead end.
“Crap! Let’s go back to the last turn and go the other way. That’s probably all the time well have today before we have to head back.” Kate nodded and started back down the way they’d come. Luckily, it hadn’t been far since they’d reached the last turn, so they were quickly covering new ground. “I totally see why you’d think his mood swings aren’t right,” Legacy started once they were making positive progress again. “But he’s been moody from day one.”
“Yeah, but at the time, I thought he meant he wished now that he could make whatever he was doing stop. But that just didn’t feel right. Now I think I know why.”
“Are you going to tell me anytime today?” Legacy bitched as she started stomping faster down the path.
“When he turned seventeen last year, I got him a cupcake with a single candle in it. He made a wish before blowing it out and told me then, ‘I wish I can make it stop.’ I asked him what he meant then, but he played it off, saying if he answered me then he wouldn’t get his wish.”
Legacy stopped and felt a cold chill race over her body. “When was his seventeenth birthday?”
“March fifteenth.”
She turned and faced Kate. “It was still February when he took us and we’ve been here for weeks. His birthday has either already passed…”
“Or is about to happen.”
“Oh gods. He could become extremely powerful any day now.”
“Or he could have already ascended—if that’s the right term. I think the night he came to my room he was still seventeen. If he’s already changed, it had to have happened after that night.”
“Good theory. But if time travels the same here as it does back home then it’s already passed his birthday and nearing the end of March.” Legacy gasped. “Adin’s birthday is at the end of this month.”
“He’s already ascended, though. Granted, he died to reach his godlike position and didn’t ascend the easy way on his eighteenth birthday, but regardless, he’s already finished becoming powerful.”
Legacy knew that, but that wasn’t what had mattered. After his death, she’d been so depressed and hadn’t thought of the happy future she could have with Adin. Now that he was alive, she wanted to enjoy the silly milestones regular couples had. “I just want to be with him on his birthday. That’s all.”
The girls started walking again and turned another corner, but this one was different. It was lighter, so light that they didn’t need the torches anymore.
“Keep those lit,” Legacy said as she nodded at Kate’s fists. “Let’s not take any chances.”
“No prob.”
They walked slower, taking quieter steps as a feeling of uncertainty settled over Legacy. “This feels like a trap.”
“Or the way out.”
She nodded at that. Gods, she hoped this was the way out of here. Since there was no way to research specific escape routes, they were making this up as they went along. “That’s a door!” Legacy whispered. She walked faster, stopping abruptly when she reached the wood and steel barrier.
“This doesn’t look like the doors at the end of the other tunnels.”
Definitely not. This one seemed like a barrier guarding something precious on the other side. It was bolted shut with three medieval-looking bars braced in front of it, sporting chains for added measure and insane-sized padlocks. Whoever barricaded this thing had no intention of letting people pass through it…at least not without access to several keys and a good twenty minutes to wait while it was unlocked. “That’s because it’s not.”
“Do your abilities consist of Herculean strength?” Kate asked as she eyed the locks warily.
“Nope. We’ll start with you,” Legacy said as she glanced at Kate’s still-lit torches.
“There’s so much metal here, I’m not sure if burning the door down will do any good.”
“We’ll worry about that later. Now hurry, we don’t want to waste time.”
Kate nodded, but didn’t look convinced. She stepped up to the door and put her hands directly on the section of the most exposed part of the wood. It took a couple of minutes, but it eventually started to smolder. Shortly after that, the wood beside her hand caught fire. The flame was low, but it was definitely coming from the wood. Unfortunately, without her touching that specific area, the flame only spread out a few inches from her and died out. Where she was touching was still burning through, but at this rate, it’d be like sitting around a campfire, watching a large log to burn throughout the night.
“I’m trying to concentrate on making it burn hotter, but I can’t.”
“You’re doing good. Whoever took the time to lock this door could’ve put some kind of flame retardant on the wood. It’ll take time to burn out.”
“We need wind. It’ll eventually burn, though, since I’m keeping fire on it, but that would make this go faster. If forest fires have taught us anything, it’s that air is fire’s enemy.”
“Now that I can help with.” Legacy smiled. She looked at the door and concentrated on generating a breeze. Both of their hair rumpled as it gently enveloped them. She didn’t want to do so much that she put the fire out—she knew she was more powerful than Kate and if it came to the two of them against each other, she’d win—so she easily controlled the amount of wind she generated. The irony of her control, of exerting it almost without conscious effort, while they were trapped in the underworld was not lost on her. She’d come a long way from the initial months after her seventeenth birthday when she’d caused all kinds of problems because of her unruly skills. Bound by the laws of the gods, or not, she’d make sure she ascended and do so away from the clutches of Hades.
“It’s working!” The flame ignited into a roaring inferno. Kate had to step back—keeping her hands angled toward the wood—to keep from getting burned. The door didn’t stand a chance now. It was quickly consumed, charred remnants falling from the hinges, chains, bars to the ground below. Legacy killed the command that created the wind and the flames seized, turning the debris into smoldering pieces. She looked beyond the chains dangling along the bars that had been spaced across the door and gazed upon what was ahead, at what had been blocked so meticulously, barricaded. They were at the River Styx. The way they’d arrived to the underworld.
“Oh my God,” Kate breathed. Her sentiments exactly. Kate pushed one of the chains out of the way from the space between the mi
ddle and bottom bars, but almost as quickly, she jumped back, wincing and shaking her hand. “That’s gonna leave a blister.”
The wood gone, now all that was left was scorching hot metal. Everywhere. Legacy walked up to doorway and squatted. She put her hands on the two lower bars and willed both her hands to be cold. She rubbed long the bars and blew the coldest breath she could muster along them and the chains beside them. She heard Kate gasp, but she didn’t stop. She kept up her ministrations for several minutes until she sensed the metal cooling. When she stepped away, she was sure it wouldn’t cause them any harm to crawl through. She looked at Kate. “Let’s go. Seth should be back by now. He could be looking for us.”
Kate nodded and squeezed through the two bars of the door. Legacy followed her and looked at the river as she took a deep breath. They weren’t just at the river, they were where they’d arrived originally. The dock with the boat was just feet in front of them. She’d been right. The door had been guarding something precious.
The way to freedom.
Chapter Seven
The next few minutes happened in a rushed blur. Once Legacy and Kate had exited the tunnel and took two steps toward the dock, a bark came from the distance.
“Oh crap! Run.” Legacy pushed Kate as they both started to run, but it wasn’t fast enough. Seth and Cerberus topped the hill at lightning speed. Legacy turned to face them, but yelled over her shoulder, “Keep running!” She had no idea if the boat was tied up or how fast they could get away on it, but she hoped Kate would do whatever she could to get the boat ready while Legacy held off their opponents. Kate kept running, so Legacy turned back just in time to see Seth come right at her. She pushed him away instinctively. He roared as he flew back, and she realized she’d shocked him too. She turned to the side to deal with the dog before Seth recovered and came for her again, but when she turned to the side, the dog wasn’t there. She whirled around and saw him charging for her friend. “Kate!”
