10
“Jake,” I said urgently. “We can’t stay here like this. We’re sitting ducks.” The band of harpies was close enough to see that most of them carried rocks clutched in their claws, ready to unleash on our heads. I wasn’t keen on being harpy target practice. “Which way? What do we do now?”
We needed to reach the foot of the mountain. The Gate of Dusk, our way out of the underworld, was over there. We couldn’t go back, but now we couldn’t go forward either. Not unless we wanted to swim the Styx, and that was waaay down on my list of things I’d like to attempt in this lifetime. I’d seen the souls of the dead writhing in that water back near the wharf where Charon’s ferry docked. It hadn’t looked like a pleasant experience, and I had no desire to see what happened to the living who ventured in.
Jake raised his arms and lava arced up from the River of Fire, crashing down into the black water of the Styx, causing an explosion of steam to boil up into the sky. Under its cover, we backed away, putting some distance between us and where the harpies had last seen us. But we both knew it was only a temporary measure. Where could we go? How long before the harpies managed to score a lucky hit?
Jake stood still, his head tipped to one side, listening. His eyes were on the sky, though nothing could be seen through the clouds of smoke and steam above us. I could hear the harpies calling to each other, their voices coming closer, and I braced for a rain of rocks. Sweat ran down my face, and not just from the heat. I hated feeling so helpless. All I could do was wait, hoping that the harpies’ aim would be off.
“If they fly low enough I might be able to hit a few with fire from the river,” Jake said. He quirked an eyebrow at me. “Ready? I’ll let the smoke clear enough to lure them down.”
“Yeah, but what if they decide to just drop their rocks from a distance?”
He shook his head. “I guess we have to risk it. It’s the best I can do.”
And then what? We’d still be stuck here, with no way forward, the rivers blocking us from our goal. “We don’t even know how many harpies are up there.” There’d been perhaps a dozen in the band I’d seen swooping towards us when the smoke cleared, but there’d been others behind them, and still more in the skies above the volcano. This was starting to look like a fight we couldn’t win. “Can’t you, like, move the River of Fire to one side, or make a gap through the middle of it, or something?”
He snorted. “I’m not a god, Lexi.”
“My, you have got yourself into a pickle,” a voice said behind us.
I jumped like a scalded cat and spun around, expecting to see one of the harpies stalking towards us on clawed feet through the smoke. As it turned out, the voice didn’t belong to a harpy, but its owner was almost as unwelcome.
Styx rested her forearms on a rock on the riverbank like a drinker leaning on the bar back home in Berkley’s Bay. Her chin was propped on one cupped hand and her dark hair flowed down over her naked shoulders until it merged with the black water. The proximity of the River of Fire didn’t seem to bother her at all. I suppose I should have expected to see her here. After all, the Styx was her river. But somehow, I’d imagined, if I’d thought about it at all, that she lived closer to where I’d first seen her near the ferry wharf. Why would she be all the way out here in the back of beyond?
“Don’t suppose you’d like to help, would you?” I asked, one eye on the sky. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. I didn’t like to turn my back on the pointy-toothed horror, but right now, the harpies were the more pressing concern. There was only one of Styx and, for the moment at least, she didn’t seem inclined to kill us.
“I’m afraid I’m not much use in a pitched battle,” she said. “You do seem to have a habit of making enemies wherever you go.”
A heavy flapping sounded overhead and Jake hurled a bolt of molten lava into the sky, dragging it from the fiery river. He must have missed, because there was no screaming, only a swooshing sound as another boulder smashed to the ground.
We changed position, scurrying through the smoke. That one had been too close. Styx moved with us, lazily propelling herself through the dark water, watching as if this was a fine entertainment. I half expected her to hold up scorecards.
“Is there a way across the river?” Jake asked, sparing her a quick glance. The battle was taking most of his attention, as he continually had to replenish the steam that kept us hidden. I felt completely useless, and longed for my bow.
“For you, handsome, one could certainly be arranged,” the nymph said, with a coquettish smile whose effect was completely ruined by the sharp teeth it displayed.
He gave her a hard look. “For both of us.”
She pouted. “Couldn’t we ditch the girl? It’s not as if she’s doing anything for you.”
“Come out of that river and I’ll do something all right,” I said. “You won’t be able to walk for a week.”
Jake gave me that look again, the one that said leave the talking to me. “Play nice, Lexi. We’re a little short of allies, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“She’s no ally,” I muttered, but I could see the wisdom of letting him do the negotiating. He was used to getting what he wanted, particularly from women, I imagined, looking the way he did. It remained to be seen if he could work his charm on Styx.
“Is there a bridge?”
Another boulder crashed to the earth nearby, swiftly followed by another and another. I couldn’t help cringing with each impact. It looked like the harpies were stepping up their campaign against us. Jake increased the level of steam and smoke hiding us, but didn’t retaliate. Maybe he was still hoping they’d come close enough for him to hit a whole bunch, or perhaps he’d decided not to risk letting them pinpoint our location while he bargained with Styx. I nearly went cross-eyed, trying to watch every direction at once and still keep an eye on the sharp-toothed goddess.
“Why would there be a bridge? Who around here is going to use one? The harpies? Or maybe you think the Titans will come out of Tartarus for a stroll.”
If you’d asked me, I would have said it wasn’t possible to dislike Styx any more than I already did, but obviously, I’d been wrong. I spared a moment from my close watch on the smoky skies to give her a dirty look.
“Well, I need a bridge,” Jake said. I could see his politeness was costing him an effort. Asking nicely wasn’t his strong suit. Good to see he could make an effort when circumstances required it. “Or some way across.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. I'm all out of bridges.” She studied her nails as if she had all the time in the world for this conversation, and wasn’t particularly interested in the outcome. I suppose she did, unlike us. She wasn’t the one caught out in a storm of boulders, all perfectly sized to turn a mere mortal into a smear of pink jelly. Some of those rocks were hitting pretty close now. I wondered uneasily if the harpies were trying to herd us even closer to the rivers so we would have no way out. Was Styx part of the plan? Was she supposed to be distracting us?
Jake growled in frustration. “Let me say it clearer, then. Can you help us? I’m sure Hades would be grateful.”
“I’m not interested in Hades’ gratitude,” she said. She’d stopped pretending to be engrossed in the state of her nails and there was a gleam in her eye I didn’t care for. “Your gratitude, on the other hand …”
“I have nothing to give you,” he said, “other than my thanks.”
She laughed. “Oh, I’m sure we can do better than that. A handsome man like you? I could think of any number of things you could supply.”
Oh, please. And here I’d been thinking that my day couldn’t possibly get any worse. Now I had to watch this creepy nymph trying to crack on to Jake?
Three more boulders crashed to earth, way too close for comfort. Jake sent a bolt of fire lancing into the sky in retaliation, bringing a screech of pain and another boulder even closer than before. He caught my hand and dragged me further along the riverbank. Our position was becoming untenable.
How many boulders did those damn harpies have, anyway? Their supplies seemed to be limitless. Sooner or later, one of them was going to score a lucky hit, despite all Jake’s attempts at camouflage.
Jake seem to have arrived at the same conclusion. “Let’s speak plainly, then. What do you want?”
She gave him what was meant to be another of those coquettish smiles, but it came out looking a lot more like a smirk. “Nothing much. Just a little … quality time.”
“In there? You want me to go swimming with you?”
“Swimming?” She laughed, a full-throated sound. “Is that what they’re calling it these days in the land of the living?” I swear Jake blushed, although I suppose it might have been the heat. “No, darling, I don’t want to go swimming with you. I’m sure I can think of better ways to spend a day or two.”
“I can’t spare a day or two,” he said. “We’re on a very important mission. Every moment counts.”
“It doesn't have to be straight away,” she said. “I’m a reasonable woman. As long as you give me your word that you’ll return, you can go off and save the world and we’ll catch up when you’re done.”
I didn’t like the triumphant grin that spread across her face, as if she was putting one over on us. Where was the catch? “And in return, you’ll carry us both safely across this river?” I asked. I wanted her to say it straight out.
“Your little friend sounds so hostile,” she said to Jake with a wounded look. “I am a woman of my word. Ask any of the gods—they always come to me when they want a solemn oath witnessed. They know I’m all about keeping promises.”
That was great, but exactly what were we signing ourselves up for? “How long is Jake supposed to spend with you in return for this help? A day? A week?” Heaven forbid. Jake looked horrified at the thought.
She shrugged. “From sunset to sunrise. That should be plenty … and not too exhausting for our young stud here.”
“I don’t like this,” I whispered to Jake, not really caring if Styx heard me or not. “I don’t trust her.”
“I don’t see what other options we have,” he whispered back. “These harpies aren’t going to let up. If it’s a choice between dallying with the scary nymph or dying on this riverbank, it’s dallying all the way, baby.” His smile was surprisingly sweet as he gave my own words back to me.
“Smart arse.”
He turned back to Styx. “One night only, when we finish our quest?”
“From sunset until sunrise,” she confirmed. “But I’m not going to wait forever. I’ll give you twelve hours to complete your business, and then I expect to see you back here, ready and willing.”
“Agreed,” Jake said.
Twelve hours should be enough time. All we had to do was get to that damn gate, open the way to Hephaistos's forge, find the star-metal and have Jake make it into a key, then get it back to the underworld. If you said it fast enough, it all sounded totally doable. “But what if it takes us longer than that?” I asked.
Styx gave me a look of frank dislike. “I’m offering twelve hours, starting now. Take it or leave it. You’re not really in a position to negotiate.” That was true, dammit, but did she have to rub our noses in it? She fixed Jake with a challenging stare. “Is it yes or no, mortal?”
“Yes,” Jake said. A boulder splashed into the dark water behind Styx, punctuating his agreement.
“Excellent! Come closer, pretty boy.” Obligingly, Jake stepped up to the riverbank. Styx waved him down impatiently. “Do I look like a giraffe? I can’t reach you all the way up there.”
Jake knelt on the pebbled shore and the nymph surged up out of the water, catching him around the neck and dragging him down. She planted a long, slow kiss on his lips. “Consider the bargain sealed.”
***
Jake pulled away, an odd look on his face. Was that disgust? It had certainly turned my stomach, watching the nymph play tonsil hockey with him. Memories of my own recent activities with Jake resurfaced, and I felt a twinge of something sharp and nasty. Was that jealousy? I’d sure like to stick her with something sharp and nasty.
Jake brought his fingers to his lips. Maybe it wasn’t disgust. I could always stick him with something sharp, too, if it came to that. The force of my feelings caught me by surprise—I wasn’t normally a jealous person. Well, I thought I wasn’t, anyway, but what did I know? Maybe I’d killed my last three ex-lovers in a fit of jealous rage. But this churning feeling in my gut seemed new, and entirely unpleasant. He’s doing it for us, I reminded myself, but apparently, logic had little to do with feelings, because knowing that didn’t improve my mood any.
“What did you do to me?” Jake stared at his fingers as if expecting to see something on them. They looked fine to me, but his tone of voice was off, raspy with a fear he hadn’t shown under fire from harpies or chased by giant spiders. In fact, not since the eel monster had pulled him underwater.
Styx looked entirely too pleased with herself. “Just a little insurance. I’ve put my mark on you. If you keep your oath and come back as you said you would, there won’t be a problem.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I wouldn’t advise that,” she said. “Oathbreakers die. In agony.”
The bitch! A torrent of abuse threatened to burst from my mouth, but I held it back with a supreme effort of will. There would be time to tell her exactly what I thought of her after she’d transported us across the river. The harpies hadn’t let up their aerial bombardment, and every minute we spent on this side of the broad, dark river was another minute in danger.
Not to mention another minute closer to an agonising death for Jake, if we were late getting back. I drew a deep, shuddering breath of the sulphurous air. Time was truly not on our side.
Jake pressed his lips together in a thin white line and said nothing, though I could see it cost him an effort.
“Let’s begin, shall we?” Styx smiled, a bright, fake smile. “You don’t have time to be standing around chatting to me, after all.”
The urge to punch her smirking face was almost overwhelming, but I clenched my fists and fought it down. Jake’s hand sought mine, his fingers gently prying mine open. I relaxed my furious fist and took his hand, finding comfort in the familiar warmth of his skin. Our clasped hands didn’t escape Styx’s notice, and now it was her turn to press her lips together, looking as though she’d just sucked a lemon. I have to admit the expression on her face gave me a considerable amount of pleasure. I moved closer to Jake, until our shoulders were touching, forming a united front against the nymph.
With a swirl of dark water, she turned and lifted her dripping arms into the air. Something rose to the surface in response to her silent call, though I couldn’t say exactly what. It changed before my eyes, twisting and reshaping itself, refusing to hold a single form. I saw pieces of bodies, glimpses of arms, hands, and torsos; here a curving shoulder blade, there the long sweep of a backbone. And everywhere the screaming, contorted faces, just as I had first seen them in the river down at the ferry wharf. I shuddered; I couldn’t help it. Were these the souls of the damned, the ones who hadn’t been able to afford Charon’s price for passage across the river? And yet, they seemed more than souls as they surged toward the surface of the dark water, as real as Jake or I, as real as the hands clasped firmly between us. Pieces of bodies coalesced into a thin but solid-looking band that stretched from the riverbank at our feet across the water, disappearing into the smoke.
“Your bridge awaits,” Styx said, oozing self-satisfaction.
“Thank you,” said Jake, with a politeness that I certainly couldn’t have mustered. The bridge turned my stomach; I could hardly imagine actually setting foot on it. It was like a serial killer’s wet dream. I focused on the part immediately in front of us. An eye stared up at me and fingers writhed as if straining to reach something lost long ago. I tightened my grip on Jake’s hand and wrenched my gaze away from the ghastly bridge.
Jake looked down at me and gave my hand a
gentle squeeze. “All right?” he asked.
“Never better,” I lied, with more determination than truth. “Ready when you are.”
He nodded. “Let’s go.”
We moved together, as if we were part of a marching band. The bridge gave slightly beneath my foot, and bile rose in my throat, but I swallowed hard and took another step.
“That’s it,” Jake said. “One foot after another. Good girl.”
I trod on a hand, and shuddered at the sound of knuckles cracking beneath my foot. Styx moved through the water beside us, watching our progress with a smile, enjoying every minute of my discomfort. “Remember, twelve hours,” she said. “Don’t be late.”
Jake didn’t look at her, keeping his eyes fixed on the smoke-filled way ahead. “I won’t forget.”
If it weren’t for his hand pulling me on, I don’t know if I could have made it all the way across. I was walking on people, and that’s exactly what it felt like, as the bridge gave beneath my every step. Soft moans accompanied us, forming a counterpoint against the crash of rocks smashing against the hard ground behind us. At least we were leaving the danger zone behind.
They say that all good things must come to an end. Fortunately, so must the bad things. After what felt like an eternity of horror, we finally stepped ashore on the other side of the river. I’ve never been happier to set foot on dry land in my life.
“Hurry back,” crooned that hated voice behind us, but neither of us looked back. “See you soon!”
We hurried away from the river and its revolting bridge of bodies. It was still smoky on this side, and the air smelled just as bad, but I felt a new lightness in my step. We were getting closer to our destination, and soon, this ordeal would be over.
The terrain on the other side of the bridge was just the same, and shrouded in smoke which Jake augmented to keep us hidden from the harpies. He still held my hand in his and I didn’t object. Behind us, the sound of smashing rocks grew fainter. It was punctuated by the occasional shriek of frustration from high above, as if the harpies were aware we had somehow slipped their net. Apparently, it hadn’t occurred to them that we might be able to cross the river.
Rivers of Hell (Shadows of the Immortals Book 3) Page 11
