by Bonnie Lamer
Before we go back to the Fairy realm, we’ll need to do something about the car. We can’t leave it in the middle of the road. That might cause another accident. Considering the weather and the lack of recent tracks, I think it’ll be fine there for a little longer.
Mom and Dad are waiting for us in the driveway. I didn’t want to teleport directly into the house for fear of making Kallen or Dagda trip on a piece of furniture. Which would probably make them drop one of my parents. The first thing Mom and Dad see of themselves should not be them getting massive bruises.
The front door opens and Tana is standing there beaming. “Come in before they freeze,” she encourages, despite the warm apparel on the bodies. “We must work quickly before it is too late.” I’m not sure we need to be that concerned about time, but quicker is better.
As soon as the door closes behind us, a horn blows. A car horn. Instantly on edge, Kallen lays my father’s body on the couch and moves to the front window. He pushes the curtain aside. “A car is coming.” Obviously, since it was a car horn. I keep the snark to myself, though.
Who could it be? The roads are treacherous this time of year. It would be close to suicide traveling them. I join Kallen at the window and peer out. Of course it’s too dark to see anything besides headlights. The horn blows again as the car slides into the driveway and skids to a stop on the ice. Headlights still on and the car still running, two figures leap from the vehicle and run toward the house. My mouth drops open when I can finally make out who it is. Throwing the front door open, I am almost bowled over by my Aunt Barb.
Behind my aunt is a tall, dark skinned man. He must be at least as tall as Kallen’s six feet six inches. He has chocolate brown eyes with laugh lines around them and a nervous smile on his face. Glancing around the room, his eyes find the bodies of my parents. Dad’s on the couch and Mom’s still in Dagda’s arms. He’s not quite certain where to set her down since Dad is on the couch and he doesn’t want to lay her on the floor. Then, the guy’s eyes find the spirits dangling near the fireplace. Kallen is next to him in a flash, afraid the large man is going to faint.
“Thank god!” Aunt Barb says, pulling me into her arms. “I thought I was losing my mind.”
Dad floats closer. “Barb, what are you doing here?”
Letting me go from the bear hug she engulfed me in, Aunt Barb turns to her brother. “I had a vision,” she says, surprising us all. She has no magical ability whatsoever.
“A vision?” Mom asks skeptically.
Ignoring the skepticism, Aunt Barb nods her head. “Yes. I saw myself here, now, hooking Kallen and Xandra up to my machine. It was so intense, so real, that I knew I was being told to do it.”
Dagda steps forward. “Told? By whom?”
Aunt Barb takes a step back from the Fairy King. “What are you doing here?” She flicks scared eyes between him and me. The last time the two met, Dagda and I were still working out our issues. Sometimes violently. On my part.
Placing a comforting hand on my aunt’s arm, I explain, “My relationship with Dagda has come a long way. Everything is fine.” Glancing over her shoulder to the man she brought with her, I add, “Maybe introductions are in order before this conversation goes any farther.” I don’t know how much to say in front of this stranger.
Pulling herself together, Aunt Barb keeps a close eye on Dagda as she says, “This is Gabriel. He’s my fiancé.” A smile breaks out on her lips as she announces this, despite the fear and desperation radiating from her.
“Oh, Barb, congratulations!” Mom says, floating closer to her sister-in-law and giving her a hug. When she is close enough to whisper in her ear, she asks, “What does he know.”
Clearing his throat, Gabriel answers for himself. “I believe I know everything.” Glancing around the room, he says, “I guess I never really believed it until just this minute, though.”
Aunt Barb grimaces. “It was a lot to take in on faith alone.” She reaches a hand out to him and he takes it. “But, he did believe me to the best of his ability.” She glances at Dagda and says, “But, he is the only one I’ve told.”
I hold a hand out to the large man, as well. His engulfs mine when he shakes it. As I speak, I point to everyone in turn. “Gabriel, I am Xandra, Barb’s niece. This is my husband, Kallen. This is her brother, Jim, and his wife, Julienne. They are my parents. This,” I indicate Dagda, “is my biological father, Dagda, King of the Fae, and his wife, Queen Tana.” I don’t introduce the bodies. They kind of speak for themselves.
There is handshaking all around. “Nice to meet you,” Gabriel says and I really hope he means it. We’re kind of a weird bunch to have sprung on you. “Do you really have magic?” he can’t help but ask me.
Pursing my lips, I glance at Aunt Barb. She gives me a small nod. The best way to answer his question is to show him. Reaching out, I place my hand on Gabriel’s arm and concentrate. I thought he was going to faint before. “Holy shit!” he exclaims when he is suddenly in the kitchen. “I need to sit down,” he says, pulling out one of the table chairs and slumping into it. The others join us from the other room. We give Gabriel a chance to absorb what just happened.
Jumping back to what Aunt Barb said when she came in, Kallen asks, “What did you mean about hooking Xandra and me up to your machine?”
Placing a hand against her temple, Aunt Barb says, “There is a voice repeating over and over in my head. It is telling me that I need to hook you guys up to the machine. The voice is urgent and very clear. If I don’t do it, something awful is going to happen.” She glances at my parents. “To you two.”
Frowning, Tana asks, “What does this machine do?”
“It’ll separate Kallen and me from our bodies,” I explain.
Dagda shakes his head. “I don’t like it.”
When Aunt Barb stumbles and puts both hands to her head now, I sigh. “I don’t like it either, but I don’t know that we have a choice.” Whoever is sending the message is determined to make us listen. Even if that means hurting Aunt Barb in the process. She already drove up the mountain in dangerous weather, risking both hers and Gabriel’s lives. Whatever she is feeling, it is definitely hurting her. I can’t let it continue.
“Do you recognize the magic?” Dagda asks Kallen.
Kallen shakes his head. “Not at all.” They are talking about the magic surrounding Aunt Barb. “It is powerful.”
To make this even more apparent, she cries out and collapses to her knees. Gabriel is out of his chair in a flash and holding her close. “Barb, stay with me.” His eyes find me. “She was like this before we left. It only stopped when I put her in the car and started driving.” Good thing he was there. No way could Aunt Barb have driven in her current condition.
“If someone wants to speak to you, why would you need to leave your bodies for it to happen?” Dagda asks. Fair question.
“If it was the Angels, they would simply come to you,” Tana points out. Another fair point.
“This is a trap,” my biological father insists. The worry in in his eyes is very real.
“Probably,” I admit. My eyes find my aunt again. She is slumped in Gabriel’s arms muttering to herself. I look up at Kallen and can see the resignation on my face mirrored on his. Turning to Mom and Dad, I say, “Putting you back in your bodies is going to have to wait, I’m afraid.” Hopefully, not permanently. But, I am getting the distinct feeling that whatever is happening with Aunt Barb is somehow related to our current situation. The way she showed up just in time to stop us, the fact that something bad will happen to Mom and Dad if we don’t do it, they must be related. I’m hoping it’s not a warning from someone not to reunite them but I doubt we will be that lucky. My wings are feeling farther away than ever at the moment.
“Of course,” Dad agrees, eyeing his sister in the arms of the large man. Outside of the whole body issue, a big part of him wants to know who this guy is and if he is good enough for his sister. Considering the amount of love in Gabriel’s eyes and the gent
leness of his hold on my aunt, I already suspect that he is.
It’s time to find out who is summoning us so things can move forward one way or another. “Wait here,” I tell most of the people in the room. Taking Kallen’s hand, I lead the way to the garage. Gabriel helps Aunt Barb to her feet and they follow us. Mom, Dad, Dagda and Tana stay put. If only Kallen and I are part of the vision, the others need to stay clear for their own safety and they know it. That doesn’t mean they won’t be on guard for anything wonky that might happen. I believe Dagda is already plotting revenge on anyone who may hurt us.
Once in the garage, Aunt Barb needs to make some adjustments to the machines. She had disabled some of them to make it impossible for someone to accidently astral project themselves like she and Zac did when they ended up in the Shadow realm. It only takes a few minutes for her to get things going again, though. When she is done, she turns back to us. “Have a seat,” she instructs. Gone is the frightened and desperate woman from a few minutes ago. Returned is the brilliant scientist who made a machine that allows people to astral project. I wish I had a fraction of her brain power.
Still holding hands, Kallen and I sit in the matching recliners. Fiddling with this and that and hooking us up, Aunt Barb physically prepares us for what is about to happen. We need to emotionally prepare ourselves. If only we knew what was coming. I just have enough time to mouth, I love you, to Kallen before the nausea and dizziness grip me. I forgot how much it sucks to astral project.
14 Chapter
I half expect to come face to face with Rashnu. That’s what happened last time. She wanted to know what I was doing leaving my body. But, there is no sign of her. There is, however, a very familiar three-headed dog snarling and drooling at us from just inside a cave. Cerberus, guard dog of the Underworld. What the hell are we doing here? Now, I’m really confused why Rashnu didn’t show up. Last time, she had to grant Kallen safe passage through Angel time for him to come here and she was pissed about it. My eyes fly to him, scared he was sent on to judgment because we broke the rules again. I am so relieved I can taste it when I see his green eyes meet mine. Whether Rashnu or someone else, he was granted passage.
He says the words echoing around in my head. “We were summoned by Hades? This can’t be good.”
“Actually, you were summoned by me,” a female voice says from inside the cave. “Cerberus, shut up.” With a whine, the giant three-headed beast sits back on its haunches and stops snarling. Its six eyes continue to watch us closely, though, and there is still drool dripping from all three mouths as he fantasizes about how tasty we might be. The woman steps to the cave entrance and we get our first glimpse of her.
I can’t believe it. “Persephone? You summoned us?” Gulping, I blurt out, “You’re not still mad because I told you about Hades and Tana, are you?”
Scowling at me, Persephone intones, “If I killed everyone who told me what an ass my husband is, there would be no one left to talk to in this miserable universe. Now, we must be going. You will be granted safe passage in and out of the Underworld. Unlike my husband, I do keep my word.” Turning toward the interior of the cave, she orders, “Follow me.”
Despite her words, I hesitate. We were almost trapped here before and I’m not convinced Persephone has the power to keep her word if Hades wants to keep us here. Still, I am ever so curious to find out what is going on. How often does one get summoned by ancient Greek gods?
My husband is as curious as I am. Taking my hand in his, Kallen whispers, “We should do as she says.”
“Yes, you should!” Persephone calls back. She already has a pretty good lead on us so it’s impressive she heard him. Maybe super hearing is one of her powers.
We follow the Queen of the Underworld through the cave until we reach the river Styx. The Ferryman is silent as we climb aboard his ferry and he pushes off. We continue to ride in silence until the ferry docks at the home of Hades and Persephone. When I say home, I really mean a series of caverns. At least, from what we’ve seen. There could be a mansion in there somewhere and we simply didn’t get invited in.
Leaving the ferry, we follow Persephone to the cavern where we met with Hades last time. Over her shoulder, she reminds us, “Don’t eat the food.” She can count on that.
Inside, both Kallen and I stop dead. My mouth drops open and I’m pretty sure I hear Kallen’s jaw hit the stone floor. I’ll help him pick that up just as soon as I have feeling back in my limbs. Providing the shock of what I am seeing eventually wears off.
There is not one, but three gods sitting before us. Hades, I remember. Next to him is a being of such massive power and physical presence, he can only be Zeus. The lightning rod staff he is holding is also a big clue. Which means the one holding the trident is Poseidon. The three of them together in one room has brought together enough power to push most of the oxygen from the room. Not that our disembodied spirits need it, but it’s still frightening. The stone walls surrounding us are having a hard time containing it. I can hear them creaking. Kallen’s grip on my hand tightens and if it wasn’t for him, I’d be backing right out of this place in search of a breath of fresh air. Not that there is an abundance of that in the Underworld. Okay, I just want out of this room.
“Greetings, Xandra, born of the blood of three, Savior of the Universe.” There is a twinkle in Zeus’ eyes as he says this and I get the distinct feeling that he is mocking me.
“Hello,” is all I can manage in return. There’s probably some protocol that I should acknowledge his title in my greeting, but honestly, I don’t think I can form that many words. Nor do I know exactly what his formal title is.
Persephone steps forward. “You have been called here to receive an apology.”
My eyes can’t open any wider. If they do, Kallen will need to crawl around chasing my eyeballs to return them to me. I can’t make him do that. After all, he is kind enough to respond for me when I can’t find my voice. “Apology?” he repeats. Not poetry, but at least he could form a word.
Persephone nods gravely. “While I was visiting my mother, my husband,” the words is spoken as if it is tarantula venom attacking her spinal cord, “decided to have some fun with you.”
I don’t remember anything fun happening recently. “What kind of fun?”
“What kind of wife rats out her husband to her brothers?” Hades whines.
Persephone throws over her shoulder, “The kind who hates you with every fiber of her being.” Hades grimaces at her words but doesn’t say anything.
Poseidon picks up the explanation. “You have been forced into a situation you were not supposed to face for a long time to come. Given a taste of enemies you should not yet face lest you lose all hope of fulfilling your destiny.” He must mean the Pixies.
“He sent the Pixies?” Kallen asks in wonder.
“Not only the Pixies,” Zeus corrects. He reaches over and punches his brother in the side of the head. Hard. Pissed, Hades seriously considers punching him back. He doesn’t. He’s evil, not stupid. Zeus is three times his size. Even Poseidon, who is laughing at the spectacle of brother punching brother, is twice his size. Hades was obviously the runt of the litter.
It hits me with a big, fat duh. Why can vengeful spirits suddenly traverse realms? Because the King of the Underworld made it happen. It hits Kallen, too. “You sent them to attack her parents,” Kallen growls. “To force the discovery of their bodies and put Xandra in an impossible situation hoping she would lose her wings.”
Zeus grins at him. “I see you have your grandmother’s fire.” Getting lost in a moment of reverie like only beings who have been around forever can do, the great god muses, “I went to her once. She would not have anything to do with me.”
“I will be certain to mention that to Hera the next time we have lunch,” Persephone says dryly, speaking of Zeus’ wife.
Kallen shifts uncomfortably. Who wants to know that Zeus hit on your grandmother? “I will tell her you said hello,” my charming husband manages polit
ely.
Zeus laughs and it’s so loud, pieces of rock fall to the cavern floor. We really shouldn’t make the guy laugh if we don’t want to be buried under rubble. “You do that.” His eyes find me again. “Now, back to business. As I understand it, you used your tremendous magic to save your parents when they should have died. You were allowed the trespass as it was felt you needed further guidance to face what was to come. However…” I hate however’s. Nothing good ever comes from them. “Though you were able to keep their bodies in a state of well-being, I must tell you that you lack the power to reunite body and spirit as their deaths have already been marked. To attempt such a thing will not be looked upon kindly by anyone.”
See? Nothing good ever comes from someone saying however. “So, you called us here to tell us about Hades and to tell us my parents are stuck as spirits?” I guess it’s better than us trying and trying before having to admit defeat and then me losing my wings because of it. I should probably feel a lot more grateful than I do.
“I do not waste time on trivial matters,” Zeus booms at my interruption.
“It’s not really a trivial matter to me,” I counter and there is distinct pressure applied to my hand. The one Kallen is holding. Right. I’m addressing Zeus. He probably doesn’t take kindly to snark.
To my surprise, the ancient god laughs so hard, a giant section of the roof collapses in front of us. When the dust clears, Hades is glaring at his brother. “I do live here, you know.” He gets another punch in the face for his words. Glad I’m not standing in punching range. And that I obviously amuse the greater god, not piss him off.
“You are funny,” Zeus tells me. With a wink, he adds, “Beautiful and funny, an irresistible combination.” Is Zeus hitting on me?
