“There has to be another option,” Kate said, finally breaking the silence.
“There’s not.” I couldn’t keep the anger from my tone. “Nyx said there wasn’t. The only other option is for Danielle to volunteer, but she’s too selfish to do that when Blake’s already volunteered to take the fall for her.”
“That’s not fair.” Danielle jutted her chin out. “We have weeks until the portal opens. You can’t ask me to volunteer when I’ve barely had time to think this through.”
“Every day that the portal remains weakened, more monsters can come through,” I reminded her.
“We can fight them,” she insisted. “I would rather do that than volunteer to trap myself in a hell dimension for all of eternity without taking time to think about it.”
“Blake volunteered,” I said. “He volunteered the moment he heard it was the only way to save the world.”
“And you volunteered to follow him right in there.” She sneered. “Sorry that we can’t all be as noble. Or as impulsive.”
“Stop it!” Kate rubbed her temples, as if listening to us was giving her a headache. “Fighting isn’t going to get us anywhere. But there has to be another option—one that doesn’t involve sacrificing another one of us. What we need to do is think.”
“About what?” I asked. “Nyx already told us that there’s no other option. We’ve searched and tried in other timelines. We were never able to come up with anything. Why would that change now?”
“Then we need to outthink ourselves,” Kate said. “Where’s the first place we would go to look for answers?”
“The New Alexandrian Library,” Danielle answered quickly. “Easy.”
“Then we have to assume that we’ve already checked there in another timeline,” Kate said. “So where else can we look?”
“We could ask the Head Elders from each territory,” Blake suggested. “Maybe they would have other ideas about where to look for answers.”
“Good idea.” Kate nodded. “Now let’s assume that in another timeline, we’ve tried that as well. Where should we look next?”
“Olympus,” I piped in, instinctively grabbing my sun pendant. “The Olympians might have ideas that we wouldn’t think of ourselves.”
“They might,” Kate said. “But in another timeline, we probably came to the same conclusion.”
“And the primordial deities would know more than the Olympians,” Danielle added. “Since they’re more powerful.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, taking a deep breath to calm myself and stop myself from trying to strangle her. How had I managed to get along with her for the past few weeks? She was just as awful as she’d been when I first moved to Kinsley. I’d just been so focused on completing our mission that I’d been blinded to what a horrible, selfish person she was.
At least I now knew better than to let that happen again.
We threw out another round of ideas, but again, Kate kept saying that we’d likely tried them already. We needed to think outside of the box. She made it sound so easy, but who knew more than the primordial deities themselves?
That was when it came to me.
“The Oracle.” I looked at each of them, knowing this idea was better than any we’d had yet. “The gods might not be able to see the exact future, but the Oracle can.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
“The Oracle would have an answer for us.” Kate chewed on her lower lip. “But the Oracle’s dead. She’s been dead for thousands of years.”
“But she’s in the Underworld,” Danielle added. “She wasn’t locked in Kerberos.”
“True.” Kate stared at Danielle, her eyes wide. “But we can’t just march into the Underworld and chat with her. In all of history, only a handful of people have journeyed there and back.”
“Why not add one more person to that list?” I asked. “After everything we’ve been through, I don’t see why marching into the Underworld to chat with the Oracle is that far fetched of an idea.”
“Are you volunteering?” Danielle asked. “Because you know that if you go down to the Underworld, there’s no knowing if you’ll be allowed back up to Earth. And without you here, it’ll be impossible to seal the portal.”
“Even more of a reason why it should be me that goes,” I said. “We’ve heard from both Nyx and Erebus that if the Titans come back to Earth, they’ll destroy everything in this dimension—including the Underworld. Which means that Hades, the king of the Underworld, wants the portal sealed just as much as the gods up on Olympus. He’ll have no choice but to let me back up to Earth.”
“Not just you.” Blake stepped up to my side. “You’re not going down there alone. I’m going with you.”
“You already volunteered to bind the portal from Kerberos.” I could barely get the words out, hating that they were the truth. “You can’t risk yourself by going to the Underworld too.”
“Yes I can,” he said. “They need me back on Earth if they want that portal closed too. If you’re going, I’m going. No questions about it.”
“There’s one big flaw in your logic,” Kate said, holding a hand up. “What if the Oracle does know about another way to close the portal? And what if that way doesn’t involve both of you needing to be there?”
I bit my lower lip, unable to come up with an answer. Because as always, Kate had a good point.
It looked like we were back to square one.
But then the ground swirled nearby, until the dust was as tall as a person, clearing to reveal a beautiful woman. She wore a long green dress, and flowers were woven through her long red hair. I’d never met her before, but due to her dramatic entrance and divine appearance, I figured it was safe to assume that she was a goddess.
“You won’t need to worry about not being allowed back to Earth, because I will accompany you to the Underworld and make sure you’re returned here safely,” she said, her lips turning up in a small smile. “And Hades certainly won’t refuse my request… because I am his wife, the Queen of the Underworld.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
“Persephone?” Kate blinked, staring up at the goddess.
“Yes.” The goddess smiled, seemingly pleased that Kate was able to identify her so quickly. “You must be Kate. The transition to being a goddess suits you nicely. Once our business with ending the war with the Titans is finished, I do hope that we’ll become friends.”
Kate opened her mouth, closed it, and then nodded in return. Apparently, being acknowledged by a goddess as an equal had left her speechless.
“How did you know we needed help?” Danielle asked Persephone, getting straight to business. “In the past, it’s only been the primordial deities who’ve come to us spontaneously. We’ve always needed to call for the Olympians when we wanted to speak with them.”
“It’s true that we are not omniscient,” Persephone said. “We cannot be everywhere at once. However, since your return to Kinsley, the messenger god Hermes has been keeping an eye on you. He came to fetch me the moment you started discussing journeying to the Underworld, and he told me of your plan. I spend half the year in the Underworld and the other half on Earth, and I just returned for my time on Earth. I treasure my time on Earth, but I think your plan is a good one, so I’m here to help.”
“You’ll take me and Nicole to the Underworld to speak with the Oracle?” Blake asked.
“Don’t forget me and Kate,” Danielle added. “If this is happening, we’re going too.” She turned to Kate, her brow raised in question. “Right?”
Kate wrung her hands together, looking deep in thought. “As much as I would be curious to visit the Underworld and speak with the Oracle, I don’t think us joining would be the best use of our time,” she said. “Remember—we only have a few weeks to figure out a solution. It makes the most sense to split up into pairs to try to figure out an alternative way to seal the portal. While Blake and Nicole are in the Underworld, we should be researching other options.”
“Very wise.” Persep
hone nodded. “Spoken like a true descendant of Athena.” She smiled at Kate, and then turned to me and Blake. “I also cannot promise that Hades will allow you to speak with the Oracle. I can support your request, and I expect him to fully consider it, but it’s not guaranteed. I will, however, do everything in my power to urge him to listen.”
“Thank you,” I told her. “We appreciate your help very much.”
And if Hades doesn’t listen to your request, then we’ll just have to go against his wishes and find the Oracle ourselves.
Although, of course I didn’t say that last part out loud. We would deal with that if it came to it. But I didn’t think it would—because from the fire in Persephone’s eyes when she looked at me and Blake, I guessed that she would do everything in her power to provide us an audience with the Oracle.
“So… how do we get to the Underworld?” I asked her. “Can you portal us there?”
“Portals cannot be created to or within the Underworld,” she answered. “If the souls there could create portals out of their assigned realms, it would be utter chaos. Instead, we must portal to the in-between, and the ferryman will transport us to the gates.”
She raised her hands in the air, and then, right next to Chris’s grave, a swirling portal appeared.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The portal was dark blue, like the ocean, and I couldn’t see through it.
What if Persephone was sending us to the Underworld and didn’t intend on coming with us? What if she refused to bring us back home? I wanted to trust her… but recently I’d learned not to blindly trust anyone, even if they seemed like they were on your side.
Before jumping, I had to make sure this wasn’t a trap.
“You’ll definitely bring us back to Kinsley when we’re ready to come home?” I asked Persephone. “You swear it upon Zeus?”
“Yes.” The goddess nodded. “I swear upon Zeus that I will bring you and Blake back to Kinsley when you’re ready. I will even step through the portal to the in-between first, to show you that I don’t intend to abandon you.”
Without waiting for our response, she stepped through the portal, disappearing from view. Blake and I looked at each other, and he grabbed my hand.
I looked down at our intertwined fingers, sadness filling my heart. How much longer would he be here with me? Had I fallen in love with him only to lose him forever, after not nearly enough time spent together?
But I straightened, forcing the dark thoughts from my mind. We were going on this mission to find another way to save the world. A way that wouldn't involve Blake having to sacrifice himself.
“Ready?” he asked me, his eyes intense and serious.
“Ready,” I answered, and together, we stepped through the portal.
CHAPTER FORTY
The ground disappeared beneath my feet, and I was falling down a dark hole. My stomach rose into my throat, and I screamed, falling further and further with no signs of stopping.
I’d never gone skydiving before, but I imagined this was what it was like. Except while skydiving, you could see what was around you. And you had a parachute. We were just freefalling down to the in-between, blind, with no idea when we would stop.
I held tightly onto Blake’s hand as I fell. In those terrifying moments, he was all that existed to me in this empty, dark world. If he ended up stuck in Kerberos, what would I do without him? Tears escaped my eyes at the thought, but I was falling so quickly that they dried right off my cheeks, as if they’d never existed at all.
Then, when it felt like we’d been falling forever and would never stop, my feet landed softly on the ground.
I looked around to get my bearings. I was standing at the bank of an underground river. Fog rose from the water, dampness filling the air. A canoe was banked on the ledge closest to us, and a man in a hooded cape stood at the back of it, holding a single oar. The cape hid the majority of his body—all I could see of him was a pair of glowing red eyes.
Persephone stood in front of him, looking out of place in the dark cave. “Hello, Charon,” she greeted the hooded man, pulling three golden coins out of a pocket in her dress and handing them to him. “One coin for each of us, as per your usual fare.”
“That is my usual fare,” he said, his voice low and craggily. “However, those two mortals do not belong in the Underworld.” He pointed to me and Blake and jammed his oar into the ground. “They are still alive. I only transport the souls of those who have passed on. You, my Queen, should be well aware of the rules.”
Persephone reached back into her pocket and pulled out two more coins. “Will you transport them for twice the normal fare?” she asked.
He eyed up the coins, his eyes glowing brighter. “I do not break the rules for simply anyone,” he said, his focus still on the money. “However, for five times the normal fare, I will agree to it this once.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” Persephone kept her gaze level with his. “But I am your Queen, and I do not appreciate being taken advantage of. Three times the regular fare seems like an agreeable compromise, does it not?”
“Fine.” He grunted. “But pay up now, before I change my mind.”
She handed him the extra coins, and he counted them, taking his time to make sure each one was there. Once finished, he moved his oar aside so we could step on board. His movements were slow, like an old man. How could he have the strength to row us down the river? But Persephone trusted him, and I trusted that she wouldn’t lead us astray.
She motioned for us to board first, and Blake held out his hand to assist me stepping onto the canoe. I instinctively reached to take it, but then I pulled back. Because soon, there was a chance that Blake wouldn’t be here for me any longer. And even though stepping onto the canoe was a small thing, I needed to prove to myself that I didn’t need his help. That I would be fine without him.
But as I stepped on board and settled into the seat, I knew I was lying to myself. I wouldn’t be fine without him. I might be able to convince everyone else that I was moving on, but I would always wonder what could have been if he hadn’t sacrificed himself.
Why had he been so quick to offer himself to bind the portal from Kerberos? It wasn’t fair of me to be angry at him for it, but I couldn't help myself. I couldn’t even look at him as the canoe started to make its way down the river. The fact that he’d sacrificed himself so quickly hurt. Why was he so willing to leave me? Did he not love me as much as I loved him?
I curled my legs up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, looking out at the foggy river as we rowed along. I knew I was being silly—of course Blake loved me—but it was impossible to stop the doubt from creeping into my mind. His offering to sacrifice himself felt like he’d ripped out a piece of my heart. And I didn’t know if it would be possible to repair. Because even if we found another way and he didn’t have to sacrifice himself, he’d offered after barely taking any time to think about it. He was okay with the idea of leaving me. And he didn’t want me to go with him. That hurt more than I could ever possibly say.
He scooted closer to me, his shoulder touching mine. “Are you cold?” he asked, running his hands along my arm. “You have goose bumps.”
“I’m fine.” I pulled my arm away from him, his touch only making my heart hurt more.
His eyes darkened—I could tell that I was hurting him—but I didn’t know what else to do or say to him right now.
So I did the first thing that crossed my mind—I changed the subject. “Where are we now?” I asked Persephone, turning around to look at her. “How much longer until we reach the Underworld?”
“We’re traveling along the Acheron River,” Persephone replied. “Charon transports the souls of the dead along the river until reaching the Gates of the Underworld.”
“So that’s where we’re heading to now,” I said. “To the gates.”
“Yes.” She nodded. “It should only take about an hour to arrive.”
A soft wailing filled the area, and I look
ed around, trying to see where it was coming from. There was nothing there. Except for the fog, of course. But then I heard it again, and I knew I couldn’t be imagining it.
“What was that?” I asked, the goose bumps on my arms rising further. “You all heard that, right? That… crying sound. Like someone’s hurt.”
Another cry—this one a scream—filled the air. I turned to Persephone, since surely she must have heard it that time, and waited for an answer.
“The Acheron is also known as the River of Pain.” She was as calm as ever as she explained, as if she were a teacher taking us on a field trip. “The river is the embodiment of all the suffering throughout the Earth, and the cries of those in pain echo across its waters. But do not be alarmed, as the river will not bring you any pain. It washes away the pain of all those who immerse themselves within its waters. But please, don’t jump in yourselves. Many who do become so content with the numbness that they remain in limbo, stuck in its depths forever.”
I scooted to the edge of the boat and looked down into the water. It was covered in fog, so thick that I could barely see the surface. What I could see of the surface was dark—the water in this river must run deep.
Did the river only heal physical pain? Or did it heal emotional pain, too? I rested my arm on the ledge of the boat, tempted to dip my fingers in and see what happened. If the waters of the Acheron could help me feel like my heart wasn’t about to break into pieces, I needed to know.
The fog danced around my hand, and I lowered my arm further, ready to dip my fingers into the water and find out for myself.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
“What are you doing?” Blake wrapped his hand around my wrist and pulled my arm back into the boat, his eyes flashing with concern. “Didn’t you hear Persephone? That water is dangerous.”
Elementals 5: The Hands of Time Page 11
