Pickup Styx (Easy Bake Coven)

by Liz Schulte

  “We have to go.” I grabbed Lily and Jessica, transporting them out of the room and back to the castle entrance.

  Lily stared at the huge doors and then winked. “So this is our home sweet home, brother?” She strode inside.

  Jessica looked like she might puke. I helped her inside, where Lily was already moving on to the next room. Jessica brushed my hand off her arm. “I’m fine. Keep an eye on her. She isn’t remotely trustworthy.”

  I caught up with Lily. In the brightly lit castle, she even reminded me of my sister. My sister. Dread filled me. How could he be so cruel as to bring Bellasiel back as an elverpige? “We need to talk,” I told Lily.

  We went to the room off of the throne room. I was hesitant to take her into the private quarters yet. Sister or not, I didn’t know her at all. I explained to her what I knew about the killings and our father’s possible involvement.

  “How many brothers and sisters do I have?”

  I did a quick mental count of all the locations I’d seen in my head and added in the other siblings I knew about. “So far, not counting me, six.”

  “But you’re the only legitimate?”

  “No. I had a sister, but she died a long time ago. It is her spirit that was brought back to kill all of us.”

  “Wow. Our family is kind of fucked up, huh? Why was she killing everyone in the club?”

  I nodded. “An elverpige will kill anything or anyone who stands in its way.”

  “Why did you bring me here?”

  “I don’t want to lose any more of my family today.”

  “You don’t know me at all. I hardly qualify as ‘family,’ and let’s face it, I don’t know you either. Why should I trust you?”

  I smiled. “I got you away from the elverpige.”

  “She might just be after you. You might have taken me only because you think I can give you enough luck to hide from her.”

  “All of that is possible—not true, but possible.”

  “Why do you want to save me?”

  “If I save you, I might be able to get to know you, provided that you want anything to do with us after this. I’m running low on family and wouldn’t mind having a little more.”

  She nodded, staring at her hands. “You know, ironic as it is, I’ve never actually had good luck. Sure, I feed on other people’s luck, but personally my life has been one disaster after another.” She looked up at me. “Finding out I’m the daughter of an Erlking might just turn that around. You know, provided it doesn’t kill me first.”

  Her comment triggered several thoughts, but the notion that she was going to start blackmailing me was the highest on the list.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  I raised my eyebrows and waited with the lowest expectations. “If you found me this easily, why didn’t our dad?”

  Not what I’d expected at all. I rubbed my hand over my forehead. “Father doesn’t believe in blending the races.”

  She snorted. “Sure doesn’t practice what he preaches.”

  “Apparently not.”

  “But you’re okay with it? The blending thing.”

  I smiled. “I’m married to a half-elf.” Technically that wasn’t quite true anymore because Selene had broken the bond between us, but I figured I shouldn’t confuse Lily further. Besides, as soon as Selene got back, we’d be married once again, and we’d work every damn day to get the happily ever after we deserved.

  “I’ve heard that. People aren’t too happy with you.”

  “They’ll get over it.”

  “I’d love to meet her,” she said. Her foot started tapping as she looked around the room. “So what’s your plan to keep us alive?”

  “I can’t say I have one yet. This is the first time I’ve been ahead of the elverpige. I have to figure out who’s controlling her or she’ll never stop. You should be okay inside the castle. We’re warded against most magic. She’ll have a hard time getting in.”

  “That’s it? You expect me to just hide in the castle? I have a business to run. I need something a little more concrete.”

  “You mean you have people to cheat.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Call it what you like. I make a living.”

  I sighed. “You shouldn’t have to be here very long.”

  “How long?”

  “It will all be over by tomorrow.” At least I needed it to be over by tomorrow.

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “The elverpige is right down the road. Ready or not, I will defeat it or die trying.”

  Lily stood up and stretched her arms over her head. “Well, let’s see if one night in a castle turns me into a princess.”

  Lily had retired to one of the guest rooms, and I was back in my office with the coven and Sebastian.

  “Okay, so we all know that in Greek mythology Charon uses the pole like an oar to take souls to the Underworld, but from what we could find, that isn’t precisely accurate,” Leslie said, pacing and speaking with her hands.

  “The pole is more than just an oar. I’m paraphrasing here, but”—her eyes and her finger scanned over an old journal Edith had provided—“the pole allows the veil between worlds to be opened.” She looked at us for a response, but no one said anything.

  “Yeah, it didn’t mean much to me either until I read more about the veils between worlds. They aren’t meant to be opened and closed. That’s why there’s purgatory between the living world and Hell. The veil there is weak and many demons have escaped into purgatory.”

  My stomach tightened as I thought of Selene there alone.

  “The pole could be used here to let anything in. But what really worries me is that the veil between the living and the undead world and between the Abyss and the human world are both tight and, for lack of a better word, brittle. If the pole is used here, I’m not sure the veil will heal.”

  “What do you mean?” Sebastian asked.

  “Once it’s opened, it could stay open. Do you know why they requested the Pole of Charon?”

  I shook my head.

  “That should concern you,” she said seriously. “I don’t know how much damage this could do, but it may be a lot. Like more than you could manage.”

  “I’m willing to bet the spirits want it to bring themselves back to the Abyss. After that, who knows what they will do with it? Without the veil, our world crumbles,” Sebastian said.

  I rubbed my hands together and stood. The dead who came through the veil wouldn’t be ghosts, but they wouldn’t be living either. I didn’t know what they would be. And the veil separating us from the human world? If that came down, it would be chaos and war. Countless people would die. “What are you suggesting?”

  “Maybe…” Sebastian swallowed and looked uncomfortable. “Maybe the best way to prevent disaster is to not let her come back.”

  I blinked. I couldn’t believe he’d even proposed such an idea. The coven looked at him as if he’d said he was thinking about wearing women’s underwear. I understood his logic, but Sebastian was asking me to give up my heart, my soul, because of the mere chance of disaster. “I can’t let her go.”

  “I know,” he said softly. “But …” He shook his head. “I know…I don’t want to leave her either.” He straightened his shoulders and resumed his military stance. “Then we need to prepare for the consequences of her succeeding.”

  “I can’t believe you even suggested not letting Selene back as an option. What the hell is your problem?” Jessica said.

  “Whatever happens, we will deal with it. Selene isn’t staying there.” Katrina jabbed a finger into his chest.

  Leslie held up her hands. “Sebastian is right. We need to be prepared or who knows what will happen? I don’t want Selene to be gone any more than the rest of you do, but I’m also not quite ready for the world to end.”

  “It’s not really up to us though, is it? If she gets the pole and makes it back, we can’t stop her from returning. There is no way to get word to her about the conseque
nces,” Sebastian said. “Well, unless Frost agrees.”

  I glared at Sebastian. I couldn’t believe he was still considering it. It troubled me even more that he almost seemed to have a plan.

  Sy sat still, his eyes following the conversation, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Forsaking Selene is not—nor will it ever be—an option.” Fury raged through me.

  “Some things are bigger than just one person. Selene knows that,” Leslie said, but she too looked sick at the idea.

  “There has to be another way,” Devin said. “Like can’t we find a way out of actually giving them the pole?”

  “It would depend on the exact wording of the bargain and only Selene knows that. If they said all she had to do was get the pole, we wouldn’t have to turn it over. If they said she had to give them the pole, it’s trickier.”

  “But possible?” Devin said.

  I nodded. If we had time to talk to Selene and make arrangements when she returned, maybe we could prevent a bigger fiasco. Sy glanced at his watch, and his eyelid ticked.

  “But what if we can’t find a loophole and she has to give it to them? What’s the plan then?” Sebastian asked.

  “The plan is for you to shut your pie-hole,” Katrina snapped.

  I bit my lower lip to keep from smiling. “I promise you, Katrina, no matter what happens, I will make sure Selene can get back.” I cracked my neck to one side then the other. “If she has to give them Charon’s pole, we’ll just find a way to ensure we can get it back.”

  Sy also stood, speaking for the first time. “I need to get back to The Office, but I’ll be working on ideas. Selene isn’t staying in the Underworld”—he looked directly at Sebastian—“or I will take a great exception to that.” His words fell heavy in the room, all traces of his usual humor and charm absent.

  Sy left. In all the years I had known him, I had never heard Sy threaten anyone. But out of all of us, Sy lived the most on the fringes. He knew and worked with people who could make the most hardened criminals weep with fear. Sy was probably speaking hypothetically, but now that he had planted the seed, if Selene didn’t come back… Well, Sebastian would have the mysterious half-elf to deal with. I didn’t envy him that.

  “I’m not saying she shouldn’t come back. I’m just exploring options,” Sebastian said. “She’s my friend too.”

  I shrugged, and an idea occurred to me. “It’s best not to talk about it further.”

  “I’ll keep reading and see if I can find anything else,” Leslie said.

  “I’ll make coffee,” Devin volunteered as they left the room.

  “Now what?” Jessica asked.

  “Now we see what a little luck can do,” I said.

  “There he is,” Corbin said, pointing to Simon slowly climbing down the trail above us.

  Simon landed next to us with a thud, looking frazzled, his brown hair sticking up at odd angles.

  “Did you have a rough time out there, redshirt?” Corbin asked.

  Simon grunted. “Damn wendigos. At least three of them.”

  “Three? Really?” Corbin said.

  “I’m glad you made it,” I said. There was no reason for Simon to make up stories, but I also didn’t care that he was trying to impress us. I’d had trouble with one. There was no way a human could handle three alone.

  “Glad you made it too.” He looked ahead of us. “This doesn’t look too bad.”

  I nodded and Corbin snorted, but we slowly continued down the trail. As we went, the wendigos sounded farther and farther away. My feet ached, but I kept on going without complaining. Simon led the way, and this time Corbin followed behind. Simon was telling me a story about his last climbing expedition that I was only half listening to. I was doing my best to keep my mind quiet, so I’d be alert for the next challenge. Simon glanced back and grinned at me as he stepped forward onto nothing.

  I dropped my stick and my hands shot out. I clutched the collar of his shirt, but he weighed a lot more than me and his momentum yanked me with him. Corbin caught me before I got too far. Simon’s full weight snapped against my hand, almost making me lose my grip. My arm protested. Corbin reached around me and hefted Simon back up. There wasn’t a single part of the back of my body that wasn’t touching Corbin. The coldness radiating from his skin made me miss Cheney’s warmth. I missed everything about Cheney. The confusing feelings I’d had earlier were fading the closer we came to the next border. Maybe they were never real either. I stepped away from Corbin and the edge of the path beneath me crumbled away.

  Corbin’s hand skimmed my arm, but I slipped through. Rocks jutted out here and there, and I tore off fingernails as I tried to catch hold of something. A small ledge broke my fall and possibly my ankle too. I clung to it, catching my breath, not caring about the pain. I could live with pain; I knew that now. I looked up. There was no way I could climb that high. I glanced over the edge. I couldn’t see the bottom. It was like this side of the mountain rose from nothing. I pushed myself to my feet, balancing on one leg.

  “Selene!” Corbin called down.

  “I’m okay,” I yelled.

  He was quiet for a moment. “Are you planning on coming back up?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Working on it.”

  This would be so much easier with magic, but all of my spells kept backfiring.

  I found a rock above me I could hold on to. I slowly pulled myself up, avoiding contact with the wall with my bad foot. My fingers left little trails of blood as I went. About twenty feet up, my muscles burned and felt ready to snap, but I kept going until my arms refused to lift me. My fingers strained to hold on. I wasn’t going to make it.

  “Don’t stop.” Corbin’s voice came from above me.

  I tried to pull myself up again, but halfway up, my arms gave out. “I can’t.” I glanced up, panting. “Tell Cheney I tried.”

  “Don’t let go,” Corbin shouted. “Use your legs. A few more feet and I can reach you.”

  “My ankle is broken.” My weight was becoming too much to hold and my fingers were cramped.

  “It’s only pain. You aren’t going to let them win, are you? Do you really just want to lie down and die?”

  I gritted my teeth and forced my swollen, painful ankle to help support me. Tears streamed down my face, but I managed until Corbin’s hand clutched my arm, and then I went limp. Letting him pull me the rest of the way, I lay on the ground, breathing hard, wiping dirt and tears from my face.

  “That’s why you shouldn’t try to save people,” Corbin said, though his eyes were filled with relief. Simon stood awkwardly to the side, peering down at me.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Corbin took my ankle in his hands. I tried to pull away, hissing.

  “Give me your belt,” he told Simon.

  Simon handed Corbin the belt without question. Corbin folded it in half and handed it to me. “Bite down.”

  I didn’t take it from him. “Why? What are you doing?”

  “Setting the bone. Bite down, pet.” He forced it into my hand.

  I clenched the leather between my teeth and looked up at the gray sky. The less I knew about what he was doing, the better. With a jerk and a stabbing pain that crashed through me until I wanted to throw up, the bone was set. I whimpered, biting harder as he continued to do something to my leg. When I couldn’t stand it any longer, I dropped the belt and screamed.

  Finally, the wave of nausea passed. My foot was wrapped tightly in Simon’s shirt with the belt firmly around it. “The less pressure you put on it, the better,” he said, helping me up and handing me my walking stick.

  I nodded, limping forward. Ahead, where Simon had almost plummeted to a certain death, a six-foot section of trail was missing. I covered my face with my hands and laughed. I just couldn’t win. Corbin hefted me onto his back and made the leap without much trouble. Simon walked about fifteen feet and took a running jump, nearly missing but managing to scramble up. The next river was ahead. It appeared to be
moving, but it was too dark to be water.

  Focused on the river, I nearly missed the naked, red-haired woman who stepped out in front of me. Her ribs stuck out, and one arm was lobbed off and continuously bleeding, but she seemed unconcerned by it. Her eyes were frosted over, making me suspect she couldn’t see anything. I took a step forward and she smiled, her mouth stretching from one ear to the other as if her face had been split, displaying small, pointed teeth. She sprinted toward me, teeth gnashing. I sidestepped, whacking her with my walking stick even as my leg almost gave out beneath me. She fell to the ground but immediately scrambled up and came at me again. Once again, I knocked her down. I didn’t want to hurt the woman any more than she’d already been hurt by failing to pass the area’s test, but she wasn’t going to stand in my way either. I glanced over at Corbin and Simon. They were fighting against an invisible wall. An all too familiar energy filled the air. I looked at the woman again with a new appreciation. A witch, but how was she casting? I had yet to do anything that worked the way it should.

  The next time I knocked her down, I cast a quick binding spell to hold her down, but instead she flew back fifteen feet. This time, when she got up, she didn’t come at me. A wave of energy did, knocking me off of my feet. I returned the attack with everything I had just as she was about to pounce on me. The crazed witch stopped, suspended in midair. I smiled and brushed myself off while standing on one foot. Why didn’t I think of it sooner? Opposite. Everything was opposite here.

  It took over an hour to figure out how to undo the spell that had been restraining Corbin and Simon, but eventually I did.

  “Why haven’t you killed her?” Corbin asked.

  I glanced at the woman. I would release her when we were far enough away that she couldn’t hurt us. “Because she deserves a chance to move on from here.”

  Standing on the bank of the next river, I groaned. “Snakes? Really? Damn this sucks.” I hated snakes. Just looking at them slithering made my skin crawl.

  “Did you think the Underworld was going to be angry kittens?” Corbin asked and Simon chuckled.