"When Charon first let me off, I saw an archway. I guess they mark areas where one can get a boat ride?"
"No, they're just random. I have no inkling who built them and why." Megaera said, scanning the skies behind them. She held out her hand. "Those binoculars, please."
She scanned the sky towards Tartarus. Then she began to turn a complete circle, scanning. Dan had his head almost fully back, scanning the sky right above them.
"I don't spot anything. It doesn't mean we're not being tracked," Megaera said, handing the binoculars back to Dan.
"The river didn't look too far away, but the distances here are deceptive," Dan said.
They had just turned a corner between two large boulders when the river suddenly stretched out before them. They walked to the water's edge and looked both directions. No boat.
"Maybe your boss didn't specify where to meet us?" Dan said, nervously looking back over his shoulder.
"We walk to the right, taking us to the swamps. Charon keeps most of his boats there," Megaera explained as she started walking. The river was quite wide at this point, the far side lost in a heavy mist. A contrast to the red heat of Tartarus. A few shapes could be glimpsed moving in the mists.
Dan followed Megaera along the shore. The mist clung to the water, obscuring everything more than a few meters away.
"We could pass the boat and not see it in this mist," Dan pointed out.
"Quiet," Megaera whispered. "It also hides us from any dragons overhead."
They walked in silence for another few minutes, then Megaera halted. She reached out and grasped Dan's upper arm. She pointed up.
Dan listened. An odd creaking noise from the air over the mists. He frowned, looked at Megaera with his eyebrows raised. She whispered into his ear: "Wings. Something big flying overhead."
"Any chance it could be a big bird, like a condor or an eagle?" Dan whispered back.
"Did you see any of those on your travels in?"
Dan just shook his head and looked up. The noise continued and was heading in the direction that they'd come from. Megaera urged Dan onward, walking as silently as possible.
They encountered an area covered with huge, bare cypress trees, their trunks bleached a pale gray, crowding the shoreline. This forced them to walk further away from the shore. They stumbled and picked their way through the tangle of cypress roots, out of sight of the water. The trees eventually thinned out, allowing them to get closer to the water. Megaera looked back the way they'd come.
"We could have passed the boat," she whispered.
"Why would he have hidden the boat in trees?"
"No idea, but we only walk this direction another hour, then turn around."
"Or he never got word and there is no boat," Dan said, bitterly. "Hades did not want us leaving."
"He keeps his word. He said there'd be a boat, there will be a boat," Megaera said firmly. She started following the waterline, with Dan following.
Another hour passed, and it was looking increasingly like word hadn't gotten to Charon. Megaera finally stopped and stood, looking across the river. The anger was visible on her face as she stared into the mist. Dan found a rock and sat down, stretching his legs out. He looked up into the mists overhead, straining to hear that creaking sound, indicating a dragon overhead. He watched as Megaera's anger dissipated, to be followed by disappointment.
She turned and walked to where Dan was sitting. She dropped onto the ground and began pulling up small rocks, tossing them into the mud at the water's edge.
"Do we head back, or keep walking this direction?" Dan asked in a quiet whisper.
"We head to the swamps. That way we'd have a chance of finding Charon, as that's where he stays," Megaera said.
"It's where he let me off a few days ago," Dan whispered.
"The mist is thicker this direction, so we can evade the dragons."
"Mist works both ways. They can't see us, but we can't see them," Dan pointed out.
"Those magic tubes of yours can't see through the mist?"
"No, they just make distant objects appear closer. It's not magic, it's optics and physics."
"It's magic to me." Megaera shrugged. She stood and picked up her bow. "Try to keep up, darling."
She took off into the mists, Dan running to keep up.
To keep himself from worrying, Dan focused his thoughts on what would be needed in his house to accommodate a child. He had that spare bedroom he used as an office. He'd move the desk out and throw the rest into storage or the trash. He was a pack rat and his office had become a hoarder's paradise: Piles of old file folders, several empty filing cabinets, bags of plastic grocery bags, which probably held more bags. Only useful in cleaning out the cat litter box.
Would he have to give up Dude? Hopefully not, the old cat seemed unperturbed by Megaera, so a child would get the same treatment. Only two things upset him, the vet, and the cat carrier. If not, he'd give Dude to his niece, Brianna. Wait, no, wasn't she dead? He was conflicted on that one. In one way, she was dead. In another, she was quite alive.
Dan occupied his thoughts then on what had happened to Brianna. All the while, he was trying to keep up with Megaera, who was double-time marching them deeper and deeper into the swamps.
<<<>>>
The Black Palace
Themis walked silently through the palace, searching for his lord and master. He wasn't in the throne room, nor was he supervising the dragon search. So, he descended into the lower levels, past the dining hall and into the dungeons. He stopped and listened. Yes. The faint sounds of a whip being cracked.
He followed the sounds as they grew louder. The lower levels were unused until recently when Sorath had decided to mete out further punishment for anyone on duty or even scheduled to be on duty when the prisoners had escaped. The torturers were all on double-overtime, which Sorath refused to pay.
He entered the chamber and saw a R'gier stripped to the waist, whipping a smaller demon. The prisoner was tied to a wheel and his back was a mass of blue-green welts and open gashes.
Sorath was seated on a large chair, calmly watching the torture. He was chewing on a small bone with burned meat. Themis glanced around and spotted Melinoe inside a small cell, looking as angsty as possible.
Themis approached his master and cleared his throat. "Your Majesty."
"What is it now, Themis?"
"I'm afraid I have further bad news," Themis said as he tried to stay out of reach.
"More?"
"Yes, your lordship," Themis said quietly. He glanced at Melinoe in her cage. "It seems after she released the mortal, both he and the Fury managed to release her father as well. Hades is how they were able to leave without a trace."
Sorath stopped chewing and his eyes began to bore into Themis. "Indeed." He tossed the bone to a pack of coyotes. Themis noticed one of Sorath's eye had a slight twitch.
"Shall I prepare the courtyard, your Majesty?"
"For what?"
"Her execution," Themis explained.
"Oh, what? Her? Oh no. I plan to do great perverted things to her and then deliver what is left to her father via an airdrop. You can't imagine the damage a good fisting by this hand will do to a goddess, even one like her." Sorath grinned as he held up a massive paw, formed a fist and looked over to Melinoe. "You forget she is a goddess and if I were to haul her up to the courtyard for an execution, she'll just be reborn and be as good as new. No, I'll torture her, take great pleasure by abusing her to the point she's almost dead, then dropping her off at her daddy's. And let him deal with her."
"Very good, your Majesty."
Sorath watched for a few more minutes as the R'gier continued to whip the demon, which was now obviously dead. "You may stop now. Drag him to the kitchen and have him ground into dog food."
Sorath stood and stretched, watching the dead demon being dragged out of the chamber. He turned and went to Melinoe's cage. His grin widened as he unlocked the cage and grabbed the small woman. He pulled her to
the center of the room and threw her onto a small table.
"Strip her, and tie her facing down," Sorath ordered. He watched the R'gier roughly pull on Melinoe's tunic, then slammed her down on the table. The demon then tied her down and left her feet free, dangling over the edge of the table.
"That is a nice rump, even for a goddess," Sorath said as he started to untie his pants. He turned to Themis. "Order the dragon patrols to begin a sweep over all areas between here and the palace, including all rivers and known paths. That Fury may try to walk out, and I want her found and destroyed before she can get to the surface. Otherwise, don't bother me for a few hours."
He turned back to the table. "Ah, yes, time for some real fun!" he said as his pants hit the floor.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The Swamps
Megaera and Dan had been hiking along the shore for only a few minutes when the surface of the ground grew soft, their feet sinking into the mud.
Megaera stopped, touching Dan on the shoulder. She leaned her head to his. "I hear that noise again," she whispered.
Dan just nodded. He tried to peer through the thickening mists, his ears trying to sense what was near. He tugged on her elbow and led them to his right, away from the shore of the Styx. "We must be near the swamp." Megaera nodded in agreement and allowed Dan to lead her further to the right.
After a dozen steps, the ground became firmer. Dan looked at his hiking boots, covered in green slime and black mud. He wrinkled his nose and turned lightly to the left, trying to parallel the water's edge.
Then he heard the noise. Not a creaking of wings, but a thumping of something hollow against either a tree or a rock. The noise appeared to be coming from straight ahead.
"I hear something, not sure what," he whispered.
They continued walking and the muddy grass grew thicker. Within a few yards, they encountered paving stones.
"We must be near Charon's dock!" Megaera whispered.
"I wonder if he's here," Dan said, relaxing now that their footing was secure on the flat stones.
The mist was even thicker, so they crept forward until the stone path widened out into a small landing. Barely visible in the mist was a boat like Dan had ridden earlier. Megaera went to the boat and looked at it, while Dan walked along the edges of the landing, looking for the boatman.
He rejoined Megaera and whispered: "No sign of Charon. Does he have a bell to ring or some way to let him know we're here?"
"No idea, I never needed his services. Let's just get aboard," said as she pulled on the boat, moving the sides to where they touched the landing.
"What if he comes back?" Dan whispered.
"What if what, sir?" A loud voice in the mist made Dan jump. He turned as a tall man approached. It was Charon, wrapped in a dark gray cloak. He drew closer and stopped. "Oh, it's you. The mortal. I assume you wish for me to ferry you elsewhere?"
"Well, yes, now that my mission is over," Dan admitted.
"Who's that with you?" Charon demanded.
"Sir, please, quiet. We're being watched by Sorath's dragons," Dan whispered, urgently.
"Nonsense. No one around expect myself," Charon grumbled as he went to his boat. He stopped and looked at Megaera. "You I can ferry out. The mortal, I cannot. I made the one exception, for Persephone, but only once."
"Then we'll take the boat," Megaera said flatly.
"Ha! Seriously, now. What do you two want?" Charon said, crossing his arms. He moved to stand between Megaera and the boat.
"We wish to borrow your boat to get safely to the Ivory Gate, if not there, then the landing where you first found me," Dan explained.
"I will not ferry you anywhere. Go find another route across the waters." Charon stood firm.
"Didn't Hades get word to you to allow us use of a boat?" Megaera demanded.
"He did indeed. And I refuse. Mortals can fight their own way out. You can fly out. I know you can, I've seen you do it," Charon argued.
"Look, perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. Let's back up," Dan started. "I am offering to rent your boat, you don't have to do anything except take my offer, and stand aside."
"You have nothing I need or want. Turn and go away." Charon was not moving.
Megaera joined Dan and assessed the situation. "Let me try to reason with him," she whispered.
She turned and crossed the landing to stand in front of the boatman.
"I plan to take your boat, even if it means causing you great bodily harm," Megaera growled.
"Oh, that's your way of reasoning?" Dan sighed.
"Now, get out of my way," Megaera said through clenched teeth.
"You don't frighten me, Fury. There is nothing you can do to me. Now, return with your human and leave me alone!" Charon barked.
Megaera went back to Dan and handed him her bow and the quiver. "Hold these for me, sweetie," she said, flashing a huge smile.
She turned and approached the boatman, the smile never leaving her face. "I just have one simple question for you, old man," she said, the smile never leaving her face.
Charon narrowed one eye at her, then looked past her to see what Dan was doing. Dan just shrugged.
When his eyes left Megaera, she grabbed him by his robe and lifted him well above her head. As his legs pedaled ineffectively at the air, she turned to Dan, and asked, "Be a dear and untie the boat."
Dan just smiled and jogged to the boat. He grabbed the rope and began to untie it from an old cleat fashioned from bronze.
"Put me down madam!" Charon yelled.
"Answer this first." Megaera said.
"What?"
"Can you swim?"
"Can I what?" Charon yelled as Megaera easily tossed him out towards the swamp. He hit with a huge splash as Megaera climbed into the boat.
"Grab a pole and let's get the fuck out of here," Megaera said, grabbing the rope. Dan stepped aboard and lifted the pole. He pushed against the landing and they drifted out into the swamp.
Dan looked to where Charon was sputtering. He had managed to stand in the shallow water and he was as angry as a spoiled cat in a drainage ditch. He stood with his arms on his hips and watched as his boat drifted out into the mists.
<<<>>>
Above the Underworld
Mable flexed her wings, propelling herself across the vast plains of the fields just outside of Tartarus. Grimes gently guided her towards the light show that indicated Hades was back in his Palace. He held onto the young goddess and looked at her injuries. He shook his head as they flew towards the brightly lit building.
"Mable, I don't know about the boss," Grimes through to his dragon. "No matter what this girl did, she did not deserve to have him do this to her."
"Yes, a pity. If I may make a suggestion?" Mable thought back.
"Yes?"
"We drop her from such a great height, she'll perish upon impact. Then I can say she fought you and fell on her own," Mable's thoughts came back, a soft, soothing voice in his head.
"If you think we can get away with it," Grimes shot back, mentally.
"The boss will forget about her when we return with the Fury and the body of that damned mortal. He made us look like fools," Mable thought. "This one will regenerate, which is why he kept her alive. Let's do that, then go get that Fury."
"Yes," Grimes agreed out loud. He looked into the battered face of Melinoe, and he tried to get her attention. "You won't suffer long."
Melinoe's one good eye tried to open. The other was a mass of blood and possibly demon semen. Her hand fumbled and pressed against Grime's hand. It left a bloody streak as Grimes urged Mable higher and higher.
Grimes held her with his one arm, and he sympathized with the young goddess. Sorath, even when merciful, was a bastard.
"Here we go. You'll rebirth in a few hours. Just remember this when you talk to your father," Grimes said over the sound of Mabel's wings beating against the air.
Mable sent a warning to Grimes, who let go of the girl and held onto the harness. Ma
bel did a slow barrel roll, and Melinoe slid away, falling several miles towards the rocky ground.
Mable straightened up and made a few circles. As she dropped closer, Grimes saw Melinoe impact the rocks. As they descended closer, her body disappeared.
Grimes nodded to himself and aimed Mable towards the swamps.
The Swamp
Dan allowed the boat to drift slowly into the middle of the swamp. The mist was thinning a bit, and he could barely make out the ruddy glow that marked Tartarus.
"If we head towards the glow, we'll pick up the Styx as it leaves the Underworld," Megaera said, pointing towards the glow. "If we head the other way, the Styx merges with the Lethe and we can head to the Ivory Gates. Also, the Acheron branches off as well. That will get us out near where you entered."
"Yes, if I can exit those portals," Dan observed.
"You might have enough immortal blood to get through, if I hold on to you," Megaera said. She pointed away from the ruddy glow. "Let's go that direction. The flow is with us, and I can tell you which branches to take when we got to them."
Dan pushed on the pole, aiming the vessel away from the glow. The mist was patchy in the direction they were heading. They were going back the way they'd hiked, as Dan recognized the copse of bare cypress trees. He kept glancing upwards. This was where they'd heard the large dragon overhead. Megaera stood ahead of him, her eyes scanning the sky as well.
She pointed at some shapes along the opposite bank from the trees. Dan looked and saw huddled pale figures.
"Souls awaiting judgment," Megaera explained. "Now that Hades is back, they'll finally be judged and sent where they belong."
Dan noticed the current was picking up as they drifted. Soon, they were traveling along at a good clip, but they quickly ran out of the mists. The shore rose up on each side, ragged cliffs, and uninviting brush along each side of them as the speed of the river increased.
Dan found it increasingly difficult to keep them between the rocky shores, the river narrowing as they moved. Dan spotted movement along one of the cliffs. A coyote was running along, keeping up with them.
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