Styx & Stoned (The Grim Reality Series Book 2)

by Brux, Boone

  We managed three more runs before calling it quits. They were quick, with no disruptions. Franklin had the souls off the ferry in record time, receiving his Ziploc of gold in return. Mara and I didn’t speak much during our runs. She prowled around the perimeter of the ferry, watching for anything nefarious, and I stayed on the bridge, keeping us moving as quickly as possible.

  I think both of us had a lot on our minds. Concern that the board of directors were tired of Charon’s antics and wouldn’t give him his job back plagued me. If that’s what they decided there was only one solution that I could see—keeping me on as ferryman. My stomach clenched at the thought. Well, I wouldn’t do it. It was as simple as that. I squared my shoulders, my internal dialogue running through my head. They couldn’t make me—could they?

  Not one for small talk, Hal didn’t say much on our ride back. I knew what he was thinking, his disapproval evident on his face.

  “You’re a worse worrier than my mother,” I said. He smirked but didn’t reply. When the doors opened, I strode out. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t call me again for at least six hours,” he said.

  I spun but the elevator was already compressing into a thin line. A growl vibrated from me.

  “He’s right.” Mara plopped into the chair. She pointed at the clock. “It’s only three o’clock. Even though I’m pretty sure the whole convince Charon thing is done, I’m certain they’ll find something else for us to do.”

  “Probably.” My phone dinged in my purse. I dug into its depths and retrieved it. “It’s Nate.” I frowned at the screen and then looked at Mara. “We’re supposed to go to Tabris’s office.”

  “See, I knew it.” First giving the base of my bed a solid kick, she stood. “Let’s get this over with.”

  That’s exactly how I felt. Let’s get this over with—all of it. Ferrying, demons, angels, Nyx, and this stupid convention, which I hadn’t really gotten to enjoy. All of it done so I could go home.

  The silent security guard stood outside Tabris’s door. When he saw us, he opened it and stepped aside, closing it behind us. Mara and I pulled to a stop.

  “The gangs all here, I see,” Mara said.

  “That’s an understatement.” I looked at Nate. Though he didn’t seem a hundred-percent, he also didn’t appear to have had a psychotic episode. “You okay?”

  “Fine.” He drew up beside me and faced the rest of the room. “There’s a lot of debate about a lot of different things that have been going on.”

  “I can imagine.” My gaze tracked over the room’s occupants. Tabris, the board, Nyx, Cam, Nate, and a very angry Charon.

  “So, what is going on?” I asked no one in particular.

  “Please, if everybody could have a seat, we’ll get started.” Tabris gestured to the chairs.

  Nate slipped his hand around my arm and guided me to the seating section, and then pulled me down beside him on a loveseat. Even though he released me, my hip and thigh was smashed against his. He made no move to scoot over, which then made it awkward for me to shift away from him. Cam and Mara chose the seats next to Nate, and Charon dropped into the chair opposite me and crossed his arms and legs, obviously still miffed.

  “Now,” Tabris began, “as all of you know we’ve been fighting an uphill battle lately, trying to keep the souls contained. And—” He nodded, his gaze tracking around the group. “—had been doing a pretty good job I thought.” Holding out his hand in Charon’s direction, but not looking at him, Tabris’s voice took on an edge. “However, Charon has taken issue with our efforts.”

  “When you say efforts, you mean you’ve replaced me, right?” Charon sat forward and jabbed a finger in my direction. “I asked Lisa but she refused to tell me who it is.”

  “Why does it matter?” I asked. “You said you were retired.”

  “Yes, but…” He waved his hand in the air but didn’t have a comeback.

  “But what?” He was flustered and I had the upper hand. I wasn’t sure what I had the upper hand in, but I was feeling cornered. “You’re retired but you want them to keep paying you or beg for you to come back?”

  From the look on his face, we could all see that’s exactly what he’d expected.

  “It doesn’t matter what Charon does or doesn’t want.” Nyx floated forward, her black dress swirling around her legs in ribbons of smoke, and then settled again into the lower half of her gown. “We’ve decided to take a different approach.”

  “What approach?” Charon asked.

  “Yes, what approach?” I echoed. They sure as hell better have hired somebody else to ferry.

  She waved her hand in the air. “We’ll get to that in a minute. First, why don’t you tell Charon what he wants to know?”

  All eyes snapped in my direction, but the ones I was most aware of were Nate’s. “What’s she talking about?” His voice pitched low.

  “Crap.” I licked my lips, trying to moisten them, but all the spit seemed to have dried up with her one announcement. “I, uhhh.” I looked at Nate. “Mara and I have been ferrying the dead, trying to keep the spirits from sifting back to the physical plane.”

  He screwed up his face. “When were you doing this?”

  “Just about every chance we got.” I sighed. “We’re exhausted.”

  I saw Cam flash Mara a questioning glance. She nodded and said, “Later.”

  “I knew it!” Charon stood, pointing an accusing finger at me again. “No wonder you didn’t want to tell me who had taken my place.” He glared at me. “My own flesh and blood, a traitor.”

  “Well, to be fair,” I said, “who isn’t your flesh and blood? You bang everything that holds still long enough.”

  “Actually, that’s not entirely true,” Nyx said.

  “Okay, well, maybe not everything,” I corrected, “but he does sleep with a lot of people.”

  “I mean…” Her jaw clenched and unclenched. “He is not your flesh and blood. At least not like everyone thinks.”

  “You’ve lost me.” I held up both hands. “Which is not all that difficult to do right now.”

  “Call Hal, Lisa.” Tabris said.

  “What?” My eyes darted to him. I’d heard Tabris, but didn’t understand why he wanted me to bring Hal here. He gave me a single nod. “Okay.” In a weak voice I called, “Hal.”

  Instantly his pink light glowed, elongated, expanded to form the elevator. The door slid open and Hal moved forward. At the first sight of the crowd, he stopped. His chin tipped down and his gaze scanned the room over the rim of his sunglasses. “What’s going on?”

  “You’re part of this discussion too,” Nyx said. “You deserve to hear it.”

  Charon skirted the chair, stopping beside his mother. “What does he have to do with all of this?”

  “Hush.” She held out her hand and waved me to her. “Come, Lisa.”

  My first instinct was to look at Nate. Whether for permission, help, or out of fear, I didn’t know. Maybe all three. Being the center of attention, especially in this group, was almost as bad as the dreams I had where I was in the middle of the airport, sitting on the toilet. At least from that nightmare I could wake up. I stood and walked to Nyx.

  “Do you know the story of Thanatos, Lisa?” she asked.

  My eyes cut to Hal. His spine stiffened but his gaze remained on me. “You mean about Thanatos falling in love with Katrina and Charon taking his place as the ferryman?”

  “Basically, yes.” She faced me. “The part of the story nobody else knows, including Thanatos, is that when I took Katrina from him, she was with child.”

  Murmurs echoed around the room, but I couldn’t speak or take my eyes off Hal. Though he didn’t move, not even to bat an eye lash, I could see the pain in his eyes, as if he’d lost her all over again.

  “What happened?” I finally asked, still not looking away from him. But I already knew what her answer would be.

  “I kept Katrina with me until the baby was born, and then did what needed to be done.�
�� A sigh heaved from Nyx, as if she was finally releasing a heavy burden. “I gave the baby to Charon and told him to find a good family to raise her.”

  “Which I did,” he said smugly.

  “Yes, you found her a good home, and you’ve been holding it over my head ever since,” Nyx snapped.

  “Her.” Though Hal spoke the single word quietly, it cut through the room.

  “Yes.” His mother looked at him. For the first time, compassion for her son ghosted across her face. My heart tightened. Even if she was a supernatural being, she was still a mother, and that I understood. “A baby girl. Healthy, despite her mother’s condition.”

  “You never knew?” I directed my question at Hal. “Never saw her?”

  He sniffed and squared his shoulders. “No.”

  “It had to be done, Thanatos.” His mother’s voice was almost pleading. “You were not fit to raise a child. Don’t you remember?”

  “I remember I didn’t have a choice when you took Katrina from me.” His voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat. “And now I learn you took more than just her.” His gaze narrowed on her. “You had no right.”

  “I had every right.” The powerful deity was back and all traces of the guilty parent gone. “Someone had to release her and it wasn’t going to be you.”

  His lips thinned into a straight line and his gaze leveled on me. It was as if a wall had come down over his emotions. Not a trace of what he was thinking showed on Hal’s face. “Am I to understand that Lisa is from my line?”

  “Yes.” Nyx’s hand was warm on my shoulder. “That’s why she has the powers she has and is able to ferry the souls.”

  “Oh, thank God.” My shoulders sagged with relieve. “No offense, Charon.”

  He glared at me.

  Nyx smiled but the warmth didn’t reach her eyes. “Which brings us to the next issue. The board of directors have decided to keep you on as the ferryman. Or, should I say, ferry person.”

  “Wait, what?” I looked from her to Charon.

  “It’s been working out so far.” She pointed to the elevator. “Hal will continue to transport and you will continue to ferry.”

  Nate stood and marched toward me, his mouth pulled into a thin line. “She’s already got a job as my partner.”

  Nyx waved away his argument. “It’s a lot easier for you to get a new partner than for us to find a new ferryman.”

  “You can’t do this,” Charon said, his voice raising an octave. “That’s my job.”

  “Not anymore.” His mother faced him. “How many times did you think you could pull this, Charon? You’ve gotten your way for too long. Whenever anything didn’t go your way you threatened to tell your brother about his child. Well, now he knows, and you have nothing left to bargain with.” She indicated the board of directors. “We are all tired of your antics and tantrums. Lisa has done a wonderful job. It’s the perfect solution.”

  Okay, I could play this one of two ways. Either freak out and refuse to do it, or do this right. “Sounds good.” I nodded, smiling at Charon. “But I have a few demands first.”

  “Such as?” Tabris stepped forward and Nyx slowly turned to face me. “You’ve already been vetted and have received pay.”

  “Lisa.” Nate stepped toward me, his gaze questioning. “What are you doing?”

  “Nobody else can ferry, right? Are there any other relatives from Hal’s line who are qualified?”

  Tabris’s gaze darted to the board of directors and then back to me. “No. There are a few but they are not—” He hesitated. “—qualified either due to age or physical condition.”

  “Wow, I’m it then.” I held out my arms and performed a slow spin, letting my gaze fall on every board member. “Lucky you.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Charon said, stamping his walking stick on the floor. “She can’t handle the rigors of the job.”

  “What rigors are those?” I folded my arms over my chest. “Demons? Did that. Lost souls? Check. And Franklin and I are really good friends now. Oh, by the way, I gave him a raise,” I lied. “So, I think I got this under control.”

  “Maybe I could pop in and keep you company sometimes,” Mara said. “I mean, now that I’m vetted, too.”

  “Great idea.” I gave Tabris my widest smile. “So, here’s what I would like. A written contract, to include full health benefits, a generous retirement package, and two months of paid vacation, which will be broken up into two-week increments,” I cringed. “We wouldn’t want another mess like this.”

  “Anything else?” Tabris asked.

  “Yes. Two option clauses. The first one is the option to retire from the ferry when I turn sixty-five. Then I can spend my final years enjoying my money. And the second is the option to be rehired after I die.” I held up my hand. “And I want it all spelled out in a binding contract.”

  The entire room was silent, all eyes resting on me. I waited for their reaction—any reaction, but still the silence stretched.

  Charon was the first to break. “That only gives you thirty years before she’d retire.”

  “That’s just the option to retire,” I corrected. “I might stay on longer.”

  He turned to the board. “I’ll sign a five-hundred year contract, no health benefits, and only my usual vacation time of three weeks every hundred years.” He waved his hand absently in the air. “To be broken up however I want but not to exceed that time limit.”

  “No way.” I jabbed my finger at him. “This is my gig. Besides, you’ll just end up throwing a hissy and screw things up again.”

  “You can put that in my contract.” His finger waved wildly at Tabris, as if the guy was holding an actual contract. “No strikes or boycotts. Five hundred years. You can’t beat that.”

  Nyx eyed me, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “It seems we have a decision to make.” She spun toward Charon. “Lisa presents an enticing offer. It might only be for thirty years but she’s already proven herself to be a valuable leader.” She cocked a black brow. “You, on the other hand, are a pain in the ass.”

  “I won’t be anymore.” He folded his hands together. “I promise, Mother.”

  She turned to the bronze angel. “What do you think Tabris?”

  “I think we should let Lisa decide.”

  Relief washed through me. It had been a long shot but it had worked. High-five for reverse psychology. “I’ll step aside on two conditions. First…” I looked at Charon. “Every hundred years you throw a party to honor Charon and everything he does. I know he’s a jackass sometimes, but the job isn’t as easy as it seems. He deserves a little recognition.”

  “That’s all I want, a few atta-boys.” Charon said. “And she is right. The job isn’t easy.”

  “I think that can be arranged.” Tabris gave me a patient smile. “And second?”

  My grin stretched as wide as it could go. “I get to keep the money.”

  Charon’s nod switched directions, turning into a violent shake. “No way, that’s my gold.”

  “You may keep it,” Nyx said, cutting off his tirade.

  Though he puckered his lips and glared at me, he didn’t argue further. A thrill raced through me. “Okay then, we got ourselves a deal.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hal step back into the elevator and disappear. Who could blame him? Whether I was or wasn’t the new ferryman didn’t matter to him. He’d just found out he’d had a child he’d never known and my heart broke for him.

  The board of directors joined the group, everybody congratulating each other on the satisfactory outcome.

  Nate grabbed a handful of my shirt and tugged me away from the crowd to where Cam and Mara were standing. “Why didn’t you two tell me you were ferrying?” Nate asked.

  “Tabris told us not to, and then Nyx showed up with her vapor dress and scare tactics.” I dragged my eyes to his face. “I mean, come on, they’re supernatural beings and I’m a mere mortal. We were trying not to get smited.”

 
“That’s not a thing,” Nate said.

  “Yes it is.” I look to Mara for help. “Right, smited?”

  “How about struck down, burned to cinders?” she asked.

  “What she said. And…” I pointed to Mara again. “We didn’t want anything to happen to her new GRS status.” I reached over and punched her in the shoulder. “She’s worked hard to get where she is.”

  “So have you.” Nate half-groaned and half-sighed. “You weren’t serious about wanting to be the ferryman, were you?”

  “I actually considered it at first. I mean, the pay is great, and time stops so I’d still have my whole day free on the physical plane. It seemed like the perfect option.”

  “But?” Nate asked.

  “But, then there was the demon attack and the abyss of the lost souls.” I cringed. “Plus, I think that place literally sucks the life out of you.”

  “You, too?” Mara asked. “I didn’t want to say anything but man Styx is depressing.”

  “It was not your imagination.” I lowered my voice. “I don’t think Tabris and Nyx had any intention of letting me be the ferryman. They just wanted to get Charon over the barrel and into a binding contract so he’d stop his shenanigans.”

  “Well, it worked, thanks to you,” Nate said. He patted me on the shoulder. “Nicely done.”

  “Thanks.”

  Charon’s voice rose above the muddle. “Write up the contract and I’ll sign it right now.”

  “Man, that guy is an asshat,” Nate said.

  I laughed. “I am so glad he isn’t my grandfather a kagillion times removed.”

  The crowd dispersed and each board member stopped to thank the four of us for helping solve the problem. Charon gave me a solid glare before stomping out of the room and I dearly hoped I wouldn’t be running into him ever again.

  Nyx glided to us. “Lisa, may I have a word with you?”

  “Of course.” I stepped around Nate and followed her. She led me away from the group. “Thank you for giving Charon his job back.”