Death And Darkness

by E. A. Copen

  The krewe parades started all the way back in January, and they’d run until late on Fat Tuesday. Sometimes, there were three or four in a day. Those local to New Orleans knew the days leading up to Mardi Gras were a lot more fun than Tuesday, partly because drunk tourists clogged up the streets in the Quarter. The city kept an official schedule for which krewe went marching where, and the Krewe of Hades was supposed to be marching that afternoon. That meant their revel would be sometime after dark, but the city didn’t publish that information.

  I figured if I could make my way to where the Krewe of Hades’ parade was supposed to start, I could grab someone in the know and schmooze my way into an invite. Why not? It was Mardi Gras. People were more open during Carnival. Let the good times roll and all that.

  Anyway, I wandered over to the nearest streetcar and hopped a ride uptown to get off at Birch Street. A yard sign with the words PARADE REG printed on them pointed me further down Birch to an elementary school parking lot where several floats waited. Fire dancers spun off to my right while another guy juggled flaming sticks. A muscular man in a white sheet wearing a wreath on his head moved around the largest float draping colored glass beads. I decided it was less dangerous to talk to him than the people playing with fire.

  I stopped in front of the float and put a hand over my eyes to block out the sun. “Any idea where I can find the guy in charge?”

  He stopped messing with the beads and gave me a funny look. “Parade’s full, and you’re not getting into the ball unless you’ve got an invite, so don’t ask.”

  Hardass. Okay, at least I could work with that. Not like he was the first of his kind. “Look, I just want to talk to my friend, so if you could point me in his direction, I’ll get out of your hair.”

  “He’s with me, Roy.”

  Khaleda strode out from behind another float. She’d slipped into a skin-tight, cherry red zippered catsuit. A pair of red fabric horns poked up from her head and a matching tail swishing behind her. She paused a few feet from me and set down the matching pitchfork.

  I tried to roll my tongue back into my mouth. “Uh, yeah. I’m with her.”

  “Whatever.” Roy snorted and went back to work.

  “Didn’t expect to see you here, Khaleda.”

  She smirked. “Devilry, debauchery, and drink. I’m Lucifer Morningstar’s daughter. Should I be somewhere else?”

  “Guess not.”

  “Question is what are you doing here?” She sized me up as if she were at the meat counter, picking out a pork chop. “You were dead.”

  I shrugged. “I got better.”

  Khaleda sighed and rolled her eyes. “I’m working. Josiah says I should be securing alliances. Called this a show of good faith.”

  More like a giant middle finger to the angels, I thought, taking in the devil outfit. He’d wanted to fade out of the public eye, but Josiah was more than happy to thrust Khaleda into it. What was his game? Either way, it felt like he was making a statement. Khaleda wasn’t stupid. She must’ve seen it.

  Not that it mattered, not if Hades was going to be dead by the end of the day. I almost walked away right then. Be cool, Laz. Your daughter’s life is on the line. It’s Hades or Remy. “You’re going to the ball? You got your plus one figured out?”

  “Why?” She squinted. “Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested.” She turned her back to me and started to walk away.

  I caught her wrist. “Hey, wait a minute.”

  The last word didn’t quite make it out of my mouth before she picked up her heel and jammed it into my gut. All the air went out of me and I was on the ground, wheezing before I could process what had happened.

  “Lazarus? Jesus.” She knelt next to me.

  “Yeah,” I wheezed, “who were you expecting?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe you… just eviler? Dammit, if I thought it was really you…” She grabbed my arm and helped me to my feet.

  I stood but quickly bent over, cradling my aching stomach. “Been getting that a lot lately. So, about that plus one?”

  Khaleda sighed through her nose. “I’m going with Josiah. Why? Wait, does he know you’re awake?”

  He knew where Hades was going to be, I realized. Josiah could’ve gotten me in but didn’t even offer. That ass. Why didn’t he mention it? Maybe he didn’t want to help me. Shit, what if… “Khaleda, why are you here?”

  “I told you.”

  “No, I mean, why this krewe?”

  She stared at me like I’d lost my mind before crossing her arms over her chest. I was surprised the latex didn’t tear under strain. “We needed work. The assholes who roped us into working for them, Manus Dei, they don’t exactly pay well. Cigarettes, booze, and hotels are expensive. Josiah may have dropped your name to get a job working security at the ball tonight.”

  And I’d just told him I’d be coming to kill Hades.

  Oh, shit.

  I took a deep breath. Keep it together. Khaleda obviously doesn’t know. He hasn’t had time to tell her yet. If I got to Hades before the ball, before Josiah had the chance to tell Khaleda what I was supposed to do, then I stood a chance. I knew I couldn’t take Josiah in a fight, at least not when it came to magic. No, I had to kill him now.

  “Khaleda, where is Hades now?” I did my best to keep my tone measured and even.

  Her eyes scanned me slowly. She was suspicious because my voice was tight when I asked her why she was there. I had to put her fears at ease. Proving I was the real me and not Bizarro Laz might help, except I didn’t know how to do that either.

  “Hades is in danger,” I told her. “Loki hired someone to kill him. I need to see him.”

  After another suspicious look, Khaleda’s face relaxed and she nodded. “I’ll take you to him.”

  I put my hands in my pockets and followed Khaleda to the elementary school doors. There was a sign on the door announcing that all flammable items had to be left outside, and another listing rules and regulations for the parade itself. The door squeaked when she pulled it open and held it for me.

  All elementary schools smell the same, like someone dropped a crayon encrusted meatloaf under the bleachers in the gym forty years ago that no one’s ever found. This one was no different. Low ceilings with flickering lights, narrow, windowless hallways lined with locked metal doors, each labeled with numbers instead of a name… Wasn’t much difference between a school and a prison when you got down to it. Both served bad, taxpayer-funded food and had strict regimens. Both were places where creativity and originality were discouraged in favor of routine and predictability.

  Except public schools were worse. They boxed kids up and spent all day stripping them of what it meant to be a kid. Don’t run and play, sit. Don’t talk, be silent. Hold your ideas and do as the teacher says, or you’ll be shamed in front of your peers with a letter grade like a piece of raw meat. My experience in the public school system hadn’t been the best. Maybe I could get Remy into a private school. She deserved it. Now if only I could figure out how to afford it.

  Khaleda led me down a hallway to the right and stopped to knock on a classroom door before pulling it open. Hades stood on the teacher’s desk, flexing his enormous biceps in a Herculean pose while a photographer snapped pictures. Persephone sat at one of the student desks toward the front, scrolling on her phone, looking bored.

  Hades’ face lit up when he saw me. “Lazarus!” He jumped off the desk, letting papers fly around behind him. “Good to see you! How’ve you been?”

  Persephone lifted her cheek away from her fist and blinked. “What are you doing here? I thought you were injured.”

  I dodged the question, addressing Hades directly. “I came to tell you you’re in danger, Hades. Loki is sending someone to kill you. We need to get you into protective custody.”

  “Now?” Hades gestured to the photographer. “But I have more photos to pose for!”

  Persephone rose and gripped her husband’s arm. “The photos can wait. If Lazarus says you nee
d to go now, you need to listen to him.” She turned to collect her purse. “Let’s go, Dear. Where to, Laz?”

  “No,” I said too fast and waved my hands. “I mean, we should split you two up. It’ll be easier to throw off Loki’s assassin. Persephone, you can go with Khaleda. I’ll take Hades out the back.”

  Persephone frowned.

  Come on. Buy it. I wasn’t very good at this “lying so I could kill a friend” act. Just thinking that hurt. I pushed that feeling down. There was no room for feelings and friendships when it came to murder. I had to be cold, calculating. This wasn’t about me anymore. I had to do this for Remy.

  Khaleda swept around to stand in front of me. “Are you sure?”

  I forced myself to meet her eyes and hold her gaze. “He’s after Hades, not Persephone, but give Loki half a chance, and he’ll hurt her too. This is the best way to ensure Persephone doesn’t get caught in the crossfire. They need to be separated.”

  “He’s right.” Hades pulled Persephone to him and squeezed her. “If he gets to me, I need to be sure she’s safe. No matter what.”

  Persephone stepped back and nodded. “I trust you, Lazarus. If this is what you say is best, that’s what we’ll do.”

  Her words stung more than the kick Khaleda had delivered earlier. Don’t listen to me, you idiots. I bit my tongue. If I didn’t get Hades by himself and pull out his soul, I might not get to Remy in time.

  Persephone might’ve trusted me, but Khaleda could tell something was off. Her rigid posture said it all. She squinted at me, giving me another once-over as if she wasn’t sure I was me, and then opened the door to the classroom. “We’ll meet up later. This way, Persephone.”

  Persephone nodded and went through the door. Khaleda paused to give me another heavy look before going out with her.

  Alone with the king of the Greek underworld. He could’ve snapped my spine over his knee in a straight fight. The only chance I had was lying and sneaking around. I felt dirty.

  I walked over the door and opened it, making a show of checking the hallway before stepping back in. “It’s clear. This way, Hades.”

  We crept down the hallway, the lights flickering above us. Someone really needed to replace that light. Our footsteps echoed through the hall, too loud. If someone had truly been hunting us, they wouldn’t have had much trouble tracking us down. Or maybe that was just my heart pounding in my ears.

  Hades hugged the wall, glancing around nervously. “Has he sent one of the Horsemen?”

  I slid around the corner and waved for him to follow me. “He has several working for him and a list of names divided up between them. You won’t be safe until he’s dealt with.”

  “I was afraid of this.” He sighed and crept closer. “When I found the breach in Tartarus, I feared the worst, that he’d recruited the missing Titans to serve him.”

  Titans. Plural. That meant more were out there. “Which Titans are missing? How many?”

  Hades shook his head. “It’s hard to say for certain. I haven’t been able to go in and do a headcount. I designed it to be a prison without a warden. They roam free inside the prison, Lazarus. Just four walls and magic to keep them at bay. There are three, four, maybe more who’ve broken out, but I don’t know which ones. Thankfully, the worst ones are still locked away. My people are repairing the prison as we speak, but it will take time. If Loki strikes again while it’s still under repair…”

  Not good. It’d taken almost everything I had just to deal with one Titan. If they all got loose, it’d be Hell on Earth for sure. I’d need help to put them back, and here I was burning that help to save my daughter. It was a catch-22. No matter what I did, I was screwed.

  Double doors with frosted glass windows stood at the end of the hallway. A red exit sign glowed above them. Once we went out those doors, chances were good someone else would spot us. No more putting it off. This was the hallway where I’d have to kill him.

  I took three steps down the hallway and stopped with my back to him.

  “Lazarus? Something wrong?” There was tension in Hades’ voice that hadn’t been there before.

  “There’s something I need to tell you, Hades.” My shoes squeaked on the floor as I turned to face him.

  Hades’ face was hard as stone. “There’s no assassin, is there?”

  “There is.” I made a fist and tensed. Last chance to back down.

  What if there was a way out of this that I wasn’t seeing? Maybe I could discover the information Loki was offering on my own, except I didn’t know how long that would take or where to begin. I’d already lost a week recovering from what Bizarro Laz had done to me. A week in Faerie was a long time.

  I’ve got no choice, I told myself again. Probably what most murderers told themselves before they struck. There was no way out.

  Hades was just inside my reach. If I moved fast, I could get him. I’d only have one shot, so I’d have to make it count.

  Here goes nothing. I sucked in a breath through my teeth, activated my Sight, and lashed out with my right hand, aiming straight for the soft spot at the bottom of the ribs where Hades’ golden soul glowed. My fingers sank into his flesh as if it wasn’t even there.

  Hades grabbed my arm and twisted it away before delivering a strike to my ribs that sent me flying. I hit the floor and slid several feet, scrambling to process what’d just happened. Before I could pull my thoughts together, Hades was gripping me by the shirt, pulling me up from the floor and into his fist. His punch left me half-blind with pain. The taste of blood coated my tongue. He hit me again and again until my face felt like nothing more than a slab of wet meat slamming into a bulldozer.

  Eventually, he dropped me and stood. “Thank you for sending my wife away. It would’ve broken her heart to watch me kill you.” Hades gripped a long, metal pipe on the side of the wall and pulled. Steam rushed to fill the hallway as he yanked it free and spun it once before swinging it at my head.

  I flipped over onto my stomach, moving out of the way just before it landed. Hades lifted the pipe, revealing the huge dent he’d left in the floor. Yikes, that could’ve been my head. Note to self: don’t mess with the super-buff Greek god of the dead. I should’ve just gone for the sneak attack. Me and my stupid attempt at giving him a semi-honorable death. I was so screwed. But I wouldn’t go down easy.

  I raised my hand and slammed my palm into the floor, infusing the ground with my will. Magic rolled under the floor tiles in waves, tossing Hades from his feet. He hit the floor with a curse, and I jumped up to run for it. I’d missed my chance, but if I could get him to chase after me, maybe I could still hit him by surprise. Rather than run through the double doors and out into the waiting crowds, I pushed through another door that led to a short set of stairs. Pipes and huge, vat-like appliances lined the small room at the bottom of the stairs. It had a low ceiling, so I couldn’t stand up straight, but then Hades wouldn’t be able to either.

  The pipes and appliances formed a sort of crossroads in the center of the room. I went to the right and pressed my back to the pipes, instantly regretting it. They were boiling hot.

  The door squealed when Hades jerked it open. Heavy footsteps made the stairs creak. He was coming after me. Good. “You can’t run, Lazarus. If that’s really you. Your friend, Josiah, told me to be on the lookout for someone who looked like Lazarus but didn’t behave like him. I thought he’d lost his mind.”

  Hades came to the crossroads and stopped, peering down the left path. I tried to shrink further into the darkness, whispering a spell I hoped would keep me hidden. It might not work. Hades was a god, after all. He turned right and stared straight at me for a moment. I held my breath until his eyes turned forward again.

  “The Lazarus I met wouldn’t betray someone who helped him.” He walked past the crossroads.

  I exhaled. He hadn’t seen me. Now for the hard part. As quietly as I could, I stepped out of the shadows behind Hades, blocking him in. “That’s where you’re wrong, Hades.”

&nb
sp; Hades spun around, wielding the pipe as if to strike me with it. Unfortunately for him, the passage was too low, and he got it caught on one of the pipes crossing overhead. I thrust my hand into his chest and closed my fingers around his soul.

  “I’ll do anything to save the people I care about,” I said and pulled out his soul.

  Hades' eyes widened and his mouth formed a silent O. The pipe clattered to the floor and rolled off to the side. Hands shot out, gripping the black vest I’d borrowed, and Hades sank to his knees. His skin turned an ashen shade of gray and began to crumble. Like dry ash in a strong wind, Hades blew away, nothing left but the squirming golden soul in my hand.

  “Sorry, Hades.” I knelt and picked up the length of pipe he’d dropped before turning around just in time to see Josiah step off the bottom stair. My blood froze in my veins. If he attacked me, there was no way I could win. I’d gotten lucky with Hades. Taking on a half-angel with a blood magic specialty just wasn’t in me.

  He eyed the soul in my hand, pursed his lips, and nodded. “Maybe you do want it bad enough. Let’s talk.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  It was dark when I pushed through the exit doors and stepped onto the blacktop of an empty playground. The red rays of dusk cut through billowing gray clouds while an icy wind blew through the playground, rattling chains and whispering over metal bars. I watched a crow fly overhead and land on the metal arm of the swing set. The long pipe I still held in my hand was so cold, it made my palm ache.

  Everything felt numb. Not just physically. I had killed a friend. It felt like I had turned on a tap and drained every ounce of who I was into the dirt.

  A dark shadow separated itself from the playground wall and a bony figure strode onto the blacktop in front of me. Sunken honey-almond eyes stared at me. Short, dark hair shifted in the wind like sickly feathers. She wore a fringed shirt that left her midriff bare and black leggings that clung to her bony knees. A gnarled, black staff extended from her fist to the ground.