Chapter 7
Not Without You
1
The Underworld
The Road of Sorrows
Memorizing Iris’ twists and turns out of habit had found Ares’ way back. The pain in his leg was excruciating, a white-hot poker tearing his flesh open.
After Iris’ feather gave him access through the portal door, Ares found himself on the path to the Underworld once again.
The dilapidated dock loomed in the fog. The bell cut an ominous figure swaying over the weathered wood. With a mighty swing, Ares clocked the ancient bell with its hammer. Charon’s bell broke the silence of the dark world and sent ripples coursing through the Styx.
“What makes you think he’ll come?”
Ares whirled around and saw the shade that had been Crow standing behind him. “Jesus! You’d think you’d know better than that!”
“Just curious. Why would you think Charon would come for you, Ares? You’re alive.”
“Not for much longer, I keep bleedin’ like this,” he said and ripped a piece of his T-shirt to tie off the hole in his leg.
Crow looked the injured war god over. “Do you think you can save her?” His mouth crimped in annoyance.
“Won’t leave here without her, mate.”
Crow nodded his head in satisfaction and rang the bell. “You’ll never love her like I do, and she’ll always know that,” he said and faded away. A coin glittered in the spot where his visage had been. With great difficulty, Ares bent to pick it up.
Charon came for him, and took him as close to the Tower of Hades as the Styx would allow.
The pair never exchanged a word. Charon shook his head with pity as he watched the God of War and Storms limp towards the looming skyscraper. The ferryman’s head turned towards the sky and he watched with curiosity.
Never had he seen anything like it – the sky moved, rolling with dark clouds. A loud clap of thunder and a flash of lightning erupted in a sky that had never changed before.
And it happened. Charon was staggered.
It began to rain in the Underworld.
2
The Underworld
Chateau d’Sommeil
Thunder woke Hypnos and the God of Rest dragged himself from the warm refuge of his bed. Drawn to the window, he drew the curtains open. He could not believe his dark eyes.
The water ran in rivulets down the window and he flinched as the sky lit up with lightning. His white fingertips stroked the lead glass, feeling the icy cold. Hypnos opened his window and the rain came tumbling in. Curtains danced in a mad fury, wind lifted his hair and whipped it into a frenzy.
Something has happened.
“Sojourn!” He hollered from his chamber. His wardrobe was flung open as he tried to hurriedly dress. Sojourn rushed into the room.
“What is happening out there?” She asked, her filmy robe trailing behind her as she raced about the room getting his attire together. Her large green eyes wide with fright from the strange storm, she handed him his pants and shirt.
He stopped and put a hand over hers. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this,” he said.
Hypnos pulled on a pair of riding pants and a dress shirt. Yanking his boots on while hopping on one foot, Sojourn tried getting him into his great coat.
“Nos! What is happening?” Sojourn repeated.
“It’s Ares, if I have to hazard a guess, and he’s mightily incensed,” he said as he pulled on the coat and a pair of gloves.
“Where are you going?”
“He’s going to need help. I can’t hide or run anymore, Sojourn. Try to calm the locals, this storm will pass,” he said and fastened his sword to his belt.
She held tight to his coat, he stopped and kissed her cheek. “It’ll be okay,” he said.
His boots rang on the wooden staircase as he tore down to the kitchen and into his stable. Incubus, his ebony stallion with fire red eyes and hooves of steel reared at the thunder. The horse was in a state of fright from the storm.
Hypnos spoke softly to the frightened beast and mounted him, riding towards the tower at full gallop. Rain came down in torrents and wind rocked the man and steed.
What has Hades done? His thoughts turned to the worst as he worried about what could have stirred Ares into such an effusive state.
3
The Underworld
The Tower of Hades
My hands are cold. Why are my hands so cold?
The last thing she remembered was sending Ares through the portal. After that, there was nothing but black. No, there was something else, she remembered a rough hand closing off her breathing.
“I told you I’d deal with you later, Clio, did I stutter or something?”
Her eyes peeked open to see him standing in front of her. Clio grinned stupidly at the red mark she had left on his chin.
“Now, we have to deal with an unresolved issue we have between us,” Hades said as he lightly slapped her cheeks to wake her up.
Clio came to her senses only to find herself shackled to a stone wall. They were outside in the cold. “Where am I?”
“Dammit, muse! Pay better attention!” The back of his hand rapped her across the mouth, harder this time.
Her face straightened up and she glared daggers at him.
His leather pants made a swooshing noise that distracted her while he paced. The gloves slapped repeatedly into the palm of his hand while he deliberated. Finally, he said, “On the counsel of my maddening wife, I gave your snot-nosed brat a gift of inimitable value! Which brings us to the here and now. This gift has caused me nothing but nuisance.”
“Hades, I… ”
“Shut up, Clio, in my court you are not to speak unless asked a direct question. Is that understood?”
Her arms throbbed with ache as she stared at the ground.
Wham!
Her head rocked from the force of the back of his hand across her cheek.
“That, for those of you who weren’t paying attention, was a direct question! Do we understand my rules yet?”
“Yes,” she mumbled and winced, fearful of a repercussion. She breathed heavy through the mouth, willing herself not to cry.
“Now,” he began but was cut off by a crash of thunder. His expression twisted to the sky with wrath flashing in his eyes.
A bolt of lightning licked the ground close to the tower and lit up the area for miles around. Clio dimly realized they were on the tower’s roof as she took in her predicament. The ledges were unguarded, and there was only the one wall she was chained to, a censor with hot coals, and a torch burning on either side of her.
Her features colored with hope as it began to rain.
“We’re not done here, historian,” Hades said as he stalked off and she lost sight of him. Possibly, into the hole that led up to the roof.
Her face turned towards the wet sky. Rain ran like tears off her pale cheeks. It was impossible. It was ridiculous. Only one man would cause such a spectacle.
Ares.
4
The Underworld
Outside the Tower of Hades
A sinister smile played on Ares’ lips as he heard them whispering his name, trying to frighten the God of War.
“C’mon out, ladies, if it’s a fight you’re lookin’ for, I’m right here.”
“You’re hurt, Ares,” Alekto giggled through the trees, her blonde curls bouncing up and down with her mirth.
“Not so badly that I can’t still take the three of you tarts on,” he said and reached for his Glock.
And came up wanting.
His eyes widened at the loss of his weapon, without the pistols it made a more even playing field.
“Just my bloody luck,” he muttered.
Tisphone knocked off an arrow in his direction. In an effort to dodge it, he hopped on his bad leg and landed in a heap upon the dirt. She grinned at him.
“What’s wrong, Ares? You look upended,” Megaera sneered.
The storm rocked the sky as a bolt of lightning hit the tree Tisphone was using for cover. It toppled over, causing a shriek to emit from Alekto’s lips.
Meg smiled broadly at him. “You want to play magic games? We can play magic games.”
Blue flames erupted from Ares’ hands and he beat them out on the dirt where he sat.
The sound of the horse caused Meg’s gaze to jerk up from Ares. Incubus rode toward them with Hypnos’ pale figure atop him. “Tisphone,” Meg said and gestured towards the God of Rest.
Tisphone cocked her bow and let an arrow fly at the beast. It stuck Incubus in the left flank, causing him to rear up and nearly toss his rider. His eyes wild with pain, the horse clawed at the air and dropped back down again.
Hypnos dismounted and unsheathed his sword. “Megaera!” He cried.
With a fascinated smile, she tossed a glowing blue orb from her hands in his direction. It punched him in the gut and sent him flying back, but he maintained his balance.
“Never thought I’d be happy to see that nancy-boy,” Ares groaned. He pulled himself to his feet and made his way to where his eyes had fixed on the extra sword on the mount.
Alekto defended Megaera by engaging Hypnos in a sword fight, her eyes glittering murderously. Her bouncy ringlets and baby blue eyes belied lightning-fast moves. The rain came down in sheets, the wind pushing against Ares as he made his way to the horse.
Tisphone’s aim had given up in the windstorm and she abandoned the bow. She moved towards Ares, trying to reach him before he reached the weapon.
Clawing at his arms, she forced him to turn around and face her. Tisphone brought a knee to his crotch and he moved too fast for her, his elbow catching her in the chin. Tisphone cried out and Meg was there in a flash.
Another of Meg’s blue orbs flew in the direction of his shattered breastbone, knocking his wind and sending Ares flying back into the horse. Tisphone followed him to catch him while he was down.
The war god’s searing skin punched into the horse from the force of Megaera's magic, causing Incubus to rear up again. Steel front hooves sliced through the air, catching Tisphone in the head and rendering her unconscious.
Ares got his wind back and he pulled the sword from the sheath attached to the saddle.
Alekto held her own against the enraged God of Rest. She mocked his unpracticed parries and thrusts and gaily dodged his feeble lunges.
“Ooh! That was close! Do you practice with that antique retainer of yours or what, Nos?” Alekto giggled.
This goaded him into a series of tiring slashes that she easily countered.
Lightning struck the tree Meg had backed against. She skirted the tree and set Ares’ shirt ablaze with blue flames.
With a fierce snatch, Ares ripped the burning shirt from his torso and lunged at her. A volley of her blue orbs came flying at him. Ares knocked them aside with his blade.
A bloodcurdling scream drew their attention away from their duel. Hypnos’ surprised face stared back at them. Alekto was impaled on the end of his sword. Her mouth opened in a surprised little o.
The air crackled with The Grim’s fury as her hair rose with the power inside of her. Her eyes lit with the blue glow that colored her flames and her lips moved in silent incantation. The witch was murderously enraged.
Hypnos closed his eyes and waited for the worst.
“Maigret, stand down.”
Meg stopped her spell, her hair relaxed, and her eyes returned to black, they searched the area for the source of the command.
Julian stood beside the fallen Tisphone.
Megaera stared in disbelief. “Dr. Mercado?”
“You heard what I said. You’ve caused enough trouble for my family,” he said.
The Grim dropped her gaze.
“Take your sisters and go home, Maigret, stay out of this business.” Julian pulled Tisphone to her feet.
Meg pulled herself together and closed the gap between her and the shade. “For the record, it was only business, Dr. Mercado, it was nothing personal.”
Julian reached out and touched the gold scroll pendant dangling between her breasts. “Well, I took it personally.”
“Julian, I…”
“I’m not asking for your help, I’m just asking you to pretend like you just missed them,” he said. “Everyone makes mistakes, right?”
“Everyone makes mistakes,” she mouthed silently, considering his request. Meg looked torn, lost even. She looked from Julian, to Hypnos, to Ares, and back to Julian again. “Right. I just missed them. Only for you, Julian, and we’re even.”
“Even?” A smile played at his expression, never setting down.
“I –” Her brow crumpled.
“Yes, Meg?”
“Don’t ever ask another favor of me again,” she said. Megaera put up a magical shield between her and the two Gods and hastened to Alekto.
“Are you alright?”
Alekto nodded and Megaera pulled the sword from the pretty demi-goddess. Hypnos still looked shocked at what he had done. The Grim helped the blonde to her feet, and put her arm over her shoulder.
Megaera slapped her, “Moron! I told you to quit playing when you’re fighting!”
Her beautiful, alabaster face with her empty black pools for eyes hissed, “You win – this time.” She lifted Tisphone over one shoulder and retreated with her injured sisters.
“I can’t believe I did that,” Hypnos finally said.
“I guess I owe you both,” Ares said. “Thank you.”
Julian stared after the Erinys.
“What the hell all that business with the Grim?” Ares asked, but Julian was gone.
The rain continued, thunder rumbling above. “What’s happened?” Hypnos asked.
Ares stared up at the tower, his neck craned to see the top. His face set with grim resolve, his body ached with his injuries. His gaze never wavered from the top of the tower as he growled, “Hades nicked the historian.”
“Clio? Why?”
“I’m gonna say it has somethin’ to do with that bleedin’ key.” His gaze finally turned back towards Hypnos. “Thanks for the sword, mate.” He labored towards the door.
“I should go with you,” Hypnos said and jogged to catch up with him.
“No. You’ve already gotten yourself too involved with the whole sticking your sword through Alekto thing. You’re gonna have troubles enough from that, you don’t want to get involved in this, Hypnos, believe me.”
“But… ”
“Stay here and guard the door, that would be a big help,” Ares groaned, his face dark with pain.
“You’re in no condition to take on Hades.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve had worse,” he said and went through the door.
Thunder shook the keep’s ancient walls and lightning lit the Underworld up like it never had been illuminated before. Ares’ storm threatened to tear the world apart if he didn’t find her soon.
From the top of the tower came an unearthly scream of terror.
Ares shot his gaze up the dark stairwell. “Clio,” he said and took the stairs two at a time.
5
The Underworld
The Tower of Hades
“You owe me, historian,” Hades said.
“I… I’m not dead, I’m not under your jurisdiction,” she stuttered.
Wham!
Her head rocked from another mind-numbing blow. “That wasn’t a question.” He paced in front of her, his blade in hand. “You flagrantly disregarded the gift’s intentions! You, in essence, stole something from me that was not rightly yours.”
Clio shivered, she knew what was coming.
“I can’t keep you here, but you are under my law until I am satisfied justice has been served.”
His furious expression terrified her. Thunder clapped loudly above and it made the wall behind her tremble. The storm raged on, only infuriating him more. “Do you know what we do to thieves down here?”
A question, her mind prodded, “No,” she sobbed.
“We take the offending appendage as a lesson.” He whirled around on her. “God damn it, Clio! I am supposed to take your hand! Do you understand the trouble you are in?”
Another question, “Yes, I do,” she replied.
“No, I don’t think you do! I don’t want to have to do this! You have left me no choice by coming back here!” He was teeming with rage now.
My hand? He’s going to take my hand? Clio felt her consciousness ebb.
“I spared you last time, but I can’t do that twice. You are an insolent, rebellious brat to have come back here!” His pacing grew tighter. He stopped, whirled around, and flashed something before her eyes.
The sapphire.
“No, you promised, you gave her back,” Clio said.
“The hand is quicker than the eye, muse.” The gem disappeared back into his pocket.
“Please, you can have me, Hades, but let my sister go,” she said. She’s still here, all of this and she’s still here.
“Send the War Bitch away and I’ll send for Hypnos to take the Wordsmith out of here,” Hades said. “This is between you and me, I don’t need him getting in the middle of this.”
Clio thought on it.
The machete cut through the air and missed her hand by mere inches. Clio gasped.
“Am I boring you? Send him away,” Hades ordered.
The torches were long distinguished from the rain and the censor filled with water. The rain had soaked her to the bone.
Warmth suddenly swept across her trembling form and she pulled her heavy, wet head up to make out the figure coming from inside the tower.
Lightning flashed and she saw him standing there, in the rain, sword in hand.
“Ares,” she whispered.
“No!” Hades boomed.
“Let her go, Uncle, no need to get in a row.” Ares straightened himself up and tried to seem in better shape than he actually was.
Hades lurched forward with the machete and brought it down upon Ares. The war god blocked it with his sword.
And it began.
The cracking and clanging of the swords was maddening and Clio wished she could put her hands to her ears. Her arms felt like they were being pulled from the sockets, her tiptoes could not find purchase on the wet roof and she was veritably hanging from the shackles.
Hades pushed forward, causing Ares to limp back, countering his thrusts and slashes. Hades was quickly gaining the upper hand.
“You shouldn’t have come back for her, Ares!” He snarled, breathing heavy with exertion and fury.
“I couldn’t leave her to you, now could I?” The weight on his injury was beginning to take its toll and Hades’ face was beginning to swim in his vision.
“You’re in no condition for this!”
“Don’t waste your concern on me, old man,” Ares retaliated and surged forward, the sword moving with lightning speed, forcing Hades back towards the wall.
Dragging his leg behind him, Ares kept the up onslaught until Hades’ back was against the wall. Hades blocked Ares’ sword and their faces were inches from each other. Teeth gnashing and growling as the men fought for control, the back of Hades’ machete pushed against his own throat.
“She’s innocent, Hades, she doesn’t know how to give up,” Ares argued for her.
“She stole from me!” Hades ground out. He pushed Ares back with a sudden burst of strength.
Ares slipped on the slick surface and landed on his ass, sliding back a few feet, losing his sword in the process.
A cold, thick wave of panic burst inside Clio as she struggled with her binds.
“Are you afraid for him?” A familiar voice asked her. Clio stopped her struggling and peered through her wet hair.
Crow stood before her. Her breath caught in her throat and it took her a moment to react. “Crow?”
“If I leave you chained to this wall, Hades will kill him,” he said.
Clio stared into his gray eyes and her gaze dropped to the wet roof and found the war god at Hades’ mercy.
“No, he won’t,” she said and with a shriek of determination, she squeezed her eyes shut and twisted her wet wrists in the iron manacles until she heard the dull crunch of her bones snapping. Clio slid down the wall, free of her binds and onto the muddy floor. Pulling herself up, she stood on unsteady legs and looked at Crow. “Nobody else going to die today.”
Crow looked from Clio to Ares and back again. He shook his head and turned away.
The muse ran to where Hades was stalking the fallen Ares and she dove for the war god. Sliding across the wet roof, she came to a halt in front of him.
“Hades, stop!” She cried.
The machete came down too late and bit into her right bicep. Clio covered it with her useless wrist and ground out, “Are you insane? Will you kill the son of your brother?”
She blocked the Dark God from Ares.
“Move aside, Clio!”
“No! I won’t!”
Clio’s silver gaze challenged Hades. Taking a deep breath, she held her trembling broken wrists out to him, blinking up at him in the rain from where she was sprawled before the war god. The blood in her left palm puddled in the rain, blood from where Hades had sliced her. Her violent quaking would not cease.
“Take it,” she said.
“What?” They asked her in unison.
“Take the hand.” Clio stared into his dark eyes. “Ares has nothing to do with this.”
Hades could only gape at the historian.
“Take it, you milksop,” Persephone spoke. She stood by the tower stairs.
They all turned in her direction.
Nobody saw Crow pluck Ares’ sword from where it lay forgotten by the ledge and place it beneath his hand.
Ares closed his fist tight on the hilt.
“She has made a fool of you twice now,” she said. Persephone’s white gown was sheer from the rain. Her thick, black hair hung like a cape over her shoulders. Her green eyes flashed wildly at him, lightning lighting up her pale blue skin. “Don’t be so weak,” she growled.
Hades looked back to the shuddering, soaked muse.
“A mortal’s soul for an Inspiration! You call that a fair trade? You have fallen for her games time and time again, Hades! Take her hand! Take her soul! I don’t care which, but the Keeper owes you something!”
Hades raised the machete over her outstretched wrists. Clio bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, but did not pull her hands back in.
“I don’t think so, mate,” Ares snapped and blocked the machete with his sword.
Jumping to his feet, the swordfight began anew.
Clio let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Her gaze flitted to the mad woman standing by the stairs and to the two men getting dangerously close to the unguarded edge of the tower. Too close, they’re too close.
Ares was driving Hades towards the ledge. The clanging of the metal was too loud for them to hear Clio’s shouted warnings.
“Ares!” She screamed and in an instant of understanding, they froze.
Hades’ heels were on the tower’s ledge. They were fifty stories up and the fierce wind from the storm threatened both their positions.
Hades’ eyes widened as he lost his balance, Ares gripped his shirt and hauled him back in.
Their faces were glazed with shock, their breath coming in gasps.
Persephone’s exasperated shriek came from her place by the stairs. With lightning speed, she rushed the two gods.
Beware Persephone, she is a viper, Nos’ warnings looped repeatedly in her brain. Clio was on her feet and running to stop her.
“All my planning, all my work, for what? That ridiculous war god to save him? It says right here,” she held up the lambskin scroll, “right here, that ‘at the beginning of the new millennium a muse shall bring about the fall of Hades!’” Persephone thrust it repeatedly in Hades’ surprised face from where he stood on the ledge. “The muse! I brought four of them here! Only she will destroy him! This was a promise!”
Persephone stormed up to her husband, looked at Ares and venomously hissed, “Do I have to do everything myself?”
Her hand shot out and she pushed Hades off the ledge.
“No!” Clio made a wild clutch for him and he grabbed her left arm and took her with him. The muse shrieked as she was pulled off.
Ares caught her right hand and dropped to the edge, bracing himself against the lip.
Persephone glared at them over the ledge. “Do you know what I had to do to set this up? I moved heaven and earth for this! I have spent the last seventy years trying to find ways to bring the Inspirations to the Underworld. Do you know how far you have to drive a muse to get her to come to the Underworld?”
“Ares!” Clio screamed. Hades was dangling from her broken wrist, which he held onto with both hands.
Ares had her with only one wet hand and he was losing his grip fast. “I can’t haul you both up, luv,” he strained.
“Julian and then Miranda’s husband, and then Miranda’s daughter and her husband! And then I replaced the grandson’s soul!” Persephone’s litany was wearing on them. She counted her ramblings on her fingers as she paced back and forth.
“Hades, use me to climb up,” Clio said, she was afraid she might soon lose consciousness. “Ares, grab him with your other hand.”
“Pet,” Ares groaned, “my other hand is what’s keeping us on this roof.”
“I even used that illegitimate son of yours, Hades! That was genius! I used your own child against you! Did you even know he was dying? Did you know your precious Chad was on his way here?” Persephone’s lunacy peeked through her sheer, sodden gown.
Hades stared at the two of them, Ares and Clio. With a sigh of resignation, he said, “I had no idea, historian.” His steady gaze flicked to Ares. “Tell your father about Persephone. She needs help.” They could still hear Persephone’s mad murmurings.
Clio’s eyes widened at what he was saying, “No!”
Hades chuckled, “I am a Childe of the Titans, muse, it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than a nasty spill to do me in.”
“No,” she sobbed.
“Well, I can’t hang around here all day. Take her home, nephew,”
Clio would wake screaming for months at what he did next.
He let go.
Clio closed her eyes from the sight and screamed. Dangling there, she reached up for Ares with her freed hand. He pulled her back onto the roof.
Her broken, trembling frame tumbled into his arms, which he wrapped fiercely about her.
With shaking hands, Ares stroked her hair. His gaze met Crow’s, and, silently, he mouthed, “Thank you.”
Crow touched two fingers to his brow and silently saluted Ares with a grim nod and slipped away.
Persephone cocked her head and began giggling at the wonder of it all. With a clumsy gait, she walked over to Clio and squatted down next to them. Little droplets of water glittered in her coarse hair like diamonds.
“The scroll was right,” she said, “a muse did bring about the fall of Hades.”
Clio punched her in the mouth with all she had left.
Persephone raised her eyebrow at her and wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. “Ares, take your nasty little muse and get the hell out of my Underworld,” she hissed and stomped away.
When Persephone was gone, Ares finally looked into her silver eyes, “I thought I’d lost you, luv.” His hands tangled into her hair.
“It’s been a bad day,” she said and rested her head against his chest. The rain tapered off and finally, stopped altogether.
They helped each other to their feet and shuffled out of the tower. After a long time in the stairway’s silent darkness, they emerged at the bottom. Ares did a circle around the tower, but could not find Hades.
“Do you think Persephone took him?” Clio asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied with a frown.
Clio slipped her injured hands into the comfort of her jacket and winced in pain. Something had knocked into her swollen wrist and she pulled it out.
Calliope. The sapphire reminded Clio of long Hollywood nights spent smoking cloves and drinking Southern Comfort. He had returned her sister as a final gesture.
Ares looked at the gem, confused.
“The hand is quicker than the eye,” she said.
