Page 16 of Hex
Through the portal, the landscape is completely different than where we were. The moonlight accentuates the fog around our feet as we walk through a thick marshland. Shallow water and moss or grass or something in a variety of greens and browns is the main color palette, plus…yes! A couple of homes. They look kind of like large shacks on raised sleeper logs with crooked wooden steps leading to off-center doors.
Tugging on Saffron’s arm that she still has linked through mine, I get her attention and nod toward the homes, trying to communicate with my eyes that we should run to one and ask for help. She shakes her head, telling me no, but that feels so defeatist and unlike what I know of her.
We can do this.
As we pass closer to the homes, I start yelling.
“Help us! Get Hack! The Horsemen!”
Not only do I yell, but I’m running too, with Saffron firmly in my grip because I won’t leave her with them.
Mr. Gorgon and the fenrir prowl toward us, fast enough to keep up with our run, but barely breaking a sweat.
We get to the first door and I bang on the wood, hoping that the light from the square hole in the side of the house—where a window would usually be—means someone is home. A woman answers, tall and lithe, all the grace of a queen, but her home is full of spider webs. She looks us up and down, then rolls her deep-black eyes.
“Run to the woods. I can’t help you.” Slamming the door in our faces is all the encouragement we need to bolt, because this is clearly a dead end and I really don’t want to get caught. He slapped me for asking a question…
It’s like they’re not even trying, enjoying the chase, but Mr. Gorgon and the fenrir are still prowling toward us at their leisurely pace, the promise of pain in their eyes.
The tall forest here is dark, almost black, with the trees shaped like a noble fir. It’ll be easy to get lost, especially considering I have no idea where we are.
“Where are we?” I whisper, continuing to lead us farther into the darkness.
“East Kohrye, I think. This is my first time too.” Her legs are still uneasy beneath her but we’re going as fast as our bodies will allow us, which isn’t as fast as I would like but it will do. “Over there.” She points. “Kyn.”
I see three bodies, all with hair that moves like Mr. Gorgon’s, which feels like it doesn’t bode well for us. If they’re his kyn, they’re not going to want to protect an anthros-witch-goddess and a faerie. Despite my hesitation, Saffron takes the lead in their direction.
“Please, help us!”
The three all turn as we get closer, and I realize they’re probably a family. The woman gorgon is holding a baby in her arms and a young boy with much tinier snakes than the others is holding the hand of the male gorgon.
A few feet away from them, our hopes are dashed—more like brutally murdered—in front of our faces. The female gorgon shouts, “Run!” right before her head explodes, quickly followed by the male’s head, and the next small silver exploding pouch lands beside the two headless bodies, blowing them up too, but missing the young boy, young gorgon, who is long gone, running through the trees. Another explosion lands in front of us when we attempt to run, then another and another, each blocking our escape direction.
The small explosions aren’t enough to hurt us, it seems they have to come into contact with the thing they’re trying to blowup, but they are enough to stop us from moving forward for fear of being hit.
That dash of hope I keep clinging on to is getting smaller by the day, and with the anger practically vibrating from Mr. Gorgon and his scary-as-fuck fenrir pal, I see pain in our future. My intuition and instinct are usually on point, although it was way off with the whole escape attempt, but this time, I know I’m not wrong.
If I had the time to give us a card reading, I’d have a much better idea what to expect, of how long this promised pain is going to last. Instead, Mr. Gorgon smirks, his human face distorted with the action.
“I have to say, thank you. I’ve been searching for an excuse to make you both bleed.”
Chapter Seven
Hack
“Remind me why we’re not going at demonic high speeds to get to your chosen?” Slash is like a fucking toddler on a road trip, repeating his own version ofare we there yet?until I feel the need to punch him in the throat, which would do nothing but encourage him to continue busting my balls.
“I’m still getting used to this jacked up version of my bond with Sage. I’m not in control of it and I don’t want to waste time hopping all over the fucking place to no avail.”
He grunts, still not convinced, but it’s not his call and he needs to shut the fuck up about it.
“Well, at least we’ve got a great view while we walk across the hippie lands of Narythia.” My foot accidentally—on purpose—clips Slash’s ankle just as he takes a step. He doesn’t fall but his sudden loss of balance drops his sex appeal a few notches.
“Asshole move but you can’t take a demon down.” He corrects his misstep with a weird jump and a spin like he’s inherited Michael Jackson’s soul.
“Keep your dick in your pants. I don’t need you to piss off the females that answer directly to Hekate.” My voice is low in hopesthat the Valkyrie, who are walking a few feet in front of us, won’t hear.
“I would never do that.” He side-eyes me like my accusation is outrageous.
