Page 70 of Gambling with Time

Alastor and a glamoured Cer moved over to the rocky area. We followed, and as we came up to the ledge of rocks the falls came into view, they were beautiful. People stood at the top and dove into the water at its base, surfacing and swimming to the edge only to climb back up the short hike to do it again.

“So what does it say about them?” Alastor asked. Cer bounced around in the water nearby, acting more like the dog he appeared to be than a fierce hellhound. I made a mental note to take him to the lake once all of this was over.

“It says that the portal opens behind them, you have to take a boat at sunset and go into the falls.” Lex looked down at the waterfall and out over the lake below. “Look, there is a lifeboat down on that beach. We can use that.”

A rowboat. If I had any part in it, we’d go in circles in the middle of the lake; I’d lived that day before. When I swallowed and cast my gaze around at the guys, Rai was smirking, probably remembering that day at the beach. Ty and I had rowed ourselves out into the middle of the lake but couldn’t figure out how to get back.

Raiden and my parents had called directions to us from the sand, but a park ranger had to come out and tow us back. I’d been mortified, failing so epically in front of my crush, it had been the worst day of my life. Then his teasing about it with me had been ten times worse than how he’d teased Ty.

“Just don’t let Sammy have an oar,” Rai said with a wide grin.

“Stuff it,” I grumbled and pushed at his unmovable chest as I passed him, heading for the lower beach.

His laughter followed after me, joined by the others when he explained what was so funny. Men. Who needed them?

Lex caught up and smiled over at me. “It isn’t that bad, he said you were like twelve.”

A smile attempted to tug at my lips, but I suppressed it. There was humor in the story, I knew that. I shrugged. “He isn’t wrong, I will make us go in circles in the middle of the lake. I hope one of you can row.”

“Alastor can,” he replied.

“Good,” I said, glancing back at the other three. They were all in good spirits after their shared laugh. “We have a few hours before sunset, I’m sure Cer will eat up the time in the water.”

CHAPTER 40

Alastor

Raiden and I squeezed together on one of the seats of the tiny boat. Each of us had an oar, while Bellamy held Samantha in his lap and Lex sat next to them. Cer curled up in the bottom of the boat at our feet.

A few beach goers watched us untie the boat and take it out, but none of them said a word to stop us. I wondered, though, what they would think when we just disappeared. Not that it mattered.

No, the only thing that did was save this realm and my own. Our powerful strokes cut through the glass lake. It was a brilliant orange with the setting sun, and you could actually feel magic in the air. It tingled along my skin as we rowed.

The waterfall didn’t look like it had anything but rock on the back side. “We’re sure?” I asked, my eyes set on the stone wall.

“We don’t have anything else,” Lex replied.

Raiden grunted, and I took my cue to paddle. One. Two. Three… on the fourth stroke, we were under the falls, drenched to the bone, our boat taking on water. On the fifth, we were through a portal on the other side. A shimmering black lake, as smooth as the one we had traveled from lay before us.

Samantha pushed her hair off of her face and wrung out her shirt, as the others did much the same. The black sand glittered in the unnatural light of the underworld. It was the opposite of Egypt in every way. Even the buildings were the same obsidian in the distance.

“I bet Osiris is in there,” Bellamy said, pointing at the large half castle, half pyramid behind a few smaller buildings.

“The key is getting there without being seen,” Lex said.

I nodded. We hadn’t been spotted yet, but that was just luck. We steered the boat to the dark sand, beaching it. On foot, we made our way toward the looming castle. The streets were empty, and I wondered where everyone was until we reached our destination and found everyone gathered outside the gates.

The God in question was on a raised platform, his booming voice encouraging the hybrids, calling them all to war, promising them things he would never be able to provide. Osiris commanded attention in the same way Hades did. And if he was anything like my father, he had a weakness.

We watched from the shadows as he rallied the troops. It was obvious he didn’t expect us here at this time. That was good. The element of surprise was on our side.

A small woman stepped next to him at his coaxing, and I narrowed my eyes on her. She was the weakness. If we get to her, we can make him do anything we want.

“You don’t belong here,” a dry voice said from behind us. I spun, gathering the souls to me, ready to take out the threat. The man held his palms out. “Neither do I.” He shrugged.

Samantha closed the distance, pushing the man against a wall, her dagger at his throat. He laughed.

“If you alert anyone to us being here, I will end you,” she threatened him.

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