Page 41 of Hades

“Too?” Cain asks as he slides his empty glass in front of me.

“Do I look like a fucking bartender?” I quip as I hand him the bottle of Ambrosia from behind the bar. “Doesn’t look like Alastor and Reaver will be joining us.”

“And why is that?” Ash asks with very little inflection in his voice.

I take a moment to fix myself a drink and ponder my answer. I know it’s a shitty plan. I also know that Aradia should never be anywhere near Treachery. But the more I search, the less likely it seems there is anywhere we can go besides Treachery.

“Once I have Aradia, we will return here and continue to Treachery Prison. And before either of you can start with‘you can’t take her to Treachery,’”I mock, “it’s the only fucking option where Themis can’t get to her.” Without taking another breath, I down two shots of the god’s awful Skull Wine from The Firehouse. “Fuck, that shit is vile,” I add, slamming my shot glass down on the bar.

“No other option?” Ash asks.

“None. It’s a shitty option at best, but it’s the only one we’ve got,” I admit.

“And exactly how are two banished and one demon going to waltz into the Heavens to do this?”

I’m about to tell them we barely have a shot at coming out of this alive when Alastor and Reaver walk in.

“Correction: three banished, a demon, and one unfallen,” Alastor declares as he and Reaver stand at the bar.

“And we’re going to take the portal gate Ash and I found as kids,” Reaver adds as he holds out his hand and motions for the bottle from Cain. “And we should pretty much go now, because I’m fairly certain shit’s about to get real at that gala.”

Grabbing four glasses, I reach over, snatch the Ambrosia bottle from Reaver, and fill the glasses to the brim. I take a moment to look at the four men before me. I have known each separately for thousands of years, yet I can tell you almost nothing about them now. But here they are, willing to put their lives on the line to help me get back the woman I love. There is a huge amount of emotion and respect for these men, although I find it hard to say the words.

I hold up my glass, look each one in the eye, and give them a nod. They don’t need the outpouring of emotion any more than I do. “To fucking up Themis’ plans!” I yell, hoping the bitch hears me.

“To fucking up Themis’ plans,” they all repeat in unison as we clank our glasses together and down the drink of the gods.

~

The five of us stand at the base of the ancient, long-extinct tree, looking up into its dead branches.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I say, trying to see what Reaver is pointing at. “Who puts a portal in a fucking tree?”

The only thing I’m worried about is coming back with Aradia. We’re going to have to climb down, possibly even jump. She can do it, I remind myself. My girl can do anything. Gripping the petrified bark, I’m up and standing next to Reaver in a matter of seconds.

The portal to the Heavens is nestled between two ancient trees that twisted together. When I investigate the portal, I’m surprised to see the same swirling black liquid as in the basin. It’s already started its transition, and within seconds, I see the room beyond. There is no need to ask how it works. It’s a portal, we all know how it works.

I hesitate only momentarily, wondering if I’ll even be able to exist in the Heavens. I’ve been banished, after all. But really, what does that mean? It’s been thousands of years since I stepped foot there,. and Aradia has been human for so long that there was never any reason to try.

The moment I step through, I can feel Aradia’s pull, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. But it’s the lack of my power that has me concerned. Apparently, being banished is just another meaning for having my rightful powers bound in the Heavens. With or without them, I’m getting Aradia out of this place, even if I die doing it.

I take a moment to glance down into the portal to make sure that Reaver and the others are behind me. Cain emerges first, then Ash, followed by Reaver, and finally Alastor.

“I never thought I’d see this shithole again,” Asher says as he takes in the room around him.

“We need to do this quickly,’ I inform them. “I’ll get Aradia. But as Reaver said, Themis is up to something. Ash and Cain, take the gala and see what you can find out. Be discreet,” I add as an afterthought, because the five of us are anything but inconspicuous. “Reaver and Alastor, why don’t you look for the Arcs, see what the fuck is going on. We’ll rendezvous at The Firehouse.”

“Is splitting up the wisest move?” Ash inquires, and I can’t help but laugh.

“Probably not, but why start thinking now?” I joke, but the statement is true. This is hands down the dumbest idea I’ve ever had. Well, second dumbest, if I count taking her to Treachery. “If anything happens, just get out as quickly as possible,” I tell Ash and Cain. “I don’t want to be the one having to explain this shit to your wives.”

“If Kat didn’t have the pups, she’d want to be here,” Cain replies.

“I knew I liked her,” I say before heading to get my girl.

~

I round the corridor and head up the never-ending spiral stairs, taking them two and three at a time. I can’t afford to waste a single second. The feel of Aradia’s pull is stronger than ever, urging me forward. Reaching the top, I take a moment to listen to see if I can hear any guards or lost partygoers, but there is no sound other than my breathing. Reaver was right, something is off, but I don’t have the luxury of time on my side to investigate it further, at least not right now.

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