27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hawk

R aevyn's hand squeezed mine tightly as we followed the red-haired Reaper along the pier. Hades had been in the middle of ripping us a new one when I'd felt a spike in her fear. I'd never felt anything like it before. I fled the room, the others close behind, whilst Hades shouted at us to come back. There was no fucking way that I was doing anything other than saving Raevyn. She was my priority, my focus, and in that moment, Hades could go fuck himself.

Nox held her other hand and I cast a glance at him over the top of her head. His returning look was wary. We still hadn't told her what we'd done when we'd visited her mother topside. We'd returned to find the disaster left behind with Rook feeding from her, then she'd disappeared while she slept only to reappear screaming about a prison and a raven. Her Familiar had been shrieking and cawing like a mad thing and I'd almost killed it just to shut it up. If it had been any other bird, I would have.

It was currently sat on Raevyn's shoulder closest to me, clearly summoned by her grief, and it was only for that reason I wasn't thinking about how to murder it seven ways with my bare hands.

I tried to get a read on Raevyn's mind, but all I could feel was grief and a touch of guilt. My draguta felt guilty that her mother was dead. It wasn't her fault, but I could understand a little why she might feel that way.

It was cold down here and reminded me of the Depths. The sky was a perpetual sunset by Charon's pier, a constant reminder of the end of someone's life. That the sun will set on their mortality and rise again upon their eternal rest. They just had to be judged first.

I'd been sent to the Depths as a punishment. By rights, I should still be there and if it wasn't for my draguta I still would be. A bitter taste gripped my tongue as I thought about the suffering I'd endured because Hades had thrown a hissy fit. Perhaps I'd get some revenge on him eventually. Well, if I was lucky enough and the Fates were on my side.

As we got closer to Charon a soft chorus of low moans filled the air.

"What's that?" I asked.

"The souls of the sea," the Reaper replied sombrely and pointed to the dark waters. "Look."

I peered over the edge and saw ethereal shapes floating beneath the surface. A wave of misery so strong hit me and I had the sudden urge to surrender to the souls.

A hand hit me in the centre of my chest, halting my watery demise.

"Careful," the Reaper said. "Wouldn't want to fall in there. Not even Raevyn could save you from them."

I swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable. This place gave me the creeps.

"There she is," Raevyn said breathlessly and ran towards the boat.

"Don't let her off the pier!" the Reaper shouted.

Shit. I ran after Raevyn, but she was quick. I reached her just as she was about to jump into the boat. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I held her against me. She kicked and screamed but I held on.

"No. You can't go with them," I said by her ear.

"Mum!" she shouted.

Alice was stood towards the back of the long wooden boat, but she didn't turn around. Charon was part of the boat itself, his long frame disappearing beneath the surface of the water as if he were the rudder.

"Mum, please!" Raevyn sobbed, tears streaming down her face. My heart broke for her a little. I'd never really felt loss but I knew, if anything ever happened to Raevyn, I'd be inconsolable to the point my life wouldn't have meaning anymore. I wouldn't be able to live without her so I'd just stop living.

Charon lifted a bony hand from his wooden oar and tapped Alice on the shoulder. The boat paused for a moment and I thanked the Gods for this moment of grace.

"Raevyn?" Alice said, a little confused. "Where am I?"

"The River Styx," Raevyn said with a sniffle.

"Am I dead then?" Alice asked.

"Oh, mum. I…" Raevyn broke off, unable to talk through her grief.

"Do you know what happened?" Casimir asked as he came to stand next to me.

Alice's brow dropped as she tried to remember. "After you visited the baby came, but there were complications." She looked to Raevyn. "I don't think I survived long after she was born."

Raevyn turned to Korbin, her eyes wild with rage and grief. "You visited my mother and you didn't tell me?"

Korbin winced. "We were going to tell you; we just didn't get the chance."

"Pretty girl, don't waste your last moments with your mother talking about this. We will tell you everything," Nox said as he cupped Raevyn's face with his ink-dipped fingers. "Don't lose the chance to say goodbye."

"I'm sorry," Alice said softly. "I'm sorry for everything, sweetheart. I just wanted to protect you."

"I know," Raevyn said.

"Her name is Robyn. Keep her safe. Please." Tears streamed down Alice's face as she begged her daughter for something she had failed to do herself. "Promise me."

"I promise," Raevyn cried. "I promise."

Then Charon reached his bony hand out to Alice and turned her to face the direction of the river. Raevyn collapsed in my arms, her grief becoming too much to bear. I cradled her to me, hoping that she knew she was loved, even in her darkest moments.

I didn't know how long we stayed there, my arms wrapped around her, and the others stood close but when Raevyn's sobs quietened to whimpers, I knew it was time to get her home. "Rook?"

He turned towards me and instantly seemed to know what I needed.

"Give her to me. I'll portal us home." He took her into his arms, and she curled into his chest.

I placed a soft kiss on her forehead and stepped back, giving Rook the space he needed to portal them home.

"Thank you, Roux," Korbin said to the Reaper after Rook had left. "This means a lot."

"Any time," she replied before shaking Korbin's offered hand. "Don't linger. It's not safe for live souls."

"She's definitely alive then?" Casimir asked, his voice soft by my ear. I didn't think he realised that he was gravitating towards me more and more.

"Oh, yes," Roux replied. "I think her journey here unlocked whatever was buried inside her. There's something familiar about her power. Like I've sensed it before, but I can't place it."

I didn't know enough about Roux to understand how her power worked, but I knew she was the Grim Reaper whilst Thane was being investigated. That made her one of the most powerful creatures in the Underworld. Almost as powerful as Hades and he was a damn God.

"You wouldn't know how to get into the Isles of the Blessed, would you?" Nox asked Roux, a dark brow raised.

"The only way you're getting in there is by doing something ridiculously heroic. I'm talking Herculean feats, or with Divine permission," she replied with a snort. "And I don't see anyone giving you that."

"I don't know," I murmured. "I know a God who owes me a favour."

Four pairs of eyes snapped in my direction, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Who the Hell owes you a favour?" Nox asked, his grin wide and manic.

"That's for me to know." I smiled as I thought of the last time I'd crossed paths with that particular God. He was going to hate me calling in this favour, but that just made me want to do it all the more.

"What other secrets are you keeping?" Casimir asked, his eyes searching mine.

"Plenty," I said dropping my voice. "The question is, do you want to find out?"