The Edge of Ruin

Chapter 4: Slay

"It brings unnecessary attention," Alex said, trudging over to the fire. "Put it out."

"It brings no more attention than the Spire itself does, princess," Ariadne said, tilting her head with a small smile.

"Leave it, Icarus," Taylor said, shooting her a warning glance. He was right – they were spending the night together, they might as well try to get along. She huffed a sigh.

"I suppose you make a good point," she said, shooting Ariadne a glance. She still had a wry smile on her face, regarding Alex with sharp eyes. Pandora, however, sported a completely blank face, pinning Alex in place with her calculating stare.

"I suppose we do," Ariadne said. "Icarus, was it?"

"It is – I mean, I am," Alex said. "And you are Ariadne and Persephone."

Ariadne seemed pleased to find out that Alex already knew who they were.

"Pleasure to meet you," Taylor said, breaking the tension with a brilliant smile. "I'm Kharon."

"Kharon," Ariadne said, reaching out to shake Taylor's hand. "Ferryman of the dead. That bodes ill for us, I think."

Taylor brought her hand up to his mouth instead of shaking it, giving it a soft kiss. Ariadne's eyes glittered.

"My namesake was the Ferryman," he said, releasing her hand far too gently. "I am just a messenger. So fear not, I shan't be ferrying anyone to Hades tonight."

Alex rolled her eyes. Ariadne's laughter was like bells, high and twinkling. Pandora watched the exchange silently, but even she looked charmed by Taylor's performance. Alex turned away from the fire and peered outwards, to the inky black night of Tartarus. The Spire's light didn't reach far – the light produced by the runes was little more than a faint glow that illuminated a radius of a few yards around its base. The small fire broadened the circle somewhat, but even it had its limitations. Beyond it was total darkness – the silence of the night both a blessing and a curse.

"You won't be able to see anything," Pandora's voice startled Alex. She'd sidled silently up beside her, peering out in the same manner to their dark surrounds.

"I know that," Alex said with a slight bite. "I've been an Oneiroi for almost four years."

That seemed to catch Pandora off-guard. Alex glanced over to see that she was analysing her with a calculating expression, eyebrows raised. Alex thought she could see a glint of respect in her eyes.

"So you were here at the Second Fracturing, then?" Pandora said, tilting her head. She looked far more interested in the conversation suddenly.

"I was." Alex frowned slightly. It was not an event she liked to remember.

"Did you know Ceaneus?"

"I did." She didn't want to be a part of this conversation anymore.

"That's amazing," Pandora continued. "I would have loved to have known him."

She had a deep voice, and even though most of her face was covered by a thin slip of inky material that matched her cloak, Alex could tell she was excited about this new information. Loud laughter from the camp broke the strange atmosphere they'd found themselves in. They both turned to find Taylor regarding Ariadne with a dazzling smile, her head thrown back in laughter. She had one hand daintily set on his bicep, and he looked all too pleased to have it there.

"Typical," Alex sucked her teeth.

"He do this often?" Pandora raised an eyebrow. "Do you two have some sort of unicorn situation going on?"