Lexi's Undoing

~56~

Another thunderous crack had Misty squealing again, and Hades struggled to hold the mare steady. Lexi turned her face to the sky, searching for signs of the god responsible. Against the glare of the sun, she saw a shiny silhouette. It resembled a small aircraft, but she knew better. As the object drew closer, she recognized the distinctive shape of a chariot led by a team of white horses. Or were they silver?

Hades untied Misty and detached her lead from the team. "How good are you at riding bareback, Lexi?"

"I prefer bareback." She spoke as she kept her eyes on the approaching chariot, while Misty snorted into her hair. "Wait. Are you suggesting I ride Misty without a saddle a hundred feet above the ground?"

Hades's anxious expression didn't offer much reassurance when Lexi turned to look at him. "It's probably your best chance to reach the underworld. I'll distract Z while you make your escape."

"I'm going to the underworld without you?" she screeched.

"Don't worry. I'll be right behind you. Oh, and you'll need to recite a password before you pass through - fterá pagonioú. It translates to peacock feathers. Let me hear you say it."

Lexi repeated the words until Hades seemed satisfied, then he seized her by the waist and hoisted her onto Misty's back. The horse tensed beneath her, and she bent forward, caressing Misty's neck. Lexi already felt a kinship with the animal, probably because they were both scared out of their wits.

"Okay, Misty. It's just you and me," she said boldly.

Hades glanced at the sky and Lexi followed his gaze. Zeus had piloted his chariot close enough to give her a view of the tempest brewing in his eyes. She didn't see how an escape was possible, at least not without injury, but she would give it her best shot. Hades took her free hand and kissed the back of it, reminding her of the reason she was taking such a mad risk.

"I will see you on the other side," he said as he slapped Misty on the rump.

The horse bolted into the air without so much as a running start, and Lexi tucked in behind Misty's head, holding on for her life as they soared above the gorge. As the raging river twinkled below, she reminded herself she wasn't afraid of heights. But this was no ski lift in Switzerland. Lexi was viewing the earth from the back of a flying horse, a terrifying thought even to the bravest soul, and her breath caught when Misty circled back to head directly into Zeus's flight path.

"Hold up! That's the guy we're trying to escape," Lexi cried. But the horse was on a mission of her own, giving no regard to the furious god. As they approached Zeus's chariot, Lexi got a good look at his face, all stiff-lipped and crimson with rage.

"Lexi! Land that horse immediately or you will feel my wrath!" 

His threat made her think of a corny movie script, but the force behind his words had her trembling. Although Lexi had a few choice words she'd like to shout back, she chose not to respond. She also couldn't submit if she wanted to. She was at the mercy of her guide, and Misty wasn't sticking around for more commentary. She dipped below the lip of the gorge, carrying them away from the iron-handed god and making for a natural land bridge jutting out of the rock.

As soon as Lexi saw what they were aiming for - a narrow crack just below the bridge, her body froze. What the hell was she thinking? They couldn't squeeze through that gap. They were going to die. Was that how someone entered the underworld? Through death? Lexi's notion of following Hades home after knowing him three short days sounded more idiotic with every passing second, but the entire weekend had produced one crazy revelation after another. It seemed a fitting end.

"Don't be afraid, Lexi. Just hold on tight."

Hades was a little late with his reassurances as he pulled his chariot beside her. He didn't have to tell her to hold on tight. She'd been doing that ever since she mounted Misty the magical flying horse, and there was nothing anyone could say to keep the fear from paralyzing her.

"Hades! You will regret this for the rest of your days!" Zeus's shout echoed inside the canyon right before Lexi heard a - CRACK! The flash of light that followed temporarily blinded her and startled Misty, causing them to veer off course. 

Oh, gods! Zeus was going to get his own daughter killed, or seriously maimed, and Lexi stroked Misty's head, trying to calm them both. "It's okay, girl. Ignore the mean god and take us home."

Putting her faith in the horse, Lexi pushed away the image of smashing head first into the rocks. Instead, she pictured Hades holding her in his arms as he recited a poetic ballad meant just for her. If she was about to meet her doom, she wanted to have a pleasant image in her head, and she let her eyes flutter closed. She didn't need them to feel the canyon wall coming at her, blocking out the light and biting her skin with its earthy chill.

As Lexi spoke the password, an arctic wind enveloped her. Then all sound abruptly ceased. Only her own respirations and Misty's heavy panting filled the void. With a maelstrom of dread and panic swelling inside her, Lexi lifted her head from behind Misty's neck and ventured a glance at her surroundings. But there was nothing to see, only pitch blackness and a deathly quiet that made her skin crawl. The air felt crisp and glacial, but strangely, she wasn't bothered by it, and the shivers that swept across her arms were not accompanied by goose bumps. These went much deeper.

Was she dead? Was this dark, empty place her new home? Where was Hades? Had he been forced to fight Zeus for her freedom? What if he lost? A wave of guilt washed over her when she thought of what Hades stood to lose. Suddenly, Lexi felt very alone and very foolish. But there wasn't much she could do except hold on tight and trust in her magical guide.

PLAYLIST SONG: Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd