This is it. This is really it. I'm doing this. I'm really doing this.
Lexi's thoughts assaulted her, making it hard to focus on breathing as she tugged Hades down the path toward the gorge. In a matter of moments, she would climb into a chariot with the god of the underworld and plunge into the depths of the earth. Or, maybe it wasn't that far down. She didn't know what the hell to expect. She was flying blind, trusting the word of a near total stranger while her heart and her libido pushed her on.
As the rocks of the gorge came into view, Lexi's confidence wavered, and she switched to autopilot, navigating the landscape by memory. For years, this place had been her playground, providing endless adventures and escape routes. Little did she know it would lead to her future, a future currently blocked by a fifteen-foot rock wall. A fitting obstacle for her reckless actions.
"How are you at rock climbing?" she asked Hades as she pointed to the stone monolith.
He smirked. "Would you like me to name all the mountains I've tackled? I don't think we have the time."
"Okay, smartass. Just try to keep up." Lexi planted a swift kiss on his mouth before starting her ascent. The climb was tricky, but the incline wasn't that steep, so she didn't bother to check on Hades's progress. She could tell by his soft grunts that he was doing fine without a coach. They arrived at the precipice in very little time, and once Hades pulled up next to her, they peered into the canyon at the river below. It had always been one of her favorite vantage points.
"Truly breathtaking," he whispered reverently, as if he were in awe. Despite the many views he must have seen in his lifetime, he hadn't lost his sense of wonder, and Lexi counted that as a point in his favor. She dragged her gaze away from the ominous landscape to stare into the eyes of her delinquent lover.
"Now what?"
He smiled and pressed his fingers to his lips, filling the gorge with an ear-piercing whistle. "Now, we ride."
He took her hand, and they watched the horizon together. Soon, a large shadow rose into the path of the sun. It took the shape of a chariot led by a team of horses, four abreast, their black coats shimmering like scarab beetles. The image perfectly fit Lexi's fantasies about the gods, except for the horses. Unlike Pegasus, they flew without the benefit of wings. Instead, their hooves pounded the air, and she imagined the spray of dirt flying off a racetrack. Lexi guessed they were Friesian, given their dark coats and strong musculature. Did they breed horses in the underworld?
Fighting to deny the magic unfolding in front of her, Lexi swallowed her uncertainty as the team approached. In fact, her eyes barely registered the flash of light that arced over their heads, assuming it was part of the show. It wasn't, and a clap of thunder boomed afterward, making her jump. The horses had the same reaction, and one of them reared up, jerking the chariot sideways and sending it careening toward the cliff where Lexi and Hades stood.
"Damnable Zeus!" Hades yanked Lexi down by her hand, and they dove for a fissure in the earth as the wheels of the chariot collided with the boulders just shy of their heads. "Hurry, Lexi. We don't have much time."
Leaping to their feet, they ran for the chariot, which had come to rest between two crevices of rock. The horses whinnied and tugged at their leads, probably to escape the fury of a pissed-off god. One female tossed her head like she was battling a swarm of bees, and Hades attempted to calm her with gentle strokes on her neck.
"Settle down, Misty. I won't let anything hurt you," he told the frightened creature. "Misty hates leaving the underworld, but she's my fastest horse."
Lexi made eye contact with Misty, giving her an unflinching but compassionate stare. "I know how you feel, Misty. I'm scared too."
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