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“Why is this one in particular yours?” he asked the largest of the harpies, the meanest looking one.
She turned eerie yellow eyes toward him, her open mouth revealing rows of tightly packed dagger-like teeth.
“A son of Apollo has a special place,” she hissed, saliva dripping from her chin.
Must be hard to speak with those shark teeth.
“In Hades, you mean?” Ere asked conversationally.
Inside, he was feeling more optimistic. Hades, the god, not the place, was known in Greek mythology as a shrewd, ruthless, but just ruler of the Underworld. He was a person Ere might be able to bargain with.
Not that he had anything to trade, but where there was a will there was a way. He’d figure it out when he got there.
One of the other harpies tried to pry Divina away from Andros’ body, but she refused to let go, clutching her male tightly around the neck, molding herself to his skin. The harpy pecked and clawed at her, but Divina was determined. She wasn’t budging.
Instead of answering Ere, the lead harpy barked at Divina, “Release him, puny human. Or join him in death.”
“Er…” Ere raised his hand for attention.
“Speak!” the harpy shrilled.
“Can we tag along?” he gestured to Divina, himself and Sorin.
Chewie woofed beside him, wagging his fluffy tail.
“And the dog too,” he added. “We’ve never been to the Underworld, and it sounds like such a lovely trip. There are five of you and five of us. Surely hitching a ride wherever our centaur friend is going wouldn’t be too much of an imposition.”
The harpies blinked at him with round eyes as if he’d spouted two heads.
“You want to die today?” the lead harpy growled.
Ere shrugged.
“Technically, one doesn’t have to die to visit the Underworld. The living can be ferried across the River Styx as long as they pay Charon. We’d like to come along and meet the ruler of the Underworld, Lord Hades. I’m a huge fan. He’s always been one of the most underrated gods, in my view. I’m fascinated by his brooding mystery.”
Ere could feel Sorin’s stare drill into the back of his head.
Okay, so maybe he was laying it on a little thick. But what he said was actually truth. It wasn’t everyday a mortal or immortal got to meet the ruler of the dead. Given his near-death experiences and reincarnation, Ere was morbidly curious about the afterlife.
If, in the process of retrieving Orpheus’ lyre, bargaining for Andros’ life, he also managed to learn something about his own resurrection, well, he’d call that a very productive day indeed.
The harpy shook her head.
“Stupid humans. Suit yourself then. When your souls depart your bodies, we will dine on your lifeless flesh. That is our reward for carrying you there.”
Ere swallowed. That sounded rather…violent and gory.
“I suppose that’s fair. But you’re not going to gnaw on us if we’re still alive, right?”
An expression of haughty disgust came over the harpy.
“We only eat dead meat. What do you take us for? Animals?”
“Course not,” Ere muttered and released a breath of relief. “Silly me.”
More loudly, he asked, “Does that mean our centaur prince is still alive? Given you’re not…munching on him as we speak?”
“Mostly dead,” the harpy replied, then narrowed her eyes.
