AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do not think you can convince Hades to revive him. You will not succeed. This centaur is ours.”
The last she hissed threateningly, her long talons clawing into Andros’ shoulders.
With a sudden flap of her giant wings, she shot into the air with Andros’ prone body in tow, Divina still wound around his torso, clutching him tightly.
The harpy staggered a bit with the heavy weight of the mostly dead prince, as well as the extra cargo of Divina. Another harpy lifted off as well, coming to her aid by digging her claws into Andros’ back, taking half of his weight.
With resounding caws to signal their departure, the three remaining harpies grabbed onto Sorin, Ere and Chewie, each, and shot into the skies as well.
And that was how Ere found himself carted off to Hades by a band of overgrown vulture women.
He looked down at the plateau where Chiron and the centaurs arched their necks to peer up at him, their figures growing smaller and smaller until misty clouds obscured Ere’s vision.
Where was Hades anyway? Why were they flying toward it instead of digging into the earth or descending into the bowels of the mountain?
Wasn’t the Underworld, well,under?
He slitted his eyes against the wind and tried to see where they were going. North seemed to be the general direction. Toward the faint outline of a snowcapped mountain in the distance, whose peak was lost in a sea of clouds.
The sight reminded Ere of his and Sorin’s home in the Yukon territories. Theirnest.
Over the years, he’d furnished the place with more modern amenities. But there was never going to be reliable internet that high up in altitude. They didn’t even have a door to block out the winter chill, only a stubborn Labrador tea bush to provide some privacy.
Suddenly, Ere missed home with a vengeance. He missed the heat of Sorin’s body wrapped around him, inside him, in their luxuriously feathered bed. Sorin’s great flaming wings enclosing them both, keeping them toasty even in the harshest of snowstorms.
That was one of the many benefits of being Mated to a phoenix, the only one of his Kind. Ere would never be cold again.
Except…
As the harpies carried them to the mouth of the Underworld, an icy chill goosed down Ere’s back. And the sense of foreboding that had plagued him on and off ever since he took on the Jade Emperor’s quests loomed like a dark cloud overhead.
It wasn’t everyday a living being ventured into the realm of the dead. Ere hoped that he and his friends would be lucky enough to come back out.
He straightened his shoulders as much as he could within the tight clutch of the harpy’s claws. It was time to bring his A game. Time to charm the ruler of the Underworld out of Orpheus’ lyre and Andros’ soul.
And hopefully do it without losing his own.
