P. Hoover - Solstice

“Unlike you, I have other duties here in the Underworld.” Shayne lets go of my hand and shoves the side of the chair around, causing Minos to spin and face us. The drink flies out of his hand and crashes to the ground, and the air is filled with the sweet smell of alcohol.

Minos looks at Shayne, but manages to keep his face impassive. But when Minos’s eyes see me, they grow as big as the gold coins Charon collects. He half stands up, but Shayne throws an arm in front of me. “Sit down!”

Minos continues to stare at me but obeys the command.

“To what do I owe this honor?” Minos forces his eyes away from me, but his eyes dart back to me every so often as if he can’t control them. Minos gestures toward an empty chair, but Shayne stays standing, and I follow his lead.

“We can start with the escape attempts.” Shayne’s fingers are unclenched, but he shifts them around like they are prepared for battle.

I’m starting to wonder just what Shayne’s gotten into here. What he’s gotten me into.

Minos waves a hand. “A couple restless souls crossing the river. So what of it?”

Shayne grits his teeth. “Why are they crossing the river, Minos? They shouldn’t have anything to cross back for.”

Minos looks at Shayne and narrows his eyes. “You tell me, oh wise ruler of the Underworld. Why would anyone want to leave Asphodel?”

“They wouldn’t.” I can hear Shayne’s breath now, and his presence has shifted to something feral. “Unless someone’s been telling them to.”

Minos spreads his arms wide, palms up. “Why would anyone in Asphodel tell the dead souls about their past? And besides, as we’ve seen from the recent attempts, crossing the River Lethe only results in being devoured by the monsters.” His eyes shift to me again. I meet them, and he stares at me with such cruelty, I’m forced to look away.

Shayne moves in closer to Minos. “I think somebody’s trying to exchange souls. Trying to get people out of Tartarus.”

The silence that descends on the room is so real, it pushes at me from all sides. My heart is beating so fast, I’m pretty sure everyone both below and above ground can hear it.

Neither Minos nor Shayne looks away from each other. The heavy quiet is so oppressive, I feel like something needs to be said, and neither of them is going to say it.

“Nobody can leave Tartarus.” I’m not sure how the words manage to escape my mouth, but when they do, Minos turns his head and looks at me. Shayne leans away from Minos, and the silence is replaced with something even worse. Lies and secrets fill the air around us, so thick they’re like real creatures.

I’m trying not to look at Minos, but I see him still staring at me, and then he licks his lips. “So the beautiful criminal speaks.”

Criminal? He’s talking about me? I glance at Shayne and notice his fingers are now balled into fists. And I’m pretty sure by speaking, I’ve messed everything up.

“It’s not her fault.” The words come out of Shayne’s mouth slowly and clearly, as if he wants to make sure Minos doesn’t misunderstand a single one. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I’m smart enough to know now’s not the time to ask.

Before I know what’s happening, Minos jumps up from the chair and grabs me, pressing something hot and sharp to the softest part of my neck. It’s not cutting me, but it’s so tight, I don’t think I can breathe. Minos holds me like a vise with his other hand. And he spins me to face Shayne.

“You know the penalty for killing a phoenix.” Minos’s scratchy voice snarls in my ear, mixing with the sound of my pounding heart.

My eyes flash to Shayne, but he doesn’t meet them. He’s staring at Minos and looks like he’s ready to pounce on a kill.

“Let her go.” It’s a direct command, and the part of me that’s not worrying about staying as still as possible wonders if Minos will obey it.

Minos’s hot breath seeps into my ear. “You know the penalty.” And though I don’t think it’s possible, Minos presses the knife even closer until I feel it cut into my skin.

“Let her go. Now.”

I can’t believe how calm Shayne’s being, especially when I feel a trickle of blood moving down my neck. The knife is so close, I can hardly get air out, and my heart is pounding in my ears so loudly the room seems to spin.

“Consider this a direct order.” And Shayne is every bit the king when he says it.

I feel Minos’s muscles tighten, and I know he’s about to either slit my throat or let me go. In a single move, he shoves me away, lowering the knife, but not before slicing under my ear with the blade. Warm blood pours from the cut down my neck.

Shayne catches me, but still, he doesn’t look at me or talk to me. His grip is like steel, but it also fills me with comfort.

“She belongs in Tartarus.” Minos moves away, widening the distance between Shayne and himself. I think he knows he’s gone too far.

“It’s you who should be in Tartarus, Minos. If I need to come here one more time, I promise you that will be the end result.” Shayne turns his back on Minos. I’m not sure if this is a good idea, but Shayne is the king here. I try to convince myself he knows what he’s doing. And all I really want is to stop my heart from exploding and get out of here now. I try not to run, but Minos doesn’t follow us as we show ourselves out. The blond ghost man waits outside the door, but a single look from Shayne, and he doesn’t follow us, instead heading back into the glass room where Minos is. And it’s not until we leave the house completely and get down the hill that my heart slows down enough that I dare to speak.

“What the hell was that all about?” I’m holding a hand over the cut in my neck, but I still feel the blood seeping out. I want to stop and rest, but I don’t dare suggest it. If Minos really does want to send me to Tartarus for some unknown reason, I don’t want to help him.

We stop walking, and Shayne turns to me, taking a deep breath. “Minos is getting power hungry.”

I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head. “No! I mean the part about him trying to kill me and dump me in Tartarus. He said I’m a criminal. And yeah, I may not be the best person in the world, but I certainly haven’t done anything worthy of eternal torture.”

Shayne actually smiles. “No, you haven’t.”

“So what did he mean? Criminal?”

Shayne looks back at the house, which is still and haunting, and then back at me. “It means there are things I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t tell me? To Hell with that! I’m sick of hearing that!” I pull away from him and slam my fists down on his chest.

He grabs them and holds me. “Then remember.” For all the anger in my voice, his is a whisper. And I want so badly to know what he’s talking about. What secrets and mysteries lie in my past? Before I can stop it, the tears come, and I’m sobbing onto his chest. His arms are around me, and he’s stroking my hair. Holding me tight. Why does it seem like there’s so much I don’t know and no one will tell me anything?

We stay like that in Asphodel, and the ghosts avoid us. I’m not sure when I stop crying, but by the time all my tears are cried out, all I want to do is lie down and sleep. I don’t even want to find Randy anymore. I just want to find out why my life has gone crazy. But we still need to get out of this hellish purgatory and back across the River Lethe. Back to the safety of Shayne’s sanctuary. I don’t try to press him or question him on our trip back. I’ll figure out a way to get the information I need from him, because whatever it is, he knows it, and I plan to find out.