Pickup Styx (4 page)

“Not Holden. He wouldn’t go to the Underworld no matter how cute you are, and if he did, he’d attract more trouble than he would help. Paolo said Corbin is the only person he knows who has traveled to the Underworld and made it back out. If I’m not mistaken, he also has a soft spot for you.”

Cheney would hate it, but he also couldn’t argue with the fact that if this was all true, Corbin was the best person to come with me. He was a vampire, thus already dead, and he might actually know where to go. It was almost too good to be true. “Cheney won’t like it.”

Sy smiled. “Corbin’s expecting you tonight.”

For the first time since leaving the cemetery, I felt hopeful. “Have I told you lately that you’re kind of great?”

“Just come back or Mom will never forgive me. Also, don’t trust the vampire. He’s your best bet for getting out of there, but if he agrees, it’s for his own reasons—reasons that have nothing to do with helping you.”

“That hardly seems fair, Sy,”

“What about this world made you think it would be fair?”

I brushed off his cynicism. Vampires weren’t known for being self-sacrificing, true, but Paolo and Corbin had always been nice to me with nothing to gain. I owed them at least the benefit of a doubt. I headed back to the castle, resolved not to bring this up to Cheney until I knew whether or not Corbin would even agree to come. A soft spot was one thing. Going on a pilgrimage through hell was quite another.

A table longer than two spans of my arms sat in front of me, covered with everything from books to scrolls to pieces of tanned hide. Yet, none of the ancient literature contained anything about how to get into hell without dying first. After reading about the trials I’d probably have to endure once I got there, I wished I could go in spirit form. It would be best to not take my body along for the ride. Burning rivers, ice, snakes, tests, torture, and I didn’t want to know what else—definitely stuff that would leave scars. I stretched and threw a crumpled up piece of paper at Cheney across the room.

“Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe Sebastian’s right. We should be looking for ways to bring me back to life instead of ways to sneak me in undead. Killing me might be the only way to get me there.”

“You know, I didn’t think it was possible, but I like that idea even less than the notion of you going.”

“She might be onto something.” Katrina dropped a large book down with a thunk and then set my grandmother’s Book of Shadows on top of it. “In here”—she pointed to the Book of Shadows—“I can only find a spell that will open a porthole to the Underworld, which really isn’t that much different than transporting, which she can already do.”

Transporting into hell would apparently kill me instantly, so until now it had been out of the question.

“However, in this other book, there is a spell for bringing the dead back to life.”

Cheney came over and read the spell. “This would work . . . if we had a necromancer, which we don’t.”

I sighed and dropped my head onto my arms. This was impossible. Necromancers were creepy and verged on evil. They only did magic that affected the dead. Where my magic created, their magic destroyed. Befriending a necromancer had never been high on my priority list.

“I’ll keep looking,” Katrina said with renewed determination.

“Wait,”—my head popped up—“I do know a necromancer. Well, sort of.”

“Where did you meet a necromancer? And how do you ‘sort of’ know one?” Cheney asked, slightly surprised.

“I met one when I was staying with Sy. She’s a bounty hunter. I can’t remember her name, but I bet he knows. And I say ‘sort of’ because I met her, but we didn’t hang out. She's kind of mean, but that’s normal for a necromancer.”

“This could work,” Sebastian said.

Cheney paced. “Are you kidding me? Selene can’t put her life in the hands of a dark witch she barely knows.”

“Yeah,” Katrina said with a slight grin. “Haven’t you seen Snow White?”

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. Cheney looked like he was about to flip his lid, which meant the other two should probably give him space.

I waved Sebastian and Katrina away and walked around the table. “It’s never going to be perfect.”

“You don’t know her at all—not even her name. How can we trust this woman?”

“Because we have to.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head over his heart.

“None of this is a joking matter.”

“I know, but sometimes if you can’t find the humor in things, all you’ll do is feel sorry for yourself—and who has that ever helped?”

“What will I do without you? When you became a changeling, at least I knew you were alive. I could still see you if I needed to. What happens if you don’t come back?”

“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.”

Cheney tilted my chin up so I could meet his eyes. “I’m serious. I can’t lose you. I’ve lost too many people in my life.”

I placed my hand on his cheek. “You will carry on because you have to carry on. A lot of people depend on you.”

“But who do I get to depend on?”

“You have me and Sebastian and Sy and my coven.”

“Those are your friends.”

“They’re yours too.”

He nodded, but his face stayed contemplative. I knew Sebastian’s betrayal had cut him deep. He was Cheney’s closest friend. We hadn’t discussed it further, but he’d been short with Sebastian ever since. I didn’t know how to make Cheney believe that Sebastian would always be there to help him. All he had to do was ask. I took a deep breath. “I found someone who has been to the Underworld before and made it out.”

Cheney snapped out of whatever thought he’d been having. “Who?”

“I’ll tell you as soon as I find out whether or not he’ll go with me.”

Cheney narrowed his eyes. “Why do I have the feeling I’m going to hate everything about this plan?”

“Because you are, but if it works, we’ll be free of all of this.” I kissed him softly. “Free to live our lives however we want.”

“If this works, I want more than that.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I want you to marry me—again.”

I laughed. “Isn’t breaking that bond part of what got us into this mess?”

“Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling us we should have had faith and stuck it out last time. So what is your answer?” He dropped down onto one knee. “Will you marry me?”

I knew Sebastian and Katrina were probably watching, but all I could see was Cheney.

“Of course,” I said without a moment’s hesitation.

I went to the Horse Head Pub to meet Corbin, Cheney at my side. I couldn’t convince him to stay behind, and honestly I hadn’t wanted to. No one knew how much time we had left together, so I wanted to spend the minutes we did have with each other. Not trying to out maneuver the other one.

“So who are we meeting?” he asked.

“Corbin,” I mumbled as I pulled him toward a booth.

“I think I misheard you.” He didn’t look amused. “It sounded like you said Corbin.”

“He’s been there.”

Cheney took a seat. “You can’t trust him.”

“I know.”

“He will use you.”

“I know.”

“Feed off of you.”

“Yes,
I know
. Trust me.” I took his hand. “He’s my best chance.”

“Selene, my pet, it’s lovely to see you again,” Corbin’s silky voice came from beside me, and his lips ever so softly grazed my cheek. “Erlking,” he said flatly, not bothering to look at Cheney. “Paolo says you need my help.” He smiled, his dark brown eyes glittering beneath his platinum hair. “Is the Erlking not fulfilling your needs?”

Cheney stiffened and I held back a sigh. “I need your help with a slightly more delicate matter.”

“Consider my curiosity piqued.”

I started to explain, but Cheney interrupted. “I have a question before we go any further.”

Corbin looked at him with a bored expression.

“Why would a vampire have gone to the Underworld? What purpose could you possibly have there?”

The carefully controlled, cool expression evaporated from Corbin’s face, and his eye filled with too many emotions to identify. He stood up. “It was good seeing you.” He started for the door and I caught his arm.

“Please. I need your help. Please listen to what I have to say.”

He glanced at Cheney and scowled. Then he looked back at me. “I’ll talk to you. Just you. He leaves.”

I nodded and stood so Cheney could slide out of the booth. Cheney’s face said that he didn’t like it at all, but he complied with Corbin’s demand. “Don’t do this,” he whispered in my ear.

“You know I have to,” I said.

“I’ll be at the bar if you need anything.” His face was a blank mask as he strode away. I hated that I was hurting him, but was dying any better?

Corbin and I settled back down. Humor was still vacant from his face.

“Why did he bring up the Underworld?” The fingers on his left hand twitched. “Whatever you’re into, get out of it now.”

“I wish I could. I have to retrieve the Pole of Charon or I’ll die. No second chances.”

He let out a slow breath. “What do you think I can do?”

I swallowed. I couldn’t ask him. “I need to know how to get there, what to expect, and any other information you think might help me.”

He nodded. “You want my advice? Don’t go. Stay here and face your death.”

I pressed my lips together and stood up. “Thanks for your time.”

“Selene—”

“I have less than four days to live. I’m not going to waste them here.”

“I’m sorry I can’t help you. I can’t go back there.” Corbin gripped my hand, something desperate in his eyes.

“Are you also sorry that you took away my last thread of hope and told me to lie down and die?” I yanked my hand from his and went to find Cheney. “Thanks anyway, Corbin,” I called over my shoulder.

So much for appealing to someone who’d been there before me. Back to the drawing board.

Our options had never been good, but now they were practically nonexistent. There was only one last person to appeal to, though it wouldn’t be easy or pleasant—my father. He was the only person I could think of who might have an idea of where to find a map or anything to assist Selene in the absence of a guide. Not going wasn’t a choice. There wasn’t a single fiber of my being that was willing to resign itself to the idea that in less than one week I would lose her forever. Selene was strong. She could make it through the Underworld. She had to because every other option was too terrible to think about.