Meeting Aggie

9.

"I should have raised the shield from the very beginning. I apologize, Aggie. It was careless of me to forget."

"Don't beat yourself up. I still need it to hide me from anyone else possibly looking for me."

I sniffed the letter in my hand. It indeed had traces of wolfsbane on it, but the stink of pure angel with a hint of fairy was even stronger. The scent was similar to mine, so Sven must have handed him the letter directly.

"I don't think I'll be able to talk things out with my brother if he killed an innocent so casually." I sighed.

Apollo looked at me pitifully, but I scoffed at him.

"That just means I need to train harder, Apollo. I know I'm weaker than Sven, but that doesn't mean I should just surrender."

"I didn't say that, but I've taught you everything I know. If you really want to train more, you'll need to do it with Ar—"

"Out of the question." I said cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.

"I'm being realistic because I care about you, Agatha," he reasoned with me. "Today we had a slip-up due to our carelessness. It's crucial that you can defend yourself as much as possible."

Apollo had told me numerous times that Ares wouldn't care about training me in my original form, but I wasn't ready. Every visit I made to Olympus risked me getting exposed.

It didn't help that I looked exactly like my mother either. Anyone could tell I was her child down to the brown hair, light green eyes with yellow specks, and almond skin.

"Let me think for a second." I breathed out.

"Go ahead."

One of my options was to attempt using my angel and fairy forms alongside my witch magic. The problem was that I hadn't unlocked the first two.

Unlocking all my forms might not even prove to be enough, since it was all magic. I needed to be able to fight without magic too. My best option would be to train with Ares.

"I changed my mind. I'll do it." I sighed in defeat.

"Now we're talking. First stop, Underworld." Apollo smiled then grabbed me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

I usually loved when he did that, but in this moment, I knew his aim. I tried to pry myself out of his arms.

"Wait, why?"

"Because I don't have more potions."

"Apollo, I don't—"

He abruptly cut me off by teleporting us to the Underworld. In an instant, we found ourselves at the entrance, and I couldn't help but notice how much smoother the teleportation was compared to Olympus.

My gaze shifted ahead, and I was captivated by the enchanting sight of a river flowing with hues of dark blue.

"River Styx." I muttered in awe.

"You pick up quick. I'm a great history teacher, after all." Apollo preened.

"Shut up. One—I already knew. And two—I'm mad at you. But I suppose I'll need the potion."

Apollo playfully rolled his eyes at me, clearly thinking ahead. In the river, there was a boat and a skeletal man adorned with a beautiful purple cape.

"There's our ride." Apollo said.

I looked at him like he had grown seven eyes. I shook my head at him.

"I can't do that. I get seasick."

"That's utter bullshit. 'Seasick' isn't in an angel's or fairy's vocabulary." He chuckled.

"Alright, fine! I'm terrified of being in the water. There was a mishap during training with my father, and I nearly drowned. Since then, I've steered clear of any water-related activities."

When I was six years old, my father gave me another one of his rigorous trainings. The training was to cast a spell to breathe while underwater. My mind wasn't mentally prepared to cast magic without incantations during that time.

I attempted it multiple times, but I failed to notice I was slowly losing consciousness. Water entered my lungs, and I blacked out. I thought I was about to die, and it was a terrifying feeling.

Naturally, I could hold my breath for half an hour. But it was harder to keep air in my lungs while casting. My father pulled me out of the water and cast healing magic on me.

"You didn't have to lie, Aggie. You need to tell me these things. I feel like an asshole." He caressed my face and kissed my forehead. "I'm here for you, but the ferry is the only way to get to Hades' Castle. We can't teleport past this point. Do you want to wait here?"

"Yes. Wait. Uh. No. I-I'll go."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll go."

The only semblance of beauty in this desolate place was the serene river. Everything else in our surroundings sent shivers down my spine, and I couldn't shake the unease that gripped me.

I had no idea how long he would be gone, leaving me alone in this eerie environment. Apollo and I boarded the boat, met with the unwavering gaze of the skeletal ferryman.

"Charon, my boy!" Apollo turned on his godly charm.

The skeletal man extended his palm, emitting a discontented hum.

"Can I get a free ride?" Apollo asked as if he knew the answer.

Charon emitted a growl in his direction, causing me to cast a displeased look at Apollo.

"Don't you have any spare change, Mr. Moneybags?" I quipped, earning a gasp from Apollo.

"Don't give me that look, Aggie. The Underworld and Olympus operate on two different currency systems. I may be swimming in riches up there, but down here, I'm practically broke."

I looked down at my necklace. The leaf I had gotten from the ancestral tree was humming inside. I took it off from around my neck and placed it in Charon's hand.

"Is this enough?"

Charon grasped the necklace and hummed in contentment. He shook his head and gave the necklace back to me. His voice sounded rugged and rough as he spoke.

"You must possess remarkable character tohave received the blessing of the ancestral tree. I can sense the significanceof its leaf in your presence, my dear. Your selfless sacrifice will be foreveretched in my memory."