Sun-kissed Angel (a Solangelo fanfiction)

CHAPTER 10: DOORS OF ORPHEUS

Will

"Now what?" Reyna asked Will as they stood at the closed entrance in Central Park.

He wiped his sweaty hands. "I'll sing."

Will whispered a silent prayer to Apollo. Plucking the strings of his harp, he started singing the classic 'Sunshine over Delos'.

The ground rumbled. The rocks parted for him before he can start his solo.

"That was fast," Reyna mumbled. "That... That was the best music I ever heard."

Will shrugged her compliment good naturedly. "Nah. You should hear Dad's music. He's the god of music and all."

Reyna smiled a small smile before going down the steps, a flashlight in her hand.

She waved the light on his nervous face. "You coming?"

"Yeah. Wait for me!" He followed her.

Soon they were surrounded by darkness. The walls were so narrow, they were forced to walk closer together. He could hear Reyna's rapid breathing.

"This is getting narrower the closer we get to the Underworld," Reyna said.

"Nice observation there champ," he sarcastically replied.

If the Roman praetor took that as offensive, he didn't know. She didn't say a word.

It felt like hours of descending before the endless steps came to a stop.

Will bumped on the strong but feminine, rigid back of the praetor.
"Why did you stop?"

An angry growl answered him.

A gigantic, black Rottweiler greeted them. He was crouched on the steps leading to Hades's obsidian palace.

Cerberus!

Apollo's sunny twinkies! He thought. I really need a restroom right now.

"Oh bummer," Will blurted in a faint whisper.

The semi-transparent beast stared at them with its blood-red eyes.

Reyna raised her shaking hand at Will. "No sudden movements."

Cerberus bared his razor sharp teeth, while it made a show of shuffling himself as its chain collars made a tinkling sound.

"Are...you great with dogs?" He half-whispered to her.

She eyed Cerberus warily and said nothing. She let out a shaky breath.

Will locked his knees to keep him from crumbling to the ground. "Oh gods... You aren't. We're doomed."

"I'm a horse lover. Dogs are not my type.. " she hissed at him.

Cerberus's claws raked the steps. The two of them winced.

Reyna pulled out her gladius. "We'll fight then."

"There's a thing as diplomacy okay. We won't go all Sparta on him."

She glared at him. "This won't be necessary if you didn't eat the cake you humbug!"

"Hey! You ate too!"

Cerberus's eyes were on them.

Her gladius morphed into a javelin.

"You stink. You know, that Octavian kind of coward smell."

He whipped his head at her. "I do not...How dare you!"