Kiss Me Undead

Chapter Twenty-Five || Hekate

Chapter Twenty-Five

Hekate

As the shadows receded, Riven stepped out of the void and turned to look at Reine. She was hunched over, holding her stomach as she tried to take some deep breaths. "It's always hard the first time." Riven commented. "You'll get used to it."

"What...was that?" Reine said in between breaths. She felt like she was going to vomit.

"I call it Shadow Walking, but the true name is Erebogeous." Riven informed the girl as he went over to her and placed his hand on her back. "Just breathe through it. The feeling will pass."

"Let's not do that again," Reine said as she stood up straight. She took one last big breath and slowly let it out.

"That's the only way to travel to the underworld. Unless you plan on dying." Riven removed his hand from the girl's back and took a few steps ahead of her. "If you're able, I'd like to get going."

"Where are we going?" Reine inquired as she looked around at her surroundings. There were large steel blue colored stone columns that were so tall it touched the cave ceiling. At the back of her laid a large river and to either side of her were piles up on piles of bones. Towards the front of her lay a cross road, leading off to who knows where.

"I'm taking you to meet someone." Riven informed her as he continued to make his way toward the crossroad. Once he reached the fork in the road, he took the road to the right. He could hear Reine's footfalls as she tried to keep up with him. "You need to learn to control your powers. If you don't, you'll end up killing someone."

Reine was silent for a moment as she recalled what she had done to her brother. "I wasn't trying to kill Jason. I just wanted to hurt him a little." The girl admitted as she finally caught up with Riven.

"Still. I would feel better if you learned control."

"When did you learn to control your powers?" Reine questioned as the two continued down the paved road.

"I've had a long time to learn how to control my gifts." Riven explained. "You have to understand Reine..." He breached the topic of his age. "I'm quite old."

"How old are you? You don't look any older than your late twenties or early thirties." Reine stated as she looked over his features. He was quite handsome. She had never had much time to take in his features. He had dark hair that reached the nape of his neck, piercing blue eyes that were down turned, thick brows, and dark stubble along his jawline and over his top lip.

"I was in my thirties when I died," Riven informed the young woman. "I'm over three thousand years old." He stopped walking and looked over at Reine. He wasn't sure if now was the right time to tell her the whole truth of who he was or what he was to her. She was already dealing with a lot. He didn't need to add to that.

"How did you die?" Reine asked out of curiosity.

"I'm afraid it's nothing glamorous. I served in the Trojan War. I died in battle." Riven told Reine.

"The Trojan War was real?" Reine asked, surprised by the news.

"Very real." Riven confirmed.

"Did you know Helen of Troy? Was she as beautiful as they say she is?"

A smile formed on Riven's lips. "She was a great beauty. Though I have to say your beauty far outshines hers."

Blush painted her checks from the compliment. "Thank you, Riven." Reine paused as she tugged on her bottom lip, thinking over what she wanted to ask him. "So, who are your parents? I mean...you said you were a Divine Child as well. I was just wondering which gods were your parents."