A Goddess Unraveled

~56~

This is it. This is really it. I'm doing this. I'm really doing this.

Lexi's thoughts assaulted her, making it hard to focus on breathing as she tugged Hades down the path toward the gorge. In a matter of moments, she would climb into a chariot with the god of the underworld and plunge into the depths of the earth. Or, maybe it wasn't that far down. She didn't know what the hell to expect. She was flying blind, trusting the word of a near total stranger while her heart and her libido pushed her on.

As the rocks of the gorge came into view, Lexi's confidence wavered, and she switched to autopilot, navigating the landscape by memory. For years, this place had been her playground, providing endless adventures and escape routes. Little did she know it would lead to her future, a future currently blocked by a fifteen-foot rock wall. A fitting obstacle for her reckless actions.

"How are you at rock climbing?" she asked Hades as she pointed to the stone monolith.

He smirked. "Would you like me to name all the mountains I've tackled? I don't think we have the time."

"Okay, smartass. Just try to keep up." Lexi planted a swift kiss on his mouth before starting her ascent. The climb was tricky, but the incline wasn't that steep, so she didn't bother to check on Hades's progress. She could tell by his soft grunts that he was doing fine without a coach. They arrived at the precipice in very little time, and once Hades pulled up next to her, they peered into the canyon at the river below. It had always been one of her favorite vantage points.

"Truly breathtaking," he whispered reverently, as if he were in awe. Despite the many views he must have seen in his lifetime, he hadn't lost his sense of wonder, and Lexi counted that as a point in his favor. She dragged her gaze away from the ominous landscape to stare into the eyes of her delinquent lover.

"Now what?"

He smiled and pressed his fingers to his lips, filling the gorge with an ear-piercing whistle. "Now, we ride."

He took her hand, and they watched the horizon together. Soon, a large shadow rose into the path of the sun. It took the shape of a chariot led by a team of horses, four abreast, their black coats shimmering like scarab beetles. The image perfectly fit Lexi's fantasies about the gods, except for the horses. Unlike Pegasus, they flew without the benefit of wings. Instead, their hooves pounded the air, and she imagined the spray of dirt flying off a racetrack. Lexi guessed they were Friesian, given their dark coats and strong musculature. Did they breed horses in the underworld?

Fighting to deny the magic unfolding in front of her, Lexi swallowed her uncertainty as the team approached. In fact, her eyes barely registered the flash of light that arced over their heads, assuming it was part of the show. It wasn't, and a clap of thunder boomed afterward, making her jump. The horses had the same reaction, and one of them reared up, jerking the chariot sideways and sending it careening toward the cliff where Lexi and Hades stood.

"Damnable Zeus!" Hades yanked Lexi down by her hand, and they dove for a fissure in the earth as the wheels of the chariot collided with the boulders just shy of their heads. "Hurry, Lexi. We don't have much time."

Leaping to their feet, they ran for the chariot, which had come to rest between two crevices of rock. The horses whinnied and tugged at their leads, probably to escape the fury of a pissed-off god. One female tossed her head like she was battling a swarm of bees, and Hades attempted to calm her with gentle strokes on her neck.

"Settle down, Misty. I won't let anything hurt you," he told the frightened creature. "Misty hates leaving the underworld, but she's my fastest horse."

Lexi made eye contact with Misty, giving her an unflinching but compassionate stare. "I know how you feel, Misty. I'm scared too."