He’d already turned his attention toward the river, though.
I followed her onto the boat and said to Charon, “We may go.”
Instead of cutting across the river, Charon moved forward, heading down the wide, winding path of still, dark water.
“Where will this take us?” Seraphia asked. “Does it go directly to the Place of Memories?”
I nodded. “The Place of Memories is located in the middle of all the gods’ territories. It is truly a neutral zone. We are each able to access it by different methods, however, and mine is via the River Styx. Though I’ve never had cause to use it myself.”
“And Poseidon comes from the sea?”
I nodded. “The sea touches the Place of Memories, and he can walk up from the depths. Zeus will descend from the sky, and Athena can ride her horse across the plains.”
“What about me? Shouldn’t I have my own access?”
I looked at her, considering. “That is a very good point.” She was so much stronger than she had been, and one day, she would fully ascend as a goddess.
It would be magnificent.
Still, I didn’t know where her access would be. “For now, you will approach with me.”
She nodded and turned to the water, staring down into the darkness. A few moments later, she jumped, startled. “There are people in there.”
“Souls.” I leaned over to look, spotting one of the wispy white figures. “They have yet to decide whether they truly want to enter the afterlife.”
“So they just swim around down there?”
“I would not call it swimming, precisely. They exist in a state of indecision.”
She grimaced. “Sounds terrible.”
I shrugged. It was the way of things. Everything was terrible here, but a person got used to it.
As Charon punted us forward, the riverbank passed on either side, moving slowly by as the grass waved in the faint wind. We left behind Cerberus and the gate, the mountain that housed Lachesis, and the forests.
An hour later, Seraphia pointed toward the building that rose ahead of us, sitting high on a hill. “Is that it?”
I nodded. The temple was a massive rectangle, built of the traditional columns favored by the ancient Greeks. The gods built in the same way the humans had long ago, and this was a construction of their own making.
The sky was dark gray overhead, with the faintest glow of orange from where the sun fought to break through. Charon took us as far as he could, dropping us at the riverbank roughly a ten-minute walk from the temple.
“Thank you.” I disembarked, then turned back to offer Seraphia my hand.
After a brief hesitation, she took it, and I couldn’t help the sense of satisfaction that shot through me. Gracefully, she stepped off the boat and stared at the temple in front of us. The columns were as white as bone, symmetrical and stark against the gray sky.
A great chasm separated us from the hill, crossed by a narrow swinging bridge. She eyed it with trepidation. “We have to cross that?”
I nodded. “All must prove worthy to cross.”
“What the heck does that mean?”
“It is different for everyone, but you will see.” I turned to her. “I have faith you will be up to the challenge.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes. “It’s going to test my magic, isn’t it?”
“And your strength.”
“That’s why you trained me.”
“And because I want you to be able to protect yourself. To become the goddess I know you are.”
She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the bridge. “Yeah, yeah.” She shook herself, seeming to drive away whatever nerves she felt, then started forward. A half second later, she hesitated and turned back. “Actually, if I am going to face this risk, I want something in return.”
“What?”
She reached into her pocket and held out a small vial of potion. “This potion will break the curse of the pomegranate that you put on me. I will be able to leave your realm without feeling excruciating pain, if you bless it and give your approval.”
Shock lanced me. “That is possible?”
“Apparently.”
I cursed inwardly. I’d always assumed there was no cure, but that was my arrogance getting the better of me. “You have already agreed to do this with me. I will not make another concession. Certainly not one so great.”
She scowled. “I won’t go.”
“It’s too late now.” I gripped her arm firmly, but not hard enough to bruise. “Now come.”
She shoved the potion back in her pocket. “I’m going to get you to agree.”
“Not now, you’re not.”
She gave me a hard look, and