I’d heard stories of bold men trying to escape these hallowed, unwelcome grounds, but they’d always rung a bit false. As if someone would come to the underworld with meat to ply the dog with. Having been here now, I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to come prepared for the eventualities that might arise.
Cerberus took another step forward, and that’s when I spotted it. A sight so beautiful and perfect I had to restrain myself from shrieking with delight.
The three-headed dog was standing in front of a door.
A door that would lead us out.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Seeing the exit was one thing.
Actually getting to it was quite another.
There were a few things I could see that were going to get in our way when it came to an easy escape. First, the bone hill had all but collapsed, meaning the door out was about fifteen feet up the side of a black rock mountain pass. Well out of easy reach and possibly too high to climb to if no suitable foothold existed.
Second, there was no way we’d be able to make a run for it, even if I could distract all three heads at the same time.
Lastly, I’d just shot the dog in one face with a lightning bolt, and all that had done was make it angrier.
Things were not looking great.
Yet I still felt buoyed. We’d gotten past Charon with only a cheap necklace and a promise I had no intention of keeping. Now all we had to do was get through that door, and we could kiss this stupid place goodbye.
How did people find this so difficult?
Had Hades really believed this was a challenge worthy of our forgiveness? And why had Manea agreed to it?
My hubris took a back seat to reality when the dog heads growled in unison and the middle one lowered itself towards us, one eye closed from my blast and its lips curled back showing teeth thicker than Leo’s legs.
Right.
This was where things got tricky.
“I have an idea.” Leo surprised me by speaking, his voice enough of a shock that sparks flew from my fingers in a small arc. Cerberus snarled at the sight, having no fond memories of the last time I’d shown off.
“Why don’t I like the sound of that?”
“Because between the two of us we’re really remarkable at coming up with bad ideas.”
Point taken.
“Touch it,” Leo said, as the head lowered closer. “Pull the energy out of me like before, and touch it.”
The suggestion bounced around inside my mind as I tried to rationalize it. In a world of endless possibilities, putting my hands on Cerberus ranked dead last in the things I wanted to do. I was pretty sure any part of me that touched the dog would be a part I wasn’t getting back.
But there was something simple to the plan, if inelegant, that sounded completely logical. I thought of the way the power had charged through him to me and made us feel tethered and connected, sharing the strength and agony.
If I could make all three heads feel the same thing, perhaps we’d have a chance.
“If I lose my hand, I’m going to be so fucking mad at you.”
“You’d lose the rest of your body that was attached to the hand too, judging by that thing’s mouth. I think I can deal with you haunting me.”
“I hate you.”
“Liar.” He smirked even as the monster’s head dipped and its snout aligned perfectly with my face.
Cerberus breathed deeply, sniffing at me, probably memorizing my scent for later torture if I ended up stuck down here. Peachy.