The Muses

Chapter 5

Flashback:

After tracking through the hottest damn place on earth, Death Valley is the perfect name for Hell to be in, I found the cave that leads you straight to Hades front door. My eyes flash a shiny gold, as I look both ways making sure I wasn’t followed, and then step into the cave. When I walk in I walk right up to the gates to my father’s manor in the middle of the Underworld.

The dark red house was surrounded by moats of lava and floating in the middle of a fiery pit, cozy to say the least. I take a deep breath, in and out. I need to be quick about this. I walk into the foyer and glance around. Father never liked change so the wallpaper was the same, dark red. There was a soft yellow glow from the candles lighting the room.

It seems oddly quiet. I try to listen for where Hades was or where Cerberus, his 3 headed dog, was. Nothing. I walk up the grand winding staircase to the second floor and I find his office. All this time, and not a sound not even my step-mom Persephone. I was able to go into the office and behind the glass of a casual white china hutch I see the blue crystal on a stand. I smile not realizing this is too easy and I slowly make my way to the hutch. As I open it I hear a low growl behind me and when I turn around I see my dad and his three- headed dog Cerberus standing by the door.

"Hi, dad." I say giving a small wave as Cerberus c***s one of his heads to the side and runs up to me excited. "Hey Cerby. How is dad treating you down here?" I ask Cerberus petting him.

"Anya. I wasn't expecting you here. What is going on?" Hades says putting papers down on his desk and looks between me and the crystal. "No. I told you before. You can not have it."

"Dad. She killed the pups. Every single one of them. She needs to be stopped. The Ember will work for me." I say as I slowly stop petting the dog.

"Your only half Hades. It won't do everything for you as it does for me." Hades says looking at me. "Here. Let us make a deal child."

"What kind of deal, Hades." I say slowly walking around his desk as he walks to the hutch grabbing the Ember and turning to me.

"I will give this to you, if you promise to do one thing for me." Hades really looks at me and I sigh nodding my head. "Anastasia, I want you to live. Go find your mate, go enjoy the world. Become one of the Muses like your suppose to as a daughter of the Big Three." The only thing my mother wanted from me was power and world domination. My father only asked me to be myself and be what I want.

"Dad, if doing that was so easy I would have done it already." I say looking down at the ground.

"It will be easier when you have killed that harpy and send her right to me." Hades says with a smile on his face. He now stands in front of me and grabs my right hand lightly placing the Ember in my hand. "Anya, please. All I ever wanted for you was to live life the way you saw fit. I never got to choose my destiny, but you can." I give my dad a very big hug and take a few steps back tears welling in my eyes. Hades nods once and with a wave of his hand I disappear in a cloud of smoke appearing in an darkly lit alleyway.

The cobblestone alleyway was wet meaning it rained recently. I look up at the building I am in front of and between the fog I read a sign, "Huh, The Haunted Moon. If only they knew how haunted the moon was." I quietly say to myself. I walk down the street a bit to the motel and I check into a room.

Once in my room I turn on a light and look around at the drabby motel room. The queen sized bed with pale red covers, the yellow wallpaper that looked more yellow from years of smoking than it being the actual color. The small 19 inch flat screen with basic cable. I look out my big window and look at the town I have appeared in. I have no idea where I am but I don't sense any paranormal beings. If they are here they are really quiet about it.

I see movement in my peripheral and I move my head quickly in that direction but I see nothing. I squint looking around trying to find what I saw move, hoping for it to be a stray cat or dog but I come up with nothing. That is enough excitement for one day, I lock my door and double and triple check that its locked and that the curtain is drawn over the windows. I lay and think about what Hades said and I think about why wait to live my life. I have the Ember now I can sit and wait for Maleficent to slip up and I can swoop in. I don't have to go searching for her. I look at my phone and I get my maps loaded with my current location.

"Huh, Washington. Why Washington?" I look back at my door and I pull up the website to the bar I was in front of. They are looking for a new bartender. Tomorrow morning I will go and apply.

End of Flashback