Page 17 of Dead End (Crossroads Queen #9)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Welcome to your new home,” I said. “Tartarus is far from Paradise, but it’ll have to do.”

Bossu’s gaze swept the area with a superior air. “I dislike this place.”

“Good, because this is where you’ll serve out your eternal sentence. If you were happy, I’d have to find alternative accommodations for you.”

To be fair, Tartarus wasn’t the land of gloom and doom anymore, although it wasn’t exactly a country club either. Libitina had worked tirelessly with Hestia and my parents to create a new kind of Tartarus. The inhabitants would be given choices as to how to spend their time, within reason, of course. There was an activities hall for those who enjoyed chess, Scrabble, or any other game that tickled their fancy. Nobody was forced to push a boulder uphill every day. Nobody was flayed while they were spread-eagle on a spoked wheel. And Enceladus had been freed from his chains and transferred to Elysium.

“Where’s the torture chamber?” Mars asked, sounding oddly hopeful .

Libitina wagged a finger. “We don’t do that here.”

Epona looked down her muzzle at me. “This is a surprising turn of events, I admit. I didn’t think you stood a chance.”

“The best doesn’t necessarily mean the most powerful,” I said. “You might want to remember that.”

“What happened to our collars?” Bossu asked.

“You don’t need them here. Think of Tartarus as one giant collar.” If Bossu had bothered to learn anything about other pantheons, he would know that Tartarus was designed to imprison gods like him.

“Miniature golf?” Feng Po exclaimed, catching sight of a flashing neon sign. “You said there’d be no torture here.”

“What’s torturous about mini golf?” I asked.

“Those tiny pencils for starters,” Feng Po said.

Mars expanded his chest. “I challenge you to a game.”

Fuchi eyed me with suspicion. “Why are you letting us enjoy ourselves? Is this a trick?”

“No trick. Maybe after a century or two, you’ll learn to channel your need for power into something more deserving of your energy.”

Dis looked at me. “And if we don’t?”

“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“Will it be a Bridge of Pain?” Feng Po asked.

I sighed. It was going to be a long couple of centuries.

But Fairhaven was safe. The realms were safe. Nabu would be free to return to Dilmun and rebuild it as the sanctuary it once was.

I hugged Libitina goodbye. “I leave them in your capable hands, queen of the underworld.”

“At long last, a realm of my very own. I promise not to let you down.”

Cerberus dropped one of his heads on the top of mine. Drool dripped down strands of my hair. “I’ll miss you, too, buddy.”

Libby scratched the hellhound behind an ear. “I’ll take excellent care of this one. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted a dog.”

I took one last look at the underworld, my former home. “If you need help…”

She broke into a broad smile. “I know, I know. Call Hestia.”

The Erinyes had promised to lend their support, as well as the newly installed judges of the dead. Libby wouldn’t be alone.

And now, neither would I.

I was barely able to stand by the time I returned to the Castle. Every muscle in my body seemed to cry out for rest.

Goran sat in the chair on the front porch, sipping a tall glass of iced tea. “I would get up and hug you, but your body doesn’t look capable of handling it.”

I dragged myself onto the porch. He offered me the remaining iced tea in his glass. “I’ll get my own, thanks. Where is everybody?”

“They left as soon as Chief Garcia told them it was safe to go home.”

I grimaced. “How messy is the house?”

“Everyone was respectful. They seemed excited to see the inside. There is a stack of business cards on the kitchen counter. People seemed to have a lot of ideas about what the house needed next.”

I snorted. “I’m glad you’re all safe. I was worried The Corporation would send a retinue to attack.”

“Oh, they did,” Goran said in a casual tone. “That’s why there are so many holes in the ground. That magic arsenal you buried… Well, it isn’t there anymore.”

I hadn’t noticed the gaping holes until now. “Was anyone hurt?”

“Not on this side of the fence. Everything worked exactly as intended. I don’t know who to thank or else I’d send them a gift basket.”

“I can give you their names.” I released a weary sigh. “But not right now. I need a shower and then a long sleep.”

“I bet. What will happen to the rest of The Corporation?”

“Otto and the Yanmen Army went to Paradise with Kami to restore order.”

“What happens to the ghost army after that? Do you stick them back in the vase?”

“No. Now that the curse is broken, I can order them to cross over.”

“What about the supernatural army The Corporation was building? Can you order them around, too?”

“I’m afraid they’re not in my domain. Kami, Darago, and Nabu are in charge of destroying the entire avatar program and relieving the supernaturals of their new powers.”

Goran flinched. “Sounds like a tall order. Can they manage all that alone?”

“Oh, they won’t be alone. I believe Kami described it as the inmates taking over the asylum.” There’d been so many deities and supernaturals in Paradise who didn’t support The Corporation’s expansion. Now they’d be able to build the peaceful existence they truly wanted. What was the point of living in Paradise if you didn’t enjoy it?

“I’m glad you’re all right,” Goran said. “I was worried I might never see you again.” Hesitation flickered across his features. “Kane hasn’t come back yet. Is he…?”

“Kane’s fine. He stayed behind to help the injured. They set up triage in the Devil’s Playground. ”

“Any fatalities?”

“Only the egos of our opponents.” Which was a miracle given what we were up against. Camryn’s tarot card reading had come to pass after all.

“You did it,” Goran said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I wasn’t sure you could pull it off, but I never should’ve doubted you.”

“ We did it,” I said. “It was a team effort, and now this team member is going upstairs to take a very long nap.”

Goran smiled. “Sweet dreams, Lorelei. You’ve earned them.”

The Castle was quiet. No creaking floorboards. No rattling pipes.

I didn’t like it.

Fortunately, I didn’t have long to wait for noise. The doorbell rang, and I heard Goran’s footsteps thunder down the steps to answer.

I stayed put in the kitchen, trying to decipher one of Nana Pratt’s recipes as I chopped an onion. Cooking would never be my thing, but I owed it to her to try. Besides, Kane would be here for dinner tonight, along with the remainder of his belongings. I wanted the meal to be special.

Claude filled a measuring cup with water and nudged it toward the bowl.

“Thanks, buddy.”

Goran appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Are those crows a permanent feature now? They give me the creeps.”

“I seem to have inherited them from Birdie. I’m not sure they plan on leaving.”

Goran shuddered. “They stare at me whenever I walk outside, like they’re waiting for me to put a foot wrong and swoop down to attack. ”

“I can talk to them if it would make you feel better.”

“Would you mind? I worry they sense my old form and might mistake me for supper.”

I doubted that. Crows and blackbirds typically didn’t get along, but the feathers of these crows didn’t seem ruffled when Kane shifted into his blackbird form.

“Who was at the door?” I asked.

“Oh, there was a delivery for you.”

I gave a cursory glance to the bundle of books stacked in Goran’s arms. “I didn’t order any books. Are they from the library?”

“I don’t know. There’s a note with them.” He set the books on the corner of the counter. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a Jane Austen fan.”

Slowly I lowered the knife to the chopping board as I took in the familiar spines. “These aren’t from the library.” Wiping my hands on a kitchen towel, I plucked the top book from the stack and admired the watercolor illustration of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. “They’re beautiful.”

“Stunning, and I’m not even into books.”

As I cracked open the spine, the note fluttered to the floor. I crouched down to retrieve it. My heart jammed in my throat when I recognized the neat, precise handwriting.

Dear Lorelei,

I took the liberty of purchasing a few new books for the library I lovingly built. Well, technically I gave Jessie my daughter’s phone number and Renee paid, but she has the money for this sort of thing, and she was more than willing when Jessie told her the books were for you. By now you’ll realize I won’t be there to enjoy them with you, but I hope you’ll think of me whenever you stop to admire them on the shelf.

Much love in this world and the next.

Ray Bauer

I laughed through my tears at Ray’s addition of his last name, as if I needed help to identify him.

“Everything okay?” Goran asked.

“Yes. More than okay.” I couldn’t wait to read them in front of a crackling fire. I pictured myself curled up against Kane with a book on my lap and a mug of hot cocoa with big, fat marshmallows on the end table beside me. Alicia would approve.

Goran seemed to notice my meal preparations. “I promise I’ll be out of your hair by five o’clock.”

“It’s no rush. Kane will have Josie with him to help with the boxes.”

“I can help, too.”

“I’m sure Kane would appreciate that.”

“I have a date tonight.”

I resumed chopping. “That’s great. Anyone I know?”

“Don’t think so. She isn’t local. Lives a couple towns over in Pond Eddy.”

“Human?”

“As far as I can tell.”

“Good luck, Goran. I hope it works out for you.”

He smiled. “A prince needs his princess.” He scratched the back of his head. “You know what? I take that back. I don’t need her, but it sure would be nice to have her.”

My phone vibrated on the countertop. It was the Team Fairhaven group chat. I immediately saw West’s name on the screen, requesting verification of the time and place of the next supernatural council meeting. Phaedra’s name popped up with an eyeroll emoji. Chief Garcia beat me to the punch with an actual response. This month was Otto’s turn to host, which made me happy. Otto’s house meant amazing food, expensive wine, and a musical interlude. If you had to gather together to discuss a town’s supernatural issues, you might as well make the meeting enjoyable. Without The Corporation or Lucifer to worry about, the meetings were less fraught now, although there was always the threat of the occasional monster looming over us because of the crossroads. Nothing we couldn’t handle though. At this point, we were all seasoned professionals.

The sound of the doorbell made me jump. I almost missed the ward. I still had one, of course, but now it was more of a basic security system. Visitors were free to knock on the front door or ring the bell without warning. Kane wasn’t enthusiastic about the change. After living in fear as long as he did, it was understandable. His paranoia would take time to subside.

I recognized the silhouettes through the beveled glass panel and opened the door.

“It’s hotter than me outside,” Gun said, striding across the threshold. “I hope your AC is working.”

“It’s fully functional at the moment, but no promises.”

Camryn held up a large bag decorated with shiny hearts. “We come bearing gifts.”

“What’s this for?”

“Open it.”

I reached past the tissue paper and pulled out two flat plastic objects.

“They’ll need to be inflated,” Gun said, “but we thought they’d make worthy additions to your moat. Your swan looks lonely out there.”

I held up a purple dragon and a unicorn with a rainbow mane. I eyed them both. “If you want to float in the moat with me, all you need to do is ask.”

“It’s already August and you still haven’t invited us,” Camryn said in a high-pitched whine. “The dragon is big enough for two riders. Just saying.”

I smiled. “Leo is always welcome at the Castle.”

“Good, because his day off is tomorrow and the heat index is supposed to hit ninety-seven.”

“Kane is moving in the rest of his things today, so we should be good to host lunch tomorrow.”

Gunther aimed his fingers like a gun. “I claim the unicorn. The demon can get his own ride.”

I felt a tug on my shoelace and looked down to see Claude. The revenant had taken the liberty of finding the air pump.

Cam tapped my arm. “You’ll never guess who asked me out now that I’m with Leo.”

“Vaughn.”

“Yep, and when I told him I was seeing someone, he had the audacity to say, ‘I know,’ which is clearly the only reason he decided to crawl out of his slimy hole.”

“Some guys will never change,” Gun said, with the sad shake of his head.

Camryn bumped his hip with hers. “Not you.” She looked at me. “As you know, I’ve decided on a career change, and before you get all, I can’t believe she’s changing for a man, let me stop you right there. I’m still going to be a mage and use my magic, but I’ve decided to get my license as a private investigator.”

Gun snaked his arm along his cousin’s shoulders and squeezed. “We’re doing it together. I’m leaving the guild, too, so we can form the La Fortuna Detective Agency. ”

“Leo even found us office space near the police department,” Cam said, her smile so wide that my cheeks hurt just looking at them.

Their announcement floored me. “That’s great. I’m so happy for you.”

“And now we can kill people in Fairhaven.” Gun snorted. “Just kidding. We decided to put our murdering days behind us and take a page out of your book.”

“What book is that?” I asked.

“Try to live a normal life. Have a solid, heathy relationship if I’m lucky enough to find one,” Gun said. “The midnight meetings have lost their luster. I’m entering my picnics and porch swings era.”

“He even bought an air fryer,” Camryn said. “If that isn’t a sign of domesticity, I don’t know what is.”

“It’s restaurant-grade. Very sleek,” Gun added.

“I look forward to sampling the results,” I told him.

“Out of the way. Heavy box coming through.” Gun and Cam jumped apart as Josie pushed her way through the foyer carrying a large box.

“I apologize on Josephine’s behalf,” Kane said, trailing behind with another box. “She’s grumpy about the move.”

“Some people don’t like change,” I said with a shrug. I whirled around as Kane continued up the stairs. “Don’t move my weapons trunk! I like it exactly where it is.”

Gun snickered. “You were saying?” He looped his arm through Camryn’s. “We’ll leave you two lovebirds to enjoy your romantic dinner with Josie. We’ll see you tomorrow. I expect those fully inflated by tomorrow,” he told the revenant.

Claude stuck up a gnarled finger.

Gunther’s brow creased. “Is that supposed to be a vulgar gesture? I can’t tell.”

Josie blew past us. “The more hands involved, the sooner I leave.”

I looked at the mages. “Surely one of you has a tarot card that can lift heavy objects.”

With a reluctant sigh, Gun tugged a card from his shirt pocket. “You’re lucky I adore you.”

Kane joined me on the porch as the other three walked to the truck.

“You didn’t scratch Gary, did you?”

“Your truck has exactly the same number of scratches as when I borrowed it.”

“How can you be sure?”

He smirked. “Josephine insisted on counting them. She tried to take photos with her phone to keep a record of them, but I told her that wouldn’t be necessary.”

I observed the dozen boxes still in the back of the truck. “We should probably help them, right?”

He slid an arm around my waist. “In a minute. Let’s just enjoy this moment.”

I arched an eyebrow. “The moment of letting our friends do the heavy lifting?”

“The moment of officially moving in together. Who would’ve guessed a demon prince of hell and a goddess of the underworld would find love in a small mortal town, yet here we are?”

Pops had only trained me in how to defend my life. He hadn’t taught me how to live it. That part I’d figured out on my own. “All’s well that ends well,” I said.

“End? No, no, my inamorata.” He tugged me into a tight embrace. “Our story is only just beginning.”