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"We've got to go back," I said, stepping away from the gate. Taylor grabbed my arm and pulled me back, my own strength unmatched to his own. "Taylor, let go. We have to go get her."

"If she's dead, she died for a reason. Don't go back there and get yourself killed." Taylor's warm brown eyes were sad, but determined. "Let's keep going. Mourn later."

That had been a common phrase we said to each other when we had been traveling the country alone, still searching for safety. If we had scraped a knee after a fall, or had a grumbling stomach, we would tell each other to suck it up, keep focused, and most importantly, keep going.

I wasn't so sure, but Taylor kept a firm grip on my arm and dragged me through the front entrance of the castle. We passed by a rich garden, the sweet aromas distracting me for a moment, a few plump fruit dangling off tree branches, just waiting to be bitten.

Something told me that if I bit into it, I would never leave this place.

I stared at the creepy skulls that decorated the interior of the halls—some human, some not. The hollow eye sockets and grinning mouths made me feel empty inside, as if they were expecting my soul to depart at any moment and my own head to join their own in a grim choir.

We paused in front of two large stone doors, black as night, writhing scenes of Punishment inscribed on the surface. Taylor released my arm now, only to take out his knife. It glowed brightly in the gloom. "Ready dude?" he asked. His face was pale, his hand slightly shaking. It alarmed me that Taylor—son of the famed Heracles—was afraid.

"Not even death will part us," I promised, nodding, holding out my own weapon, tracing the Louisville Slugger logo with my finger. "See you soon Dad," I whispered, just under my breath. I pressed my lips to the bat, feeling my heart clench.

We threw open the doors, and a cry left my lips.

Thyme was kneeling on the floor, her hair mussed, one eye red and puffy. Soon it would darken into a bruise. Only a few feet away was Thalia. It had to have been, because she had black spiky hair, crisp stormy eyes, and the trademark dress of the Hunters. And, of course—how could I not mention this earlier?—she had a bow in her hand, an arrow aimed directly at Thyme's heart.

"Ah, there you are." Only now did I notice the man on the throne. His black hair was ragged, and his eyes flashed with amusement as the doors slammed shut behind us. Skeleton soldiers dressed in Civil War uniforms barricaded the way. "Welcome brave heroes of Olympus. Welcome indeed."

Hades stood up from his throne, glancing over at Thyme and Thalia with little interest now that we had arrived. "So," he continued, circling around us. "You are the best they could scrounge up huh? How stupid are you to undertake a mission that would lead you to Hell's very depths?"

"Bravery may be thought of as blind," I replied, "yet rewarding to those who live to remember it."

"You must be Athena's boy." It wasn't a question, just assuring himself.

"Yes sir."

"You must wonder why your mother isn't talking to you now. You found you can't rely on your head huh?" Hades stopped in front of me, his face close to mine as he grinned wickedly. "Mother's abandoning you again."

"She cares about me," I said, gritting my teeth, staring straight ahead to keep my cool.

"Like she cared about your father?" With a snap of his fingers, a burst of golden light illuminated the space. When it cleared and my eyes had adjusted, I couldn't breathe.

"Dad." He was just as a pictured him, his hair still tousled messily, his eyes still warm and encouraging. My father glanced at his hands, not too sure if they were solid or not. Once he had reassured himself they were, he glanced up at me, smiling.

"Hey sport."

Tears erupted from my eyes. I tried to run to him, but Hades held out a hand. "Ah, ah, ah," he cooed. "No can do." He turned back to Thyme and Thalia. "Thalia, my dear girl. You have your chance. Will you take it?"

"What's he talking about?" Taylor cried. "Thalia, what's going on?"

"He says I'll get Inga back," she muttered. "A life for a life."

My heart dropped. Hades seemed to notice, because he pounced on the opportunity to make me squirm. "So, Alex," he said, gesturing to my father with one hand, to Thyme with the other. "Who will you choose? Your beloved father, or the girl of your dreams?"

I shouldn't have taken the bait. It was stupid of me to answer to it. "This is sick." My voice trembled. "Why do I have to choose?"

"I'm the god of the dead; its gets woefully lonely down here." Hades sighed, acting as though he were pained. "At least that monstrous mother-in-law of mine is gone, up to the mortal world with her daughter."

Thyme whimpered, and we locked eyes. I shouldn't have done that either. She made my knees weak. Next I flickered to my father. He stood stiff as a board, his hands clasped in front of him, showing no emotion but dislike for the god in front of him. "He's only a boy, my lord," Dad said. "Do not make him choose."

"He's nearly sixteen," Hades retorted, "and he was made with Ms. Brilliant. He's wise enough."

"May I plead my case then?"

This seemed to please the god. Yippee, I get to be tormented even further. "As you wish."

My father cleared his throat as he approached me, resting a hand on my shoulder. His touch was familiar, friendly, his scent relaxing. I felt like a child again, and that was a miraculously good feeling. "Well son, it's been quite a while."

"Daddy…" was all I managed.

"Cheer up sport. You still won that game six to five. You scored the winning run, remember?"

That had been a long time ago. "Yeah, I remember."

"Look at you. You've grown so big." He grinned, ruffling my hair with a hand. "I'm so proud of you. Your mom and I know what's been happening. We know what you've been doing, what you've gone through. The heroes of Greece have nothing on you."

And just like that, my dad had made up for years of being away.

"Dad, I love you," I blubbered.

"I love you too. So does Mom. We love you so much. Now, Alex, I'm dead. I've been dead for a while. The whole world has changed, and I'm in Paradise here. Your mother and I both are, since we fought for you." Dad waved at Thyme, who was sporting a bloody lip as well, her eyes welling up with tears as she shook with fear. "That right there looks like a pretty lovely lady. You're such a geek I don't know how you could've scored that."

"She's not mine," I admitted. "It never happened, unfortunately."

"Chin up sport. You never know. Moral of the story son, is that I love you, and I'll miss you, but we'll meet again someday, sometime in the future. Don't worry about me."

"That's not arguing your case," Hades roared.

"I didn't say what side I was on, did I?"

"Choose, Alex Newman," the god bellowed. "Choose or you condemn all of your friends to a painful death."

"Thyme," I said, my heart breaking as I said it. "I choose Thyme." And just like that, my dad disappeared, my shoulder still warm where his hand had rested upon it.

"And Thalia, do you?"

Thalia was still aiming her arrow at Thyme, her arms shaking now. I wasn't sure if she was going to be able to take the shot if she needed to.

"Don't do it Thalia," Taylor said. "Artemis needs you back. The other girls need you. Don't be reckless."

"But she was my friend."

"And you'll see her again, but not now. Don't kill a girl just to resurrect another. It won't work out. You'll hate yourself forever."

That moment Thyme burst from the floor, taking off running. Thalia didn't shoot her down. She bundled into my arms, grabbing me for but a moment before she realized she should be angry at me and swapping for Taylor's grasp. Thalia numbly walked over to eyes, eyes vacant. "Let's go," she whispered.

"Oh, but not yet," Hades said. "Three of you heroes came here. Now there's four. Only three go out." My mouth dropped. "Don't give me that face; I'm quite serious. I need some sort of payment for you lot wasting my time. A soul will do. Who's will it be?"

Thyme stepped forward. "I will."

"No," Taylor said. "I will. Thyme, you're the leader. It's your job to get Thalia out of here."

"You're both wrong," I said. "I am. Taylor, they need your skills to get out of here. Hades isn't going to let you go without a fight. He's a coward like that—he'll get people to fight you instead of himself." I whirled my bat. "I'll go for him."

"There is no way I'm leaving you behind dude," my friend said.

I pulled him into a hug. "I've got a plan. Wish me luck," I whispered in his ear. If this didn't work out, he would've lost me, and I him. It would have been like losing a brother, or a twin… Pollux… "All of you, go."

"Dude!"

"Go Taylor." I stared at Thyme. "So, Herb, this is goodbye." I smiled. "Nice to know you. Remember that I think I'm sorta maybe kinda loving you. Perhaps." I winked. "Now, Thalia, this was an incredibly stupid thing of you to do. You do not have Artemis' gifts now. Be careful." I turned my back on them all. "So Hades, it's just you and me then." Behind me I heard the doors slam shut. Never before had I witnessed a more ominous sound. I was trapped in the Underworld, alone, with Hades and a bunch of his minions around me.

"Ready to die little warrior?" he smirked.

"Indeed. However, I have a proposition for you."

The god of death looked intrigued, pacing around me, ghoulish cape flapping, petting his goatee with a hand as he thought. "Now why would I accept such a deal?"

"You said it yourself. You're bored. Think of it as a nice game of risk, only the odds are substantially in your favor."

"Go on."

I swallowed, trying to erase every bit of nerves that flooded my voice. My fists were clenched so hard, blood dribbled where my nails bit into my skin. I can do this, I thought. Keep calm. "It is one that you have known before yet has never been successful."

"Oh? By who?"

"Orpheus."

Hades' frowned.

"Orpheus tried to save his beloved by leading her back to the mortal world. I propose that if I do the same, and if I make it out with them, we both stay alive."

"And if you fail?"

"Then we both die and stay dead, and you can do whatever you want with my soul, fair trial or not." I knew this was my best shot at getting out of here alive.

"It is certainly a risk," Hades mused. "This may all be some elaborate ruse to humiliate me in front of my brothers."

"Never, my Lord," I said. "One as respectable as death should not be humiliated."

"Hm. Let's say I agreed to this. Who would you wager? Your father, or your mother?"'

"Neither," I replied. His eyes widened a bit, so small one wouldn't notice if not looking for it. "I wager Castor, son of Dionysus."

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