“How are you feeling?” Vasco asked, faintly amused.
His old friend looked like a mummy as he lay back in bed, covered in bandages. Andrew only shot him an irritated look at the question.
“Do you have to ask the obvious?”
“Yes,” Vasco replied. “Because someone refuses to listen to the obvious, such as not running straight into battle alone.”
Andrew at least had the tact to look away at the rebuke, though he did not seem to truly regret his choice either.
Vasco sighed at the recklessness he had tried time and time again to guide his friend away from. It worried him greatly, especially since Andrew would soon take his post here in the States on his own.
“Nothing to say in your defense?”
“We’ve been through this a dozen times already.” Andrew rolled his eyes. “Let’s skip the lecture. I’m an idiot, I know.” He grunted as he pushed himself from lying down to sitting back against the bedframe. “If it weren’t for that stupid pagan kid, I’d be drakon chow.”
“Andrew,” Vasco said warningly.
“Relax.” Andrew raised both hands. “I don’t have anything against the kid. But you and I both know what he is.”
“He is a child who has suffered great hardship,” Vasco said, giving him a hard stare. “And even after all that, the young man risked his life to save yours. I will not stand by and let such a heroic soul suffer.”
“I don’t disagree. Lord almighty, I’m grateful the kid saved me from that monster’s maw, but it’s not me you should be trying to convince.” Andrew shook his head. “The higher-ups will never allow it. Not even for you.”
“We have taken in a few before.”
“Legacies. Third or fourth generations who barely inherited a smidgen of pagan power.” Andrew waved a hand. “Even then, you know how the Church treated them. You know the rules, Vasco. Taking in a pagan-blooded child is arguably the second worst thing you can do, right behind adopting some godforsaken devil. It’s not like you to ignore the truth.”
Vasco let out a heavy sigh.
“I simply do not enjoy the reminder of how certain factions treat their own young.” Vasco grimaced. Too many times had he witnessed the barbaric and abusive treatment of children in his travels. To force a child who should have been enjoying his youth to make war or fend for himself was a sin far too many factions had normalized.
These were evils that, unfortunately, even someone of his status could not simply undo.
Yet that did not give him an excuse to turn away from them.
Especially not when one stood right in front of him.“It’s gonna be a clusterfuck.”
“You’re right,” Vasco admitted. “But even so, I must try.”
“You’re going to rile up both the higher-ups and the pagan deities something fierce if you take him in.” Andrew shook his head. “If the Church can’t officially take him, the old laws won’t be able to protect him. One of their fucking gods could come sweep him up like a sack of potatoes.”
Vasco tapped a finger against his thigh. “He seems to have no connection to them as of now. Leaving the States quickly might prevent any overt action from a god, as long as he can remain in Italy. Even if the Church doesn’t acknowledge him, staying there should offer some protection. No pagan god will dare attack Church territory. And I can fend off any mortal helpers or monsters they send.”
“You’re really set on this, aren’t you?” Andrew said, exasperated. “There’s a good chance the Fallen or Devils might try to use the boy if they find out you’re sheltering him.”
“I will not tolerate a child suffering because helping him is politically…” Vasco replied, a hint of anger bleeding into his voice. “Inconvenient.”
His longtime friend stared back at him for a long moment before sighing loudly.
“Fine!” Andrew dropped back onto the bed. “I’ll handle the paperwork and send out the messages. But you’d better explain everything to the kid. Even if he just sits on one of your properties, the Church is going to harass the hell out of him no matter what you say or do.”
Vasco’s lips thinned.
He was not blind to the issues and schisms that ran within the Church. His strength had earned him much respect in the eyes of his fellow exorcists, yet it had garnered just as much jealousy and wariness.
God had gifted humanity free will, which meant even those who followed Him could stray into sin.
All the more reason the heroism he saw today needed to be nurtured, not simply ignored.
“Of course. I planned to do so from the beginning,” Vasco replied as he looked out the window.
Hopefully, Percy would be willing to take him up on the offer.
A world like theirs was not kind to the young and ignorant.
—My head was pounding.
I kept replaying the same words over and over again in my head.
Mom was alive.
It felt like a dream. I could only listen numbly as Loki finished explaining that Mom was apparently in the Underworld. My first instinct was to dismiss it all as a trick. Loki was literally one of the most famous tricksters ever. I shouldn’t trust a single word coming out of this guy’s mouth, right?
[Quest Received!]
The blinking notification in front of my eyes seemed to say otherwise.
[Underworld Rescue]
Your mother, Sally Jackson, is alive and being held captive in the depths of the Underworld. Though she is not in immediate danger, her captor grows more impatient with each passing day. Should you fail to free her or earn her return in time, her life and soul may very well be forfeit.
Save Sally Jackson from her captor and escape the Underworld with her.
Reward:
[Key of Hell]
|Epic|
Whoever holds the Key of Hell may enter or leave any afterlife within the Underworld. No rule, law, or barrier can prevent the bearer from crossing into or escaping any realm of the dead. Should you die with this key in your possession, you may send your soul to any afterlife you have visited, with the choice being yours alone.
I needed to get to the Underworld.
There were a bunch of problems with that, though.
First things first, how the hell did I even… go to Hell? Next, the quest said someone had captured her, so I had to find out who. Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, I was weak. I was going to need to buff up if I didn’t want to become monster chow.
Loki’s fox form simply lay down, completely relaxed, while a dozen questions burned through my head. But I could see the smug look on his face.
“You’re not gonna tell me squat, are you?”
“Tell you what?” The fox stretched like a cat. “How could I know if I don’t even know the question?”
I gritted my teeth. “Who took my mom?”
“Can’t say,” Loki said sarcastically as he rolled onto his back.
This freaking asshole…
My nails dug into my palm as I seriously considered punching him. But then I looked into his eyes, and I could see the amusement staring back at me.
It was the same look those bullies at the lunch table had when they were trying to bait a reaction out of you. The annoying assholes who just waited for you to swing so they could get you in trouble.
Punching him wouldn’t help me get to Mom.
I took a deep breath and slowly unclenched my fist.
“Hoh!” Loki leaned forward. “I’m impressed. I thought all you Greeks were brainless fools, but it seems you didn’t inherit all of your father’s stupidity, at least.”
“What do you want?” I asked, my voice coming out a little more heated than I meant.
“Not completely brainless, but you still have much to work on.” Loki sighed as he jumped off the bench and padded over in front of me. “Still, rejoice, for I may yet find you glorious purpose in my service.”
“And if I refuse this ‘purpose’?”
“Feel free,” Loki said, utterly unbothered as he started to walk away. “Good luck trying to rely on the Church to help you enter Hell. Watching that blow up should be amusing in its own way.”
Another chittering laugh escaped Loki as he began climbing the stones of the courtyard wall.
Dammit… dammit… dammit.
I knew what he was doing.
“Wait!”
Loki turned back toward me, and I could see a devilish grin stretching across the fox’s face.
This was a mistake. But what other choice did I have?
I’m coming, Mom.