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“Couldn’t you just move? Make your home elsewhere?
“The specters here can’t venture beyond the River Lethe’s boundaries. And as King of the Underworld, I’m tied to this land. I’m… part of it.” Shadow’s brows furrowed in concentration, until gnarled and twisted vines grew from the earth below. “I feel its magic, its pain, its sorrow. I feel everything.”
Zoe glanced at the cold, barren landscape. As she gazed at the layers of frost and bracing winds, she realized Shadow wasn’t just tied to the land. It was a reflection of who he had become. A man who protected himself in the darkness, who was lost beneath layers of ice.
“So how can the Underworld wake from its slumber? How can it return to what it once was?”
Shadow plucked an object from the shadows, until a leather-bound tome emerged. He blew a layer of dust from the cover, revealing ornate gilded lettering underneath, and opened the ancient yellowed pages.
“That’s the motel guest book.”
“It’s more than a guest book.” Shadow gazed at the signatures that adorned the pages. “It’s a record of every lost soul I helped move on to the other side.”
“You helped all these people?” Zoe’s eyes widened as she took in the list of names. “But how?”
“These lands hold a special power. A power to remind people of what is truly important in life. I simply helped lost souls rediscover the magic in their lives, so that they could move on.” Shadow sighed as the signatures suddenly stopped, the pages blank. “At least, I used to. If I want to save the Underworld, then I must help another lost soul, before it’s too late.”
Silence descended between the pair. As Shadow looked mournfully at the wasteland that had once been his kingdom, Zoe followed his gaze. She studied the icicle-laden trees as they sparkled in the starlight, and watched the drifts of snow as they fluttered through the sky like butterflies. A landscape that was frozen in time, slumbering beneath the layers of ice and snow. The sight of the sparkling snow storm stirred something deep within her heart, until she reached into her satchel, and retrieved her camera. She angled her lens at the ice-covered vista before her, each snowflake shimmering in her cracked lens, before she clicked the shutter.
“What are you doing?”
“The Underworld might not look how it used to, but there’s still a beauty to be found here.” Zoe broke into a smile, despite Shadow’s suspicion. “I guess I just needed someone to open my eyes to it.”
As Zoe held Shadow’s gaze, a faint glimmer of light shone in his eyes. For a brief second, he returned her smile, until the two gazed at each other in the moonlight, as if seeing each other anew. But as the sound of the mariachi band drifted in the distance, Shadow cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Well, I guess we should head back. It’s never a good idea to leave Spooks alone for too long.” Shadow turned to leave, but paused before he spoke once more. “I should have known better than to put him on guard duty. It didn’t take you long to give him the slip.”
Zoe’s cheeks burned, until she glanced at Shadow uneasily. “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“We both know you had no intention of playing Hide and Shriek with the resident poltergeist.” Shadow’s eyes narrowed, his formidable gaze sending chills down her spine. “I know you’re hiding something, Zoe. I could tell the moment you arrived in this town.”
Zoe’s chest tightened as his gaze lingered on her.
“Then why did you let me stay?”
At this, Shadow broke into a rare smile.
“Because I know a lost soul when I see one.” Shadow glanced at the guest book in his hands, its empty pages gleaming in the light. “And maybe this town can help you live again.”
Without another word, Shadow walked into the darkness, leaving Zoe reeling with surprise. She glanced at the maze of thorns in the center of the Underworld, and knew that Shadow was right. One way or another, the Underworld held the key to her future. But as her gaze returned to the Shadow, she couldn’t help but think that her future might be a little more complicated than she’d expected.
9
As the light of dawn pierced through the veil of night, a hushed silence blanketed the Underworld. Ghosts and spirits returned to their slumber, the stars ended their light show, and even the cacophony of constant castanet-clacking ceased. Yes, all was still in the Underworld Motel, as residents returned to their beds, or graves. Which made it the perfect opportunity for one mortal to go snooping.
Zoe tiptoed across the bedchamber, wincing at every creak of the floorboard, while she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She’d had her fair share of sleepless nights in noisy motel rooms while traveling for work, but between the Phantom Fiestadores’ endless music, and Spooks’ impromptu trumpeting performance beneath her bedroom window, the Underworld Motel had to break some kind of record. She peered out of the window, to see the remnants of the festivities below. As she glanced at the colorful bunting, the party streamers, and the makeshift dance floor, she realized with surprise that it looked… fun.
She shook her head and forced the feeling to one side, before she studied the maze in the distance. Right now, she didn’t have time for fun. She needed to focus. As she returned to her sleuthing, she glanced at the repurposed fish tank, where the mote of light watched her curiously.
“Hey, don’t give me that look. I haven’t endured the horrors of Tartarus and Spooks’ trumpeting for nothing. I need to find the treasure of the Underworld, before it’s too late. And I’m betting there must be a key to open those gates around here somewhere.” A buzz of disapproval drifted from the flickering light as Zoe peered into chests and drawers. “Besides, Shadow said the Underworld exists to help people find their greatest treasure in life. Well, what could be better than being named as Mr. Gravesend’s successor? It’s a win-win!”
Zoe pulled open another drawer, only to yelp in surprise at its contents. Pairs of black silk boxer shorts lay before her, while Shadow’s masculine scent lingered in the air. Her eyes widened as she spied a pair of heart-print briefs, tucked away in the back of the drawer.
“On second thoughts, perhaps the King of the Underworld’s bedroom isn’t the best place to look.” Zoe pushed the drawer closed, while her cheeks burned in embarrassment. “Maybe I can take a look around the motel while everyone else is asleep.”
Zoe eased the door open, wincing at every squeak of the hinges, before she tiptoed through the silent corridors of the Underworld Motel. She glanced above her, to see Spooks perched on the wrought-iron chandelier in the central lobby, gently snoring as he swung back and forth. She watched as his lips curled into a smile and he giggled softly, no doubt causing further mischief in his dreams, before she descended the staircase and began her hunt.
She crept into each room, rifling through dusty boxes and ancient drawers for any sign of the key. But no matter how many nooks and crannies she searched, it was nowhere to be found. She sighed in frustration, only to draw a startled breath as something stirred in the nearby shadows.
