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With a sigh, she looked at the maze beyond, where strange lights flickered beneath the thick mists. She knew that in its center lay the future she’d always dreamed of. And yet, despite her ambition, her gaze returned to Shadow. A man who still carried the scars of Charon’s betrayal. And despite the battle between her head and her heart, she knew she couldn’t subject him to the same fate again.
She sighed in frustration, realizing that perhaps Swindleton was right, after all. Maybe she just wasn’t cut out for this business. She glanced at Shadow to see him watch her silently, as if he studied her very soul.
Zoe’s cheeks burned, until she brushed a strand of her hair aside self-consciously. “What are you looking at?”
“You.“ Shadow broke into a soft smile, while his eyes gleamed in the starlight. “When I first met you, I thought you were just like the rest of your kind. But I’m beginning to think I was wrong. That perhaps there was a reason fate brought us together…”
As Zoe held Shadow’s gaze, a battle between her head and heart raged within her. She knew that no good would come from getting swept up in this magical world. That her loyalties to her work meant she couldn’t possibly stay in the Underworld. And yet, the longer she held his gaze, the more difficult it became to think straight. She forced her gaze away, towards the stars above, hoping to break the spell that had fallen between them.
“You’re missing the show.” Zoe watched as a spectacle of lights unfolded in the heavens above. “It’s a beautiful sight.”
A cold breeze caressed Zoe’s skin as Shadow’s gaze lingered on her. “Yes, it is.”
Zoe turned as Shadow drew himself closer, longing burning in his eyes. She drew a breath, inhaling his intoxicating scent, and marveled at his beauty in the light of the moon. As the winds carried the soft strumming of the guitarrón from the motel below, and the stars shimmered in the heavens, she realized she was powerless to keep fighting. The worlds of the living and dead might not belong together. But for tonight, she was willing to believe in magic.
Slowly, Shadow reached towards her, until their fingertips brushed, sending a shiver of anticipation running along Zoe’s spine. It was a touch like no other. A subtle caress of sensations, with a tingling coolness that danced along her skin like a soft breeze. It was a touch that blurred the physical and ethereal, a connection that stirred the depths of her soul more than any corporeal touch ever could. With a racing heart, Zoe closed her eyes, and leaned in towards him.
Zoe yelped as she was greeted by the lick of a slobbery tongue, and the snuffling of a wet nose. Well, that certainly wasn’t what she’d expected. She opened her eyes in surprise to see Cerberus appear in a puff of smoke, before the giant dog released a contented bark.
Shadow groaned in despair, before wiping his cheek from the dog’s slobber.
“Impeccable timing as usual, Cerberus.” Shadow’s eyes narrowed as the dog fetched a large object from the earth. “And what are you doing with a minotaur bone?”
Cerberus deposited the saliva-laden object at his master’s feet, before he barked expectantly.
“You’re like a dog with a bone. Quite literally…” Shadow sighed, before he turned to Zoe apologetically. “You’re welcome to join us for a game of catch, if you’d like? Unless you have to work?”
Zoe glanced at the motel in the distance, where her mountain of work awaited. But as the spectacle of lights unfolded in the heavens above, she broke into a smile.
“Actually, I think I’ll take a few moments to sit back and enjoy the show.”
Shadow’s eyes sparkled as Zoe gazed in wonder at the beauty of his kingdom. With a nervous smile, he retrieved a small silk-wrapped parcel from his pocket, and handed it to her.
“Here. Perhaps this will help you enjoy the view.”
Zoe unfolded the silk fabric carefully, before she looked in surprise at the object before her.
“A new camera lens? But…” Zoe drew a breath, left speechless by Shadow’s gesture. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Consider it a reminder to enjoy the magic in the world around you.” Shadow smiled as he gazed at the frozen panorama beyond, before he whistled to Cerberus. “Come on, boy.”
Zoe watched as Shadow threw the bone deep into the valley, before he and Cerberus played a game of fetch. As the canyon filled with Cerberus’ barks of excitement, she attached the new lens to her camera and took a photo of the beautiful panorama before her, finally able to capture its true beauty. The heavenly kaleidoscope of lights in the sky. The ruby-hued buds nestled in the frozen branches of the pomegranate trees. The golden lights of the will-ó-wisps as they danced in the air.
With a click of her camera shutter, she captured a photo of Shadow as he surveyed the beauty of his kingdom. Her gaze lingered on the light that sparkled in the darkness of his eyes, until her heart stirred in response. Because out of all the sights in the Underworld, it was the most magical of all.
13
The light of dawn seeped into the darkness of the bedchamber. As each ray of sunlight caught the frost-covered window panes, the room filled with an enchanting spectacle of light, until all was bathed in a golden glow. But despite the surrounding beauty, Zoe returned her gaze to her tracker with a sinking heart. She studied the readings she had made, each one hinting at the vast reserves of power buried within the Underworld. Readings that could change her life. Readings that could give her everything she had dreamed of. Readings that could destroy the Underworld.
Her gaze lingered on the maze in the distance. Ever since she’d stepped into the Underworld, she’d done everything in her power to gain entry and discover the power kept within. But the truth had been in front of her the entire time.
“Magic, huh? So that’s the source of the Underworld’s power?” Zoe sighed as she held the tracker towards the fluttering light held within the fish tank, until the readings spiked once more. “I always knew these readings were out of this world. I just hadn’t expected it would be so literal.”
Zoe watched the fluttering light, as she thought of the future she had always wanted. The promotion. The new office. Finally wiping that smug sneer from Swindleton’s face. And yet, her heart told her to protect the magic of the Underworld. To protect the lost souls and the spirits she had befriended. To protect him.
With a sinking heart, she opened the fish tank, until the light slowly fluttered out of its makeshift cage. She watched as it flew across the bedchambers, bathing the room in its magical aura.
“I’m sorry, little guy. If I’d known you were some kind of magical ghost fairy, there’s no way I’d have kept you cooped up in there.” Zoe opened the windows wide, until the crisp air of dawn blew into the chambers. “Well, I guess it’s time to rejoin your buddies, and do whatever you ghost fairies do… See you, little guy.”
