Charon's Quest

Chapter 20

The next day, each Underworld god to lay eyes on Charon gawked at his aged and decrepit state and asked, “What happened to you?”

“I was punished by Zeus for refusing to steal the helm,” he said to each of them.

He was touched by their pity and wished he could reveal his secret, but he kept his oath to Zeus. No one must know the truth.

Thanatos was especially kind when they first met on the boat. The god of death felt he was to blame for the ferryman’s troubles.

“At least I’m not dying anymore,” Charon told him. “It’s an improvement to how things were.”

“What of Matilda?” Than asked.

“I’ll visit her until her final days.”

“Will she accept you as you are?”

“She’s a witch, remember? She can use a glamour spell to make me more…palatable.”

“I see.”

* * *

Later that day, Hades summoned the ferryman to his palace.

When Charon appeared in the doorway of the throne room, his lord said, “I’m sorry that this was your reward for your loyalty to me. I can’t make it up to you, I realize, but perhaps there’s something I can do.”

Charon lingered in the doorway. “It’s not necessary, my lord.”

Hades was sitting on his throne, and now he crossed one leg over the other. “Even so, I want you to take the new moon, too.”

Charon crossed the room to stand before his lord. “What?”

“You could visit your sweetheart twice a month, for as long as she lives. Wouldn’t you like that?”

“You want me to take the new moon and the full moon?” Charon could barely contain his excitement.

“It’s not nearly enough to thank you for what you’ve endured for me and for my kingdom.”

“Thank you, Lord Hades.”

Hades stood and grabbed Charon’s shoulders. Now that Charon’s back was bowed with old age and his bones were thin and frail again, he was no longer as tall or as broad as the lord of the Underworld.

“Thank you, Charon, for your loyalty. I want you to know how much I value your service.”

“It’s my pleasure, my lord.”

* * *

In early April, Charon and Matilda lay side by side in Matilda’s bed after a night of lovemaking. It felt good to Charon to have his youth, beauty, and vitality restored while he was in the arms of his beloved. It felt good to hold her, to ache for her, and to never want to leave her side.

“What a pleasure it is to have you in my bed,” Matilda said. “Are you sure this isn’t a dream?”

He laughed and kissed her again. “It does feel like a dream, even to me.”

“It will feel even more like one when you teach me to fly.”

“I told you, we can’t draw attention to ourselves.”

She grinned. “I’ll convince you yet. You just wait.”

“There is something on my mind, though,” he said somberly. “Not flying. Something else.”

“What is it?” she asked, leaning over him.

Her long curls cascaded over her shoulders and swept against his bare chest.

“Are you sure you’re okay with not having children? We can keep your immortality a secret, but to bring a child into the world, an immortal being…”

“I have enough children in my life,” she said before she kissed his cheek. “The cancer kids are my children. I’m devoted to them. You know that.”

“You never wanted any of your own?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. Anyway, it no longer matters. Just know I couldn’t be happier.”

“I think you could. You once said you wanted a normal mortal life. What will people think when years go by, and you still look the same?”

“Remember the glamour spell I used on Johnny?”

“How will that help?”

“I can live here for sixty years or so before I’ll have to move.”

He propped himself up on an elbow and stroked her hair. “You won’t mind moving?”

“Just think: I can help fight children’s cancer all over the world, until it’s completely abolished! If you don’t think that makes me the happiest girl in the world, then you don’t know me!”

He laughed with glee. “And what will you do when you’ve abolished all forms of cancer?”

“Move on to the next disease. And the next. And the next.”

He lay beside her again and held her in his arms. “I’ll follow you wherever you go, for however long you’ll have me.”

“Then plan to follow me forever, my love,” Matilda said before she kissed the ferryman once more.

The End

* * *

Charon’s Quest is a stand-alone novel that shares the world of Eva Pohler’s bestselling series, The Gatekeeper’s Saga. To read more about one of the most beloved pantheons in human history, visit Eva’s website. The first book in the series, The Gatekeeper’s Sons (“sure to thrill”—Kirkus Reviews), is free where all ebooks are sold.

www.evapohler.com

* * *

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“Great first book in the series! Loved the connection between vampires and Greek mythology. Can’t wait to see what happens next!” –Michelle Madow, author of The Elementals Series

For free ebooks from Eva Pohler in both young adult fantasy and adult mystery/suspense, including The Gatekeeper’s Sons, Vampire Addiction, The Purgatorium, The Secret of the Greek Revival, and The Mystery Box, please visit: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/e4o8n7

Here’s a list of all my books:

The Gatekeeper's Sons (#1)

The Gatekeeper's Challenge (#2)

The Gatekeeper's Daughter (#3)

The Gatekeeper's House (#4)

The Gatekeeper's Secret (#5)

The Gatekeeper's Promise (#6)

The Gatekeeper's Bride (#0)

Hypnos: A Gatekeeper's Spin-Off Series (#1)

Hunting Prometheus: A Gatekeeper's Spin-Off Series (#2)

Storming Olympus: A Gatekeeper's Spin-Off Series: (#3)

Charon's Quest: A Gatekeeper’s Novel