Canto 13 Abroad The River Styx

They ventured forward on the path to the dark waters of the River Styx. Verona relayed information to Keisha that the Styx scaled across the upper and lower area of the Illicit.

“In other words,” Verona said, “We’ve reached the first half of the Illicit.”

“So, we might be closer to my mamma?” Keisha exclaimed. Happy that she was one step closer to finding her mother, but the hope was dashed by the next thing Verona said:

“It’ll be dangerous the further we keep going.”

“What do you mean?”

Verona pointed her finger at the large and expanding sea. “The River Styx is a power surge for hatred. It’s where Shade—souls that are filled with negativity and grief—end up. If you succumb to their behavior, they can pull you in and drown you.”

Keisha swallowed the lump in her throat, and a chill ran down her spine. They headed down the hill to where a boat and a familiar face were waiting at the docks.

“Charon? You’re here; how?” Keisha gaped. The three girls walked on the port and into the boat.

“I am the ferryman, after all.”

Once Verona paid him, Charon set off along the calm sea of the Styx.

“You have made a name for yourself, Keisha Alighieri, and in such a short time. You are much like your father like I expected.” Charon told her. Keisha gawked at the gray-faced ferryman. She didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed or grateful.

“You know about my adventures?” She asked, wondering if word got back to the Black Hand.

“Have there been talks?” Verona questioned eagerly.

“The seas answer to me, but my information is not cheap, Daughter of Virgil.”

Verona sucked her teeth. “Cheeky is what you are,” she said and pulled out more gems from her pocket to give to him.

“Someone has their eyes on you—that is all I know.”

The news should have been alarming to Keisha, but she slumped to the side of the boat and looked into the water’s edge. Her eyes were half-closed, and her chin rested on the edge of the boat.

“Someone…is after us, that’s not good…Why am I not scared?” Keisha murmured. She leaned over the edge and saw a figure swimming underneath the water, but a yank pulled her away before Keisha was pulled into the murky depths.

“Keisha, be more careful.” Celra tried to sit Keisha upright, but her posture continued to slump, and her movements were sluggish. “What’s wrong with her?” She turned to Verona for answers.

“The Styx’s power…It weakens a Legacy…and an Earthborne.” Verona flinched, feeling the effects herself.

“You’ve gone through many challenges.” Charon’s grave voice brought the girl’s attention to him. “But can you face what breaks even the strongest of men? We shall see.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Keisha dragged her words, trying to keep her head lifted.

“The seas have a way of overpowering even the strongest person’s will and emotions, take heed child of Dante,” was all Charon said, leaving Keisha curious to know what he meant.

The further out to sea they were, the stronger the power of the Styx had over them.

“This entire trip…what a waste of time,” Verona grunted. Her brows knitted together, and her eyes glossed over in anger. The words came out loud enough for both Celra and Keisha to hear.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Keisha snapped, staring at her back. Celra looked between the two with worry.

Verona turned to meet Keisha’s angry gaze and smirked. “Isn’t it obvious? Had my papá not gone to find yours—a man who couldn’t return his love and left him alone—he would still be alive today, and I wouldn’t be babysitting a wannabe Legacy.”

Keisha seethed in anger and pointed a finger at her. “And you’re the ‘trained’ Legacy who was taught by Virgil himself and you let the Black Hand take my mamma. It’s your fault that I’m in this situation. If you were a better Legacy, she’d still be here, and you wouldn’t have to deal with me.”

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Verona sucked her teeth, rolling her eyes. But Keisha wasn’t finished:

“And let’s be honest, I’ve proven that I can be a better Legacy than you. I don’t need to capture Demi’s. Maybe there’s a reason your papá left you; you’re a heartless wreck.”

Verona’s eyes blazed with intense fury as she glared at Keisha. The two girl’s stood toe to toe, and Celra watched as they bickered back and forth.

“You want to talk about a wreck?” Verona screamed. “Did you not promise Menoos, a Demi, that he can eat your soul if the deal wasn’t met? You never think, you just act, and that will get you killed.”

“Well, at least people can depend and count on me,” Keisha argued back, “You used me as bait to distract Fortuna.”

“To keep you safe!” Verona yelled back. “You’ll end up like your mamma, captured by someone, or your papa, lost and with no one who cares.”

“Well, at least I have a parent; who do you have?”

Verona narrowed eyes turned into slits, and she lunged for Keisha. The two girls fought as they tussled in the boat, grabbing at one another’s clothes and hair.

“Stop you two!” Celra shouted at the top of her lungs, but no matter how much she called out or tried to pull them apart, they were spellbound to fight.

Celra looked to Charon for answers, “Why are they not listening? What’s wrong with them?”

“It is the Madness from the Shades that affects their blood—you are safe—but they will continue to spout their rage until we cross the Styx.”

Verona held Keisha by the neck. She slammed her against the side of the boat. Celra jumped in to prevent any incident, but it was too late, and Verona pushed Keisha into the dark water as the Shades pulled her into the depths.

Celra’s eyes grew wide, and she bit Verona’s arm, snapping her out of River Styx’s Madness. Verona yelled in pain and jerked out of Celra’s grip, who let her go once she screamed.

“What was that for?”

“Keisha! You pushed her over.”

Verona turned to the water to see bubbles rise to the surface, and fear struck her core. She dove into the dark water without a second thought.

Verona stroked through the dark water, jerking out of the grasp of Shades that tried to grab her. Her mind on Keisha and wanting her safe overpowered the Madness. She stretched out her palm, and her ring activated in a blinding white light—she saw Keisha unconscious as she was being pulled into the abyss by the Shades. Their eyes blazed red, and their fanged teeth parted as they grumbled rage and grief in the unforgiving waters.

She continued to swim toward Keisha, unsure if she’d make it, and reached out.

Please…Forgive me.

***

CELRA RAN TO THE SIDE of the boat and looked over the side, looking above the water to see where her friends were. A few minutes passed, and she worried that her friends had fallen prey to the Shades until she heard someone cough and splash behind her.

Celra snapped her head around and saw Verona holding Keisha in her arms. Celra leaped with joy. She went to the opposite side of the boat and helped Verona once she reached the boat.

Verona transformed back and laid Keisha on the boat to do chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth. Verona continued until Keisha coughed up black liquid.

Relief washed over Celra’s face.

Verona sat Keisha upright, pulling her into her chest. Verona didn’t let go and closed her eyes, resting her chin on Keisha’s shoulder. Keisha wrapped her shaking arms around Verona, nestling her face into her wet clothing.

Charon landed on the shore, and the three climbed out of the boat, with the looming gates of Dis ahead. Keisha had her arm draped around Verona’s shoulder for support as Celra helped them. They turned back around when Charon called back to them:

“The journey from here will continue to prove difficult, but trust one another—as your fathers did—and you shall be great Legacies.”

Before Keisha could question him further, his boat was sailing back out into the Styx.

“So, I never want to go that way again,” Celra said with a smile, but when she looked at Keisha and Verona, the two were stand-offish.

“V-Verona…thank you…for saving me.”

Verona whispered, “No. I lost myself there. I’m sorry I pushed you over.”

No one said anything as the three walked down the pathway until they reached an open space to make camp and dry their clothes. Both knew they said hurtful things, and even as they removed their clothing to hang, they looked at each other with somber expressions.

“Oh my gosh, would you two stop this already!” Celra shouted, hating to see her friends at one another’s throat. “You’re both acting childish. Keisha almost drowned, and you know you both care about one another. You shouldn’t let bad situations get in the way of how much you mean to each other.”

Celra was getting anxious as she looked between the silent friends.

“I’m sorry,” They both said after moments passed.

They both grinned, and Verona spoke first, “I’m sorry for what I said about your parents' past. I shouldn’t have said those hurtful things to you out of my anger.”

“I’m sorry too,” Keisha said. “I shouldn’t have blamed you for my mamma’s capture and even for Uncle Virgil leaving—that wasn’t fair. You had every right to say that I don’t think before I act.”

Verona’s eyes blurred with tears at that. She wiped them with the back of her hand. Keisha took a step forward and took Verona’s hands. “You make sure I don’t end up dead, and I’m grateful. I wouldn’t have made it without you, and—as annoying as I am—you like my company.”

Verona grinned, shrugging. “I mean, you aren’t that bad.”

Keisha chuckled. “I promise you; I won’t leave you.”

Verona’s brow rose. “You’re doing it again, you know? I told you about swearing to the Inferno.” But she was smiling when she said it.

“Just accept that sometimes people leave in your life, and new people come to fill in that void.”

Verona gulped and stared into Keisha’s eyes. “And what if you can’t fill that promise?”

Keisha frowned.

Verona sighed. “No, it’s fine. I’m sorry. I do forgive you and thank you, let’s keep going, the Gates of Dis are ahead.”