Excerpt: Demigoddess Book 2

“You know this is all very strange.”
I roll my eyes. I want to stop and tell the silvery, transparent soul I’m currently escorting into the underworld just how strange things are, but I refrain.
“I never would have thought that gods and goddesses existed, let alone did their duties in this day and age.”
You’d think that a Goddess of Death leading you into the Underworld to your eternal rest would cause some silent reflection, but no. This one’s a gabbler.
Joy.
I remind myself for the thousandth time that not everyone is the same and that it’s rare to get the ‘perfect customer’. So I just suck it up and let her talk. Not much further to go anyways.
“This place really isn’t as gloomy as I thought it would be.”
I heave a silent sigh of relief as we reach the bottom of the tunnel. I can clearly hear the water of the River Styx that will promptly whisk this soul far, far away from me.
“Ava, I thought you might have gotten lost.”
Finally, another voice to break the incessant chatter.
Charon is at his most intimidating in his tattered robes standing next to the ominous looking boat bobbing in the water. I smile when his fearsome appearance stuns the soul to silence. Well, at least for a few seconds.
“Ava? I’ve never heard of a goddess called Ava before.” She looks me up and down like she’s been ripped off or something. “Is this some sort of prank?”
“You have got to be kidding me.” She’s intangible, translucent and in a world where no mortal may otherwise enter and she’s asking if this is a prank? “Please, just get in the boat.”
“No. I want to know who you are. What’s going on here?”
Next she’ll want references or my resume. What I don’t get is, she’s come this far with not so much as a question and now she’s playing twenty questions? I really don’t have the patience for this.
“Charon? If you please.”
He smiles. It’s verging on nasty. Smarmy. I know that smile. It looks like he’s going to give me a hard time as well.
“Ava, you know I would love nothing more, but it seems that she’s lacking payment.”
I’m already reaching into the purse attached to my belt. This has happened a few times already and I’ve learned to come prepared. I slip the coin into his palm, making sure I don’t touch him of course, and force a smile. I motion toward the boat, “If you please.”
The boatman chuckles and motions to the soul. “Come along.”
“But—“
I give her a little invisible shove into the boat. He pushes off while I watch with satisfaction as she starts questioning Charon. He’s in for a fun ride.
Two birds with one stone. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.