The Life and Death (but mostly the death) of Erica Flynn by Sara Marian

Author:Sara Marian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Per Bastet Publications LLC
Published: 2014-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Farewell and Goodbye

To tell you the truth, I wish now that I hadn't been so single-minded about my return to the Upper World, that I'd focused more on the people I cared about in the Underworld. My mind skipped over the fact that we'd be saying our goodbyes, and that even though, sooner or later, I'd be back to rejoin them in the afterlife, I had no idea when or under what circumstances that would happen. There was the concern, too, that Hades would find out I was back in town and in full possession of my memory, adding pressure to all of us to rush through the preparations for my theft of the scepter. And once things were set in motion, we wouldn't have a chance to give our parting the thought and attention it deserved.

The closest I got to a proper parting with any of my Underworld friends and Uncle Jeff was the last afternoon I spent at the Dead Man's Chest, and it was that same afternoon I set out for Hades' palace, intent on pilfering his most powerful weapon.

I came into the bar excited -- Latrischa had called me at home from Vic's phone to tell me that It Was Ready.

"Do you have it?" I whispered over her shoulder as I took my seat next to her. Uncle Jeff sat on her other side, Matt and Anatol across the table from the three of us.

Uncle Jeff nodded and moved his jacket aside -- the fake scepter was leaned up against his chair.

I rubbed my hands together in anticipation and exchanged a look with Matt. It worried me a bit that I felt as giddy as Little Mr. Anarchy about what we were preparing to do -- a bit, but not enough to take the edge off my excitement.

"Ready when you are." Matt set aside his emptied milkshake glass.

"Hold up, kid." Anatol laid a hand on Matt's arm, then looked at me. "Are you sure? Once we start this thing, you won't have a chance to change your mind."

"I'm sure." I held his gaze steadily. "I'm ready."

~*~

After Matt left, we were silent until Vic turned up with my drink -- I didn't even have to order anymore.

"You folks are as bad as the minister today!" he teased us, grinning beneath his prodigious mustache. "Too serious. Drink up, drink up -- I want cheerful customers!"

He glanced up as the door opened, and the Religious Guys Anonymous walked in together. "Speak of the devil," Vic said in an undertone to us, and his booming laugh cut through the room.

It was hard not to laugh along with Vic, especially with the mix of nervousness and elation I was experiencing. Even Uncle Jeff cracked his old sideways smile, looking more like himself than he had since I'd first proposed the whole scepter business.

Anatol managed to stop my edgy giggling by sharing his cigar with me.

We'd just gotten back to a steady stream of conversation when I noticed the minister leave the Religious Guys Anonymous' table.

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