The River Styx by David Revilla

Author:David Revilla [Revilla, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-10-03T04:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

They journeyed for the next two days--by mortal reckoning--over the icy seas of Cocytus, the icebergs thinning out, growing smaller and more spaced-out the further they went. The Styx was a lonely traveler, a tiny blot on the expanse of a thousand miles. It felt like it would go on like this forever, and with the decline in icebergs there came the lack of protection from the biting winds.

While the air was cold, Charon found the solitude refreshing. He was at the wheel, still getting used to the contraption that allowed him to control both the rudder and the sail, which was down at the moment given that the wind was moving against the Styx. The ship’s arms swam gracefully across the frigid waters, and Charon barely had to do anything. Funny, but Hephaestus’ invention seemed to take all the fun out of sailing.

Charon looked down at the weapon at his side. It was a makeshift scythe he'd created by implanting a curved blade, a scimitar, into the top of an oar. The oar itself had come from the small rowboat he'd used to reach the platform. It was an ugly mockery of the magnificent weapon Charon once had.

His scythe had been as much a part of him as his own beating heart. He knew he'd made a sacrifice in accepting Hephaestus' terms. Though the decision had been taken out of his hands, Charon had put the expedition first, before his own feelings. Now he was left wondering if he'd been right to not fight for what was his, to not challenge Hephaestus even if he would have lost in the end.

Sisyphus! How Charon could have strangled the man. According to Sisyphus, Hope had gotten to Ixion and they were planning to take over the ship while Charon was away. In fact, Hope had instructed Ixion to arrange an "accident" for the captain, ensuring he did not come back. Upon learning of the plan, which Ixion had so adamantly boasted about after retrieving his spear, Sisyphus managed to push him over the edge of the catwalk, sending the traitor to his rightful doom, yet somehow managing to keep the Spear of Ares.

Charon knew Sisyphus was lying. Even when Sisyphus offered up the Spear of Ares as compensation for the loss of his scythe, Charon still had escorted his first mate to the brig the moment they returned, putting Hippolyta on guard duty. He had no idea how he was going to deal with Sisyphus. He could not even comprehend what the man had been thinking, or if he even had been thinking. Nothing made sense anymore.

The only thing that ever made sense to Charon, that he could always rely on no matter what the situation, had been his scythe. Charon had offered the Spear of Ares to Hippolyta, who'd refused to take it. She did not want a weapon tainted with the hands of a man like Ixion. So he surprised everyone when he instead gave the spear to Narcissus.

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