12. Chapter 12
Underneath a vast, starlit sky, the Underworld sparkled with life. The silvery glow of the moonlight reflected along the ice-covered landscape, until all was cast in a glittering light. It was a breath-taking display of magical proportions. And as Zoe gazed at the beautiful panorama, she realized that what she had once viewed as a nightmare, now looked more like a fairytale.
“It’s beautiful.” Zoe looked in awe as the pristine surface of the snow sparkled like a million diamonds, each facet catching the starlight and scattering it in a magical display. But beneath the layers of snow and ice, long-deadened trees and their roots emerged, reflecting the moonlight like a graveyard of bones. “I just wish I could have seen it in its prime.”
“It was a true paradise. The valleys were filled with forests and flowers as far as the eye could see, and crystalline rivers would sparkle in the afternoon sun.” Shadow’s gaze lingered on the deadened tree beside them, its bare branches twisted towards the sky. “And there was no greater sight than the pomegranate trees. That was where you could find the true magic of the Underworld.”
Zoe glanced at the gnarled skeleton of the tree. “What kind of magic?”
For a moment, Shadow was silent. But as a golden light shimmered within the darkness of his eyes, he lowered his guard, and spoke once more.
“Nature has always helped people find the magic in life. It can be found in the scent of a rose that encourages passers-by to stop and inhale its perfume. It can be found in a glorious view that fills people with wonder. And it could be found here, in the trees sown by the Goddess of the Underworld.” Shadow gazed at the small, frozen buds on the skeletal branches of the tree. “The fruits of the pomegranate tree were sacred to Persephone. They tied her to the Underworld, ensuring her love for Hades could transcend life and death itself. And such magic was bestowed in the fruits that grew here, until each pomegranate seed carried her gift.”
The starlight struck the crimson-colored buds, until they shimmered like precious rubies, hinting at the magic they contained within. Shadow’s eyes sparkled at the sight, until he drew a breath to continue.
“Just one pomegranate seed carried enough magic to help a lost soul experience the magic of life again. To give them a final moment with their loved ones. To help them fulfill their final wishes. To help them move on.” Shadow smiled softly as the buds of the tree sparkled in the light. “It was Persephone’s greatest gift to the Underworld. The gift of life, in death.”
Zoe drew a breath in surprise. “You mean… it could bring people back from the dead?”
“For a short time, yes. But even the Goddess’ magic had its limits.” Shadow gazed at the stars that shimmered in the night sky above. “For one night, a lost soul would become flesh and bone, until the first rays of sunlight returned them to their spirit form. Such magic was the reason we could help so many lost souls. Each night, we would host a grand ball, where lost spirits could live again, resolve their unfinished business, and move on. They called it the Spectral Soirée.”
A cold wind carried a scattering of stardust across the valley, like blossom petals that danced in the breeze. Zoe watched as Shadow caught a handful of the glowing stardust, until his palms shone in the ethereal light. As she thought of Persephone’s magic, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to hold those hands in her own. To feel him.
“So that’s the magic of the Underworld? To experience life, even in death?”
Shadow nodded, and released the stardust until it danced through the air once more.
“Yes. And it’s the very power Charon wanted for himself. He stole the last harvest of Persephone’s fruits, and planned to drain the magic from our lands.” Shadow’s eyes hardened as he gazed across the expanse of the Underworld, towards the faint lights of the city beyond. “I can still sense his presence, in the mortal realm. He feeds on the life-force of the living to sustain himself, creating vast cities filled with lost souls. And when a mortal is lost in life, they become lost in death.”
Zoe shuddered at the thought. “Can’t you do something to help them?”
“My remit is to help the dead, not the living.” Shadow’s jaw clenched as he studied the lights of the city. “But until mortals can learn to see the magic in the world again, they’ll be doomed to drift through life. To become just another lost soul, lost in the darkness.”
Zoe shivered as she gazed at the city beyond. A city filled with mortals who chased their goals in an endless pursuit for happiness. The next promotion. The next car. The next must-have accessory. For years, she too had thought these things would make her feel complete. But she was beginning to realize that perhaps such an approach missed the magic of life entirely.
A mote of golden light drifted into Zoe’s vision, pulling her from her thoughts. She watched as a dozen of the lights gathered by the pomegranate tree, fluttering around the frozen buds like fireflies dancing in the night sky. Her eyes widened as she recognized the strange lights, until a wave of guilt washed through her. They were the very same as the one she’d kept within her bedchambers.
“Those strange lights… what are they?”
“They’re the true guardians of our magic. Sprites that still tend to Persephone’s trees, so that one day, they may awaken from their slumber.” Shadow gently reached towards the fluttering lights, until one landed on the tip of his finger. “Look closer.”
Zoe studied the glowing light, until her eyes slowly adjusted. Buried deep within its enchanting aura, were a pair of tiny wings. But as she peered closer, her eyes widened in shock. This was no ordinary firefly, nor a butterfly, but something entirely different…
“It’s a fairy!”
Shadow laughed at her surprise, as if it were the most natural sight in the world.
“In life, they were fairies. But here, they’re known as the will-o’-wisp. Once, they aided Charon, and would guide lost spirits to the Underworld. Now, they tend to our magic, waiting for the day it will bloom once more.” Shadow watched as the creature gently bathed his fingertip in a radiant aura. “For the day that life will return to the Underworld.”
With a gentle buzz, the will-o’-wisp fluttered from Shadow’s fingertip, and flew towards the thick mists that concealed the maze. Zoe’s stomach churned with guilt as she watched the tiny creature flutter through the sky. Not only had she stayed in the Underworld under false pretenses, but she’d also locked a ghost-fairy in a fish tank. She cursed, knowing that if magical karma was real, she was due some hefty payback.
With a sigh, she looked at the maze beyond, where strange lights flickered beneath the thick mists. She knew that in its center lay the future she’d always dreamed of. And yet, despite her ambition, her gaze returned to Shadow. A man who still carried the scars of Charon’s betrayal. And despite the battle between her head and her heart, she knew she couldn’t subject him to the same fate again.
She sighed in frustration, realizing that perhaps Swindleton was right, after all. Maybe she just wasn’t cut out for this business. She glanced at Shadow to see him watch her silently, as if he studied her very soul.
Zoe’s cheeks burned, until she brushed a strand of her hair aside self-consciously. “What are you looking at?”
“You.“ Shadow broke into a soft smile, while his eyes gleamed in the starlight. “When I first met you, I thought you were just like the rest of your kind. But I’m beginning to think I was wrong. That perhaps there was a reason fate brought us together…”
As Zoe held Shadow’s gaze, a battle between her head and heart raged within her. She knew that no good would come from getting swept up in this magical world. That her loyalties to her work meant she couldn’t possibly stay in the Underworld. And yet, the longer she held his gaze, the more difficult it became to think straight. She forced her gaze away, towards the stars above, hoping to break the spell that had fallen between them.
“You’re missing the show.” Zoe watched as a spectacle of lights unfolded in the heavens above. “It’s a beautiful sight.”
A cold breeze caressed Zoe’s skin as Shadow’s gaze lingered on her. “Yes, it is.”
Zoe turned as Shadow drew himself closer, longing burning in his eyes. She drew a breath, inhaling his intoxicating scent, and marveled at his beauty in the light of the moon. As the winds carried the soft strumming of the guitarrón from the motel below, and the stars shimmered in the heavens, she realized she was powerless to keep fighting. The worlds of the living and dead might not belong together. But for tonight, she was willing to believe in magic.
Slowly, Shadow reached towards her, until their fingertips brushed, sending a shiver of anticipation running along Zoe’s spine. It was a touch like no other. A subtle caress of sensations, with a tingling coolness that danced along her skin like a soft breeze. It was a touch that blurred the physical and ethereal, a connection that stirred the depths of her soul more than any corporeal touch ever could. With a racing heart, Zoe closed her eyes, and leaned in towards him.
Zoe yelped as she was greeted by the lick of a slobbery tongue, and the snuffling of a wet nose. Well, that certainly wasn’t what she’d expected. She opened her eyes in surprise to see Cerberus appear in a puff of smoke, before the giant dog released a contented bark.
Shadow groaned in despair, before wiping his cheek from the dog’s slobber.
“Impeccable timing as usual, Cerberus.” Shadow’s eyes narrowed as the dog fetched a large object from the earth. “And what are you doing with a minotaur bone?”
Cerberus deposited the saliva-laden object at his master’s feet, before he barked expectantly.
“You’re like a dog with a bone. Quite literally…” Shadow sighed, before he turned to Zoe apologetically. “You’re welcome to join us for a game of catch, if you’d like? Unless you have to work?”
Zoe glanced at the motel in the distance, where her mountain of work awaited. But as the spectacle of lights unfolded in the heavens above, she broke into a smile.
“Actually, I think I’ll take a few moments to sit back and enjoy the show.”
Shadow’s eyes sparkled as Zoe gazed in wonder at the beauty of his kingdom. With a nervous smile, he retrieved a small silk-wrapped parcel from his pocket, and handed it to her.
“Here. Perhaps this will help you enjoy the view.”
Zoe unfolded the silk fabric carefully, before she looked in surprise at the object before her.
“A new camera lens? But…” Zoe drew a breath, left speechless by Shadow’s gesture. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Consider it a reminder to enjoy the magic in the world around you.” Shadow smiled as he gazed at the frozen panorama beyond, before he whistled to Cerberus. “Come on, boy.”
Zoe watched as Shadow threw the bone deep into the valley, before he and Cerberus played a game of fetch. As the canyon filled with Cerberus’ barks of excitement, she attached the new lens to her camera and took a photo of the beautiful panorama before her, finally able to capture its true beauty. The heavenly kaleidoscope of lights in the sky. The ruby-hued buds nestled in the frozen branches of the pomegranate trees. The golden lights of the will-ó-wisps as they danced in the air.
With a click of her camera shutter, she captured a photo of Shadow as he surveyed the beauty of his kingdom. Her gaze lingered on the light that sparkled in the darkness of his eyes, until her heart stirred in response. Because out of all the sights in the Underworld, it was the most magical of all.