There were hallways on the other end, all as big as the first. One ran parallel to the known exit, and the rest sat at intervals along the wall I was facing. Feet sore and lungs burning from running close to two miles in maybe fifteen minutes, I squeezed out the final stretch and veered towards the parallel hall.
Mere feet before I could enter, the opening smoothed over with stone, as if I’d been looking at a water mirage and getting this close revealed the truth. I ground to a wind-sucking halt and braced my hands on the stone. Sure enough, the way was blocked. I pushed on the cool stone twice, then stood back as the truth of the matter sank in. The way was shut.
I hopped back into a jog and continued perpendicular to the suddenly walled-off hall. There were many more along this wall; however, all of them vanished like a mirage, blending in with the rest of the sculpture-covered wall as if they’d never existed. This did not help my mounting dread. Hall after hall let me get tantalizingly close before vanishing as my tender feet slapped out another two miles. Each hall, my hopes rose. Each hall, my hopes were dashed. I paused to catch my breath at the next corner, then steeled myself for one last round of disappointment and walked towards the throne, circumventing it. It felt like I was going around a mountain.
By the time I reached the corner with the hall leading to Amphitrite’s bedroom, I stopped again. It didn’t close up on me. I’d expected it to, figuring she wouldn’t want anything to do with me until I unwillingly transformed into a demon during my next lockdown period. Come to think of it, when was that?
The realization that I’d lost track filled me with fresh dread. For all I knew, my next lockdown would take place any moment. Sure, I could go back to demon form right now, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. This time disorientation had to be part of her plans to punish and torment me. I refused to show her I’d figured as much just yet.
I returned to the throne and sat at the base of it, footsore and wracking my brain for a way out of my major quandary. I wanted to shout for Rhode but I knew she wouldn’t come. Amphitrite was no doubt keeping a careful eye on her daughter, making sure Rhode didn’t undermine her.
I sucked in a deep breath, got back to my feet, and faced the throne. I put some space between it and me so I didn’t have to break my neck to see the lip of the seat a hundred feet over my head. I’d never met any gods besides Amphitrite and Rhode. If those two existed, then logically so did others. The ruggedness of the throne didn’t suit either goddess’s personality, so… “Poseidon?” My voice went nowhere. “Poseidon?” I called louder and my voice carried a little. I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not, but my only other option was to suffer Amphitrite’s scorn. Hopefully he wouldn’t add to that. “Poseidon!” That time I heard my voice reverberate.
Having the sudden feeling I was being watched, I backed up a healthy distance from the throne, all the way to the first row of glowing pillars fifty yards away. A huge shadow passed over me and my heart lodged in my throat. Oh, boy. Hopefully I was out of squishing range if he decided to lift a foot while seated and let me know what he thought of my presence.
The shadow stopped over the throne like a cloud was hovering over it. I swallowed the lump in my throat. Like a monster swimming out of murky waters, Poseidon stepped forward as his gigantic body materialized in front of his throne. I had to be no taller than his ankle. Poseidon looked like an older man in his fifties with his big curly beard depicted in all the paintings and sculptures, long wavy hair, tanned skin, and lots of muscle—not the body-builder kind, but the shape of a solid build from lots of physical labor—a naturalistic physique. He wore nothing more than some sort of knee-length skirt made of scales and sea weed, and his triton symbol layered on top. Yeah, he looked like he came right out of Greek mythology, and no way in hell I’d make fun of him for wearing a scaled skirt. If anything, the lack of clothing to hide his bulk made him all the more intimidating.
Poseidon had a serious, brooding gaze with hard eyes the color of the sea. He looked down on me with them, then waved me forward with a hand big enough to tear my ship in two. I unwillingly let go of the pillar and stepped forward. He considered me a moment, then twitched a finger. Something shot towards me. I froze in place, then felt something wrap around my waist under my trench coat. I parted the front, revealing a matching scaled skirt thing, minus the trident symbol.
A deep, gravelly voice said, “Something to aid your dignity.”
I unbuttoned my coat and draped it over a sweaty shoulder. I wasn’t sure what to make of my new getup but I wasn’t going to insult the gesture by leaving it covered. It was far better than my coat but why would he bother? Why would he care about my dignity?
“Well, do you wish to go back to what you were wearing?”
“No, sir. I… this is much better.”
“Then come. Speak. Why are you here?” He sat on his throne, taking up as much space as he could with his arms and legs.
I drew within squishing range and took in his sheer enormity. A mountain of a man on a mountain of a throne. Yeah, definitely no taller than his ankles. “I need your help. Your wife is holding me hostage.”
“What did you do to deserve this?”
I winced. His tone conveyed that he didn’t care about my predicament. “Pissed her off.” Okay, this idea had sounded so much better in my head.
“So why did you call me?”
“We don’t get along. I don’t want anything to do with her. I just want to leave, but she won’t let me go. Can’t you do something to help me leave? This is your domain, isn’t it?”
“It is, but your plight isn’t my business. I refused to meddle with my wife’s affairs.”
“But I’m asking you. Please.”
“No.”
“She’s involved a lot more people in this private affair, people that didn’t ask for anything. She’s seduced several of my crew members in the past and killed many others. How can you sit by and do nothing?”
He tilted his head slightly. “If I remember right, she also saved yours, yet you spat the gesture in her face.”
His tone was warning but I ignored it. I understood Amphitrite was his wife but how could he possibly side with her in this? “She didn’t have to curse me for it.”
“You rejected her love for you.”
Damn it. I really wish he’d stop poking holes in my logic. I admitted to myself I might not get any help from him, but I wasn’t ready to accept that yet. “I just slept with her against my will and behind your back for crying out loud.” I clamped my mouth shut and pointedly stared at the floor, bracing to be stepped on. Okay, another thing that’d sounded so much better in my head. I was trying to put Amphitrite in a negative light. Now I’d just done the same to myself.
“I know,” he said plainly. “There was no maliciousness aimed towards me. Besides, who am I to judge? If you’ve heard the stories, then you know I’ve been quite promiscuous. I have no right to complain about something like this.” He steepled his hands and inclined his head. “She and I have talked many a times about such things, but the details are none of your business. Just know that I will not create any friction, nor will I get involved in your curse.”