by Sarah Bale
His face changed into something that could only be described as pain. And it surprised me to think I’d caused that look.
“You need to stop talking before my anger gets out of control.”
“I-”
“I didn’t ask for any of this. Do you think I like having you here?”
He stared at me and I wanted to draw back from the sting of his words. But I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“I don’t want to be here, either.”
He sneered. “I’m sure there are more pressing things on your agenda. According to Vedah, you are an unemployed waitress.”
The way he said it made me feel like a failure.
I flinched. “Actually, I’m a barista. Did she mention I’m an artist? That my work has been featured around the country?”
“I’m sure.”
“Look, dude, I don’t mind walking my ass up those stairs and going back home. Just give me Christian and I’ll be gone.”
His face went dark. Oh, shit.
“As I said, that’s not possible. Not until I talk to my brothers.”
The ball-thingy that Christian was in glowed a deep grey. Hades glanced down at it.
“Here. Take your friend with you. I’m tired of looking at him.”
He tossed the ball and I rushed forward to catch it before it smashed into the floor. Hades was already across the room, almost to the door.
“How do I get him out?”
I didn’t think he was going to answer, but he called out over his shoulder. “Drop it in the pool in your room. But only that pool.”
There were pools everywhere, at least in the rooms I’d seen.
“Why not the others?”
“Because they lead to the rivers.”
I hated that I understood what he meant. It was like there was a Greek encyclopedia in my brain now, full of ancient information.
There were five rivers in the Underworld, each serving a different purpose. Styx was the largest and was nicknamed the river of hatred. Lethe was the river of oblivion. Phlegethon was the river of fire, close to Tartarus. Cocytus was the river of wailing and lamentation.
And Acheron was the river of woe and bordered the world of the living. My heart skipped a beat. If I were to leave, that would be the river I’d have to cross.
Hades spun on his heels, eyes narrowed. “Don’t even think about it.”
“What?”
“Aubrey, I’m not dumb. If you flee, I will come after you.”
I hated the way his words made me shiver. To have this man chase after me…
“Why would you come after me? You just said you don’t want me here.”
“Because our bond will drive me to search the ends of the earth until I find you.”
Oh.
He went on, “And I will do whatever it takes to keep the balance, even if that means dealing with you until I figure out a better plan.”
I dipped my head once. “Fine. I won’t try to leave. But you better get your brothers on the phone real quick.”
“We don’t have phones-”
“It’s an expression! Do whatever you have to do. Just get me out of here.”
He turned and left the room. I thought I heard him laughing, but I wasn’t sure. I held the ball in my hand, cradling it.
“We’ll get through this,” I whispered.
I waited a moment longer before leaving the room. When I traveled a few feet, I realized I had no idea where I was going.
“This way.”
I jumped as Vedah appeared next to me.
I asked, “Anyone ever tell you that you look like the girl from ‘The Ring’?”
“I don’t know what that is.”
I pushed a piece of my dark hair behind my ear. “Never mind. Just don’t come at me like that at night.”
She pointed around. “We’re underground. Technically it’s always night.”
My heart fell a little. “So, there’s no sunlight down here ever?”
“No.” She pointed. “Your chamber is this way. Come.”
She led me back to the room I’d woken up in. In the short time I’d been gone, the bed had been made with fresh linen and there was a chair in front of the fireplace that looked cozy.
“The staff will anticipate your needs,” she said, pointing around the room. “I believe there are books being brought here as we speak, since you enjoy reading.”
I did like reading, but how would these people know this?
“How do they know?”
She smiled. “The same way that you’ve been able to talk to your friend. Speaking of, you should release him. The orbs aren’t very comfortable for spirits.”
Ignoring her vague answer, I walked to the blue pool in the corner of the room and dropped the orb into the water. It glimmered and then Christian rose- or, some kind of version of him.
“Is he-”
“A spirit? Yes.”
He looked the same but glowed a faint blue. And he wasn’t solid, so I could see through him. He smiled and spoke, but I couldn’t hear him.
“It takes time for them to learn how to speak. It uses a lot of energy, too.” She walked around him. “How long has he been dead?”
Her question was so blunt that my breath hitched in my throat.
My heart clenched. “He died four years ago, on my twenty-first birthday.”
“Sad. He was a looker.”
He had been, too. Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, and all mine. Well, sort of.
“Did you lay with him?”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, don’t be a prude. I know you’re not a virgin.” Her eyes narrowed. “Are you?”
My cheeks flamed. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I’m not. And we never had sex. He died before we could.”
“Well, that’s good.” She sat on my bed. “Was he the first one you were able to connect with?”
I shook my head once.
“That’s just more proof that you were meant to be here. The other one – she never fit in the way she should have.”
“Other one?”
“Yes. The other Persephone.”
My entire body tingled, but I shoved the feeling aside.
“My name is Aubrey.”
“For now.” She stood. “This is boring. Goodbye.”
And then she was gone.
HADES
I stood in the room that belonged to my beloved. She was gone, and I hadn’t even said goodbye. The knowledge twisted and turned inside of me like a knife piercing my soul. More pain I would carry until the end of time.
“She’s at peace, my Lord.”
I choked out a bitter laugh. “I want to be alone, Vedah.”
“That may be, but you need to hear me. She is at peace, which she hasn’t felt in a long time. You should be relieved.”
That wasn’t exactly what I would call what I was feeling.
Conflicted.
Angry.
Sad.
And, as much as I hated to admit it, interested in Aubrey Davies.
What kind of monster did that make me?
“It doesn’t make you a monster, you idiot. But you’re going to be in a world of hurt if you don’t listen to me.”
I looked at Vedah waiting for her to go on.
“This was meant to happen. Persephone was never meant to be your permanent equal. It was a design flaw.”
I huffed. “Persephone was not flawed!”
“She was. Even you can admit it, if you put your pride aside. You never shared a bond with her.”
I knew what she was going to say next and I shook my head. “You’re wrong if you think that girl is my equal.”
“That girl is your equal, Hades. She is light. She is warmth. She is spring. And you’d better get on board before it’s too late.”
I replied, “I will talk to my brothers when they get here.”
“They’re not coming. My sisters sent word that the Land Gods wish for you to reconcile t
his situation on your own.”
Fucking figured. Those pricks never wanted to get involved in anything beneath the ground, but they sure as hell relied on each other when something went wrong on the surface.
Her face softened. “It’s not like that this time. They have their own problems to deal with.”
This was news to me. “Oh?”
“I am sure you will understand very soon what they face.”
Freaking Oracles. They never gave a solid answer.
She touched my arm. “Finish saying your goodbyes to your former lover, Hades. And then prepare yourself for what is to come.”
She left me staring at the space where Persephone had been for the last twenty-five years. The only thing left was the ring I’d given her. I picked it up and clenched it in my fist. The more I tried to conjure a memory of her face the harder it became. And it was all because of Aubrey Davies. She was the reason I couldn’t remember what color Persephone’s eyes were.
“Are you okay?”
I glanced over my shoulder to find the source of my torment standing there, her spirit trailing her like a little lost dog. Her eyes were liquid brown with sweeping lashes that offered comfort.
“No. I’m not.”
She came further into the room and I swear it seemed brighter.
“I’m sorry for what I said earlier. About her being in a dungeon.”
I closed my eyes. “You’re partly right. She never liked it down here.”
Aubrey went to the window and looked out at the gardens. Though there was no sunlight, Persephone had been able to make things grow. Until her heart just wasn’t in it anymore. Now they stood grey and bleak.
Aubrey turned. “That may be, but I still shouldn’t have said it. I was trying to wound you.”
My lips raised in a smile that held no joy. “Well, little flower, if there’s one thing you learn while you’re here let it be this: I cannot be wounded.”
She stared at me, trying to figure me out.
Finally, she said, “Just remember that the same can’t be said about me.”
She started to pass me, but I stopped her.
“Thank you for coming to find me.”
Her eyes searched mine and I fought the urge to pull her near.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
I nodded.
“Then I’ll leave you alone.”
I tucked the ring into a pocket at my waist and said, “Actually, I’d like to show you around, if you want, of course.”
She nodded. “Please.”
I led her from the room, willing it to be closed off for good. Persephone was gone. There was no need for her chambers anymore. With each step that we took the palace listened to my command until there was nothing left of her rooms.
4
AUBREY
Hades led me through the palace showing me room after room until I couldn’t keep track of everything. If I spent a hundred years here I wondered if I’d be able to explore each nook and cranny. When we reached the library, I squealed in joy.
“Oh my god, it’s like the one in ‘Beauty and the Beast’.”
He stood in the doorway, arms folded across his muscular chest. “Which am I?”
A flash of him chasing me through the room danced across my mind and my chest thrummed with excitement.
“The beast, of course.”
I couldn’t deny the husky tone in my voice.
He didn’t argue, but said, “There’s a lovely view from this window.”
We stood side by side looking out and I tried not to shiver at the nearness. Did he feel it, too?
Outside, there were rolling hills in the distance that made me yearn to run and explore. Closer to the palace something sparkled on the ground, catching light from the stars above.
“What’s sparkling out there?”
“Gemstones.”
“Oh wow.”
He smiled. “They’re quite impressive up close. Shall we go see them?”
I nodded, and he held out his arm. I took it, like it was the most natural thing in the world. As we walked I noticed Christian stayed behind with a scowl on his face.
“Can he not come out here?”
Hades looked over his shoulder and replied, “He’s only allowed in the palace.”
“Why?”
“Because I meant what I said earlier. He wasn’t meant to be in the Underworld, so he can’t roam freely.”
I asked, “Where was he supposed to go?”
“It depends on what his religion was. Over the years different faiths and their newer Gods allowed for souls to rest in other places than here.”
It kind of made sense.
He went on. “It helped with overcrowding. For a while I worried what would happened to all the souls being sent here.”
We walked down steps into a garden. I knew, somehow, that this had been Persephone’s special place and my heart clenched as a wave of sadness washed over me.
“Are you going to miss her?”
He stopped and looked down at me. “Yes.”
It stung to hear him say this, but what did I expect? We literally met a few hours ago and he’d known her for a very long time.
“I’m sorry she’s gone.” I paused. “Is it because of me? Did I cause her to die?”
He sat on a bench and I joined him. The stone was cool and seeped right through my gown. I shivered.
“Yes and no. She is gone because you are here, but it’s not your fault. It’s because of the prophecy.”
There was a twinge of awareness in my mind, like a dream slipping away when first awakening. Old Gods shall weep as their Beloveds fade…
“You mentioned the prophecy before. What was it?”
He laughed bitterly. “A bunch of shit spewed by women who have nothing better to do.”
The ground rumbled beneath us and a gust of cold wind made me move closer to Hades.
He cursed. “Even now they play games.”
I wasn’t an expert when it came to Oracles, but I knew this was bad.
“Maybe you shouldn’t piss them off.”
“You’re probably right.”
I asked, “So, what was the prophecy?”
“It had to do with my brothers and I – and the women we loved.” He glanced at me. “We were made to be immortal, but just the males, because the Fates have one hell of a sense of humor.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Our lovers and wives were immortal, or so we thought. But then the Oracles foretold a different future. One where our lovers would begin to fade at the same moment our true mates were born.”
My mouth dropped open.
He gave me a look and went on, “For the last twenty-five years I’ve watched Persephone waste away until she was a shell of her former self. So, I knew you were out there, I just had no intention of finding you.”
The hairs on the back of my neck raised. “Were you following me the night of the storm? The night we met…”
“No. Why?”
“Someone followed me when I left the club. That’s how I ended up at the diner.”
He laughed once. “More than a coincidence.”
I agreed and asked, “What was the string thingy?”
“The Fates were weaving our futures together, making it official. It’s a bond that cannot be broken.”
My skin tingled, knowing his words were true.
“And that’s why Vedah said we’re getting married tomorrow?”
He said, “Vedah says a lot of things. We’ll see. I’m still trying to get in contact with my brothers. If the three of us join forces, then the Oracles and Fates will have to take notice.”
He sounded so sure of himself. And, for some reason, his words made me sad. He was so ready to get rid of me. I shook my head. What was I thinking? I should be glad he wanted me to leave. That meant I could go back to my life in Austin where the strangest thing I had to deal with was hearing the voice of my dead ex and seeing the occasional ghost
or two.
Hades touched my arm. “There’s something I should have told you sooner.”
His blue eyes filled with worry and it scared me.
“What is it?”
“Your friend- he can’t stay here.”
My heart missed a beat. “What?”
“I meant what I said before, he should have crossed over when he died. The longer he remains here the weaker he will become until he fades away.”
A sob worked its way up my throat. “Can’t I just take him back with me after you and your brothers figure out what to do about the Oracles?”
“I’m sorry, Aubrey. He won’t last that long. He needs to be released tonight.”
The world tilted and I felt like I was going to be sick. This had to be a mistake! I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
Hades stood. “The only thing I can offer to make this easier to bear is that you will be able to hear him before he goes.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can grant him enough energy to say what he needs to say out loud before he passes.” He gave me a look of pity. “I’m sorry, Aubrey. Truly, I am.”
He walked away, leaving me to my thoughts. Why was this happening now? What was the point of being in the Underworld, where spirits went to spend eternity when my own friend couldn’t stay?
I wandered further into the maze, praying that something could change the sadness in my soul. Ahead, there was a fountain, though no water flowed through it. I sat on the edge and closed my eyes.
“Rough day?”
I jumped and found a gorgeous man with green eyes grinning down at me. He reminded me so much of an actor on Grey’s Anatomy that I did a double take.
I remembered he’d asked me something and answered, “You could say that.”
He sat next to me. “Hades tends to have that effect on people. Black sheep and all that.”
And then it hit me. He was one of the men from my dreams!
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Name’s Hermes. God of Trickery, Thievery, and Messages.” He frowned. “As you can see, I was skipped when all the good things were handed out.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Couldn’t you just take what you wanted?”