by Tamar Sloan
He’s acting like we’re at lunch, meeting to discuss business. Not in a building, and entire world, frozen in time.
Kadence stiffens. “We’ll stand.”
“Very well.”
Feeling frustrated with his cool, calm façade, I find my hand balling into a fist. “Why, Hades?”
Hades sighs. “This would be far more civil if you took a seat.”
He pauses again, but neither of us move.
“Or you could remain standing,” he says with a sardonic twist of his lips. He looks around the room at the human statues. “As for the souls, you know I don’t need to explain myself to two half-gods, don’t you?”
The step forward is instinctive, and Kadence is right there with me, vibrating with anger. “But my father will probably want an explanation.”
Kronos. Hades has underestimated which demigod he’s dealing with.
Hades holds up a hand. “Quite true.” He smiles at Kadence. “He’s quite forbidding, isn’t he?”
“Get talking then, Hades,” I growl. He’s enjoying stringing us along.
Hades crosses his legs, smoothing his black slacks. “It’s quite simple, really. I’ve become tired of waiting for the inevitable.”
I shake my head. “Nothing is inevitable.”
Hades slides a glance at me, and I almost wish I hadn’t spoken. I can’t afford to give away that my mother is the goddess of fate. “I disagree, ah…?
He looks at me questioningly, waiting for my name. Nervousness breaks through the anger. If I avoid his question, it looks suspicious. If I give him my name, it starts to narrow down the pool of gods who could be my parent.
Kadence releases my hand and sits down at the table. “Enough stalling, Hades. What’s inevitable?”
Hades makes a point of holding his assessing gaze on me for long seconds. It feels like sheets of black ice just wrapped around my spine.
He turns back to Kadence. “Why, the population of the Underworld, of course. It’s time others realized it’s destined to be the greatest dominion of them all.”
“With you as the king.”
Hades smiles slightly, I think trying to look modest. “Yes, I suppose so.”
Kadence slams her hand down on the table. There’s a dull thump, like sound struggling to move through water, but the cup and plates don’t move. “This is all about your ego? To prove you’re mightier than your brothers, Zeus and Poseidon?”
Hades leans forward, moving the fastest I’ve seen so far. “When we drew straws and Zeus got the skies, Poseidon the seas, and I was relegated the Underworld, I knew it was what I was destined for. I am fair and just. There’s no better person to greet those who chose a life void of goodness.”
And cold-hearted enough to mete out their punishment.
“But as my halls filled, and the Underworld became a kingdom to be proud of, I realized something. I was seen as drawing the short straw.” Hades’ face tightens. “As someone to be pitied.”
As Hades words register, the anger drains and I find myself sitting beside Kadence, like it took half my strength with it. “But these are innocent people.”
Hades snorts. “There’s no such thing. Who are you, the son of Elpis?”
The Greek goddess of hope. I could be called worse. I shrug. “Maybe.”
Hades stares at me for long seconds again, before turning back to Kadence. “The selection system we created is robust.” He leans forward ever so slightly. “Deep down, you know this was inevitable.”
Kadence tenses as the words hit her. How does Hades know Kadence used to think like that? I startle. That maybe she still does…
She shakes her head. “Choices change lives. No one knows where this is all heading.”
Hades leans back, cool and confident. “We’ll see.”
There are so many questions that need answers, but I can’t seem to make them gain substance. My fear is getting in the way of my ability to think clearly.
I realize the choice has already been made—I’m here. I need to make the most of it. Pulling in a breath, I focus on the smiling snake across from us. He’s created these health centers somehow, and he’s using them to steal souls. We need to figure out how to stop him.
Kadence gasps beside me. “Hiroko paid for these centers, didn’t she?” She looks to me. “Heath’s power was the ability to create money.”
Which suggests Hiroko could do the same.
“Her”—Hades inclines his head—“inheritance is certainly what got Mr. Black started. It turns out he was a savvy investor, because he quickly established his own wealth.”
The evidence that my father is part of this spears through my chest, which surprises me. This isn’t anything I didn’t already suspect.
There’s no time to process that, though, because Hiroko enters the room. “Everything’s in order, Father.”
Just as she says the words, a gust of icy air seems to slide over me. Goose bumps rise along my skin as I look around. Time hasn’t restarted, so nothing should be moving.
Maybe it’s just foreboding…
I lean forward, suddenly realizing why this isn’t making sense. “Why are you telling us all this?”
Hades’ eyes widen. “Because you asked, of course.”
“So, how are you stealing the souls?”
Hades’ pale lips curl ever so slightly. “And because there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”
Another brush of cold, almost blackness, has me turning around. Kadence glances at me, concerned, telling me she didn’t feel it.
Maybe it’s nothing…
The waitress is not far behind us, face frozen in the mix of a smile and confusion as I’d tried to make conversation without any idea of what to say. Around her are the patrons, further to the left are the frozen bodies of the other humans.
Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s different.
I’m just about to turn back, ready to see if Hades is still in a talking mood, when something catches my eye.
The waitress. I suck in a startled breath. She has no shadow!
As I watch, eyes wide with horror, the shadow of a man in a business suit dissolves and disappears. I blink, but it’s undeniable. It’s gone. Beside him is an elderly woman with a walker, and her shadow is erased next.
Grabbing Kadence, I yank us both to standing. “You need to restart time.”
“What? Micah, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know, but it’s not good.” I grab her upper arms, my heart thudding in my chest. “But hurry.”
I just figured out why Hades was taking things slow. Why he was so happy to take the time to share.
He shoots to his feet. “There’s no need to rush, my young demigods. Shouldn’t you try to talk me out of this? Convince me humanity is worth saving?”
Kadence’s head snaps to face him as she steps closer to me. “We’re not your demigods.”
Just as she raises her hands, Hiroko starts running. Hades leaps forward.
In the split second before the Wheels of Time begin turning again, I wrap my arms around Kadence and teleport us out of there.
Going home is instinctual. It’s the safest place I know, and the one place Hades can’t follow. But when I open my eyes and take in the beauty of the gardens, I realize I’ve just made another choice.
I’ve brought Kadence to Elysium again.
And not only that. I’ve teleported us right outside my house.
Kadence’s fingers slip up to her temples. “It’s worse when there’s no warning.” I’m about to apologize, when she takes in her surroundings. Stepping back, she slowly spins on the spot. “This is your front yard?”
Her eyes are as full of incredulity as her voice. She takes a step to the side. “Daisies, forget-me-not, morning glory, snowdrops.” She names each flower as she sees them. “And that’s just the stuff below the knees, Micah.”
I rub the back of my head. The gardens are beautiful, which is something I’ve always appreciated. But I don’t think I’v
e ever learned the name of the plants. “Ah, yeah. There’s a lot of them.”
Kadence raises a brow. “It’s like every botanical garden in the world in one place.”
Suddenly, I get an idea. We have so much to talk about, so much has just happened. But Elysium is somewhere I’ve never been able to share. Surely there can’t be any harm with giving her a short tour… “Want to see something?”
Kadence’s gray eyes light up like a new dawn. “Really?”
I grab her hand. “Truly.”
Having grown up with Elysium as my playground, I know the myriad of paths weaving in and out with about as much complexity as the Loom. It means I can take Kadence where I want to go, hopefully, without running into anyone.
I take two striding steps only to be jerked to a halt. Kadence is looking around, her lips moving as she looks at each plant individually, and I realize she’s naming them.
Her wide eyes turn back to me. “This place is…” She steps in closer. “Almost as amazing as you.”
My breath disappears. Kadence’s words fill my mind, my heart…they touch my soul.
The gardens around us melt away. They can’t compete with the beauty of the girl before me. The girl pushing up on her tiptoes, her lips parting as they press against mine.
The pressure, the softness, the heat, has air flooding my system as I find the ability to move again. My mind spins in a whirlwind of passion. Wrapping my arms around her, I deepen the kiss.
Kadence melts in my arms, her body molding to mine. Her mouth opens, my body temperature spikes. We both lose ourselves in something that feels so much bigger than us.
When we pull back, the words are there, waiting to be said. I haven’t told Kadence how I feel, haven’t let the sound slip past my lips.
But, as she stares up at me, the love emblazoned across her face only making her more exquisite, nothing comes. If I say those words, I tie myself to her. To her world.
A world I’m not destined to be part of.
Kadence steps back, weaving her fingers through mine. “Now, what did you want to show me?”
Aware we’re too out in the open, I lead her toward one of the narrower paths, hating the sense of relief. Straddling our two worlds is raising more challenges than I expected.
As we’re swallowed by foliage, I’m already planning the route. It shouldn’t take us long to get there, and we can have our discussion there. But it seems Kadence is in no rush. She pauses often, gasps occasionally as she reaches out to brush a leaf or a flower. She says words like orchid, and rare, and get outta here, over and over.
We’ve barely moved when Kadence stops again, jerking me to her side. “Is that a St. Helena olive?”
I look at the tree beside us. “I have no idea.”
She leans in more closely. “It is. Micah, these are extinct!”
The bright green, slightly furry foliage and small red flowers suddenly take on a new light. “As in, it doesn’t exist anymore?”
“Not on Earth, and not since early this century. They tried to save it, but conservation efforts failed.”
“Wow. That’s pretty cool.” Elysium is special in more ways than I realized.
She strokes one of the large leaves. “That’s very cool.”
Tugging on her hand, I get us moving again. At first, the edginess that had become so familiar returns. I’m conscious that it’s better if we don’t run into anyone. But then, Kadence’s wonder becomes contagious.
As I slow down to match her pace, I discover there’s time for smiles and touches and kisses. I see the wonder of Elysium through new eyes. It fills my chest with so much emotion, it feels like it spills around us, only making the place more wondrous.
I hardly notice when we reach the ficus. I didn’t know a person could be a place, but, I’m literally in heaven. And I know with a soul-deep knowledge, that this feeling will follow Kadence wherever she goes.
She’s craning her head back as she takes in the massive tree, something on her face making me pause.
Kadence steps forward to rest her hand on the gray trunk. “This is a ficus.”
I nod, this one I actually know. “Yes, it’s the oldest plant here.”
Kadence walks around the massive trunk, picking her way over the roots spread like fingers into the soil. “Do you know how old?”
“As old as Elysium, I think. This tree was my childhood climbing gym.”
Kadence appears around the other side, a broad, soft smile gracing her face. “My father gave me a bonsai ficus the first time he visited me.”
I frown. “I’m not sure what that means.”
She rolls her eyes. “And you’re the son of fate.” She steps up, placing her hands on my chest. “I think we were linked long before we met, Micah.”
Micah
My eyes widen. “You think it’s the same tree?”
She nods. “I’m pretty sure this is Benjamina senior.”
A smile tugs somewhere in my chest. “Benjamina?”
“Ficus benjamina, that’s its scientific name. I’ve cared for her since I was a kid.”
I look at the colossal tree standing patiently beside us. Kadence has a part of the same tree I saw regularly enough, I considered it a friend?
The smile leaves my chest and spreads across my face. “Now that’s cool.”
Kadence wraps her arms around my waist. “It sure is.”
I pull her in, savoring the feeling of her body against mine. She fits like we were designed to be two halves of a whole.
“Come.” I pull her toward the little alcove in the roots I’ve always sat in. It never occurred to me that I’d share it one day with someone.
Tucking myself into the familiar space, I tug Kadence down with me. She settles between my legs, resting her back against my chest. Warmth infuses me, a glorious mix of delight and contentment. I wrap my arms around her, and she takes my hand. Instead of holding it, though, she clasps it between hers before raising it to her cheek. “Thank you for bringing me here, Micah.”
I swallow, but the lump in my throat doesn’t dissolve. I know my voice is going to be hoarse, but I don’t care. “Sharing this with you, Kadence…”
She sighs. “I know.”
Something tightens in my gut. Kadence is telling me she doesn’t need me to say it. She’s giving me a free pass. It’s a gracious gift I wish I didn’t have to accept.
The same question that’s driven me to this point rushes through me—how could a feeling like this be wrong?
I open my mouth, the words desperate to be freed…
“So, this is where you grew up?”
“Ah, yes.”
Kadence is still looking around. The ficus tree is surrounded by lush lawn, the paths bordered by low hedges. It should look formal and manicured, but instead it looks ancient and regal.
“This place is something else, Micah.”
“The residents are even more impressive than the greenery. I’ve been very blessed.”
“It couldn’t have happened to a better person.”
I have no idea what to say to that. I decide to go with the truth. “None of this could compare to the pull of a single girl back on Earth.”
I feel Kadence smile as she tucks herself in a little closer, pressing more of her against more of me. The sparking heat all most has me forgetting why we’re here.
Because we just left New York in a rush.
“Why did you have us leaving so quickly?” Kadence’s voice is quiet and somber. She’s thinking of everything we need to face, too.
The memory of what I saw in the health center is still fresh in my mind. “The people around us, their shadows were disappearing.”
Kadence strokes my hand as she seems to study it intently. “Their souls were being taken.”
Her gentle caress has tingles slipping up my arm. The sensation is such a contrast to the reality of what we’re discussing. “Yes. Stolen while we spoke.”
She tenses, her body going rigid against mine. “
It’s because I stopped time. For some reason, Hades could harvest a whole lot more.”
I tighten my arms around her, hating the sense of responsibility I hear in her voice. “I think so. It’s why Hiroko went as far as threatening someone to goad you into doing it.”
“She threatened you,” Kadence whispers, her fingers pausing in their rhythmic caressing.
My eyes squeeze tightly shut as her words stab through me. Kadence stopped time because of me.
Again.
Kadence resumes her stroking. “Although I wasn’t going to let her hurt the waitress, either.”
I don’t say anything. Things are becoming so tangled, I can’t tell how much was caused because I was there.
None of this would have happened if you weren’t there…
The thought startles me, but I realize it isn’t a new one. The insidious words have materialized before. I’ve just pretended they weren’t there.
“I’ve never liked my power.” I can hear the frown on Kadence’s face, even though I can’t see it. “It’s just so…big.”
“It’s still cooler than teleporting,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.
Kadence angles her head up to look at me. “Teleporting has its advantages.”
My gaze flickers to her lips. “It’s certainly become far more enjoyable recently.”
She smiles, the motion taking my breath away. Adjusting herself, folding her body so her side is against my chest. I wrap my arms around her, wishing there was more time to enjoy these feelings. Ones I never knew existed.
But we’ve learned enough to tell us this is serious. The consequences of the Underworld being greater and stronger than the earth it’s below has me shuddering.
But there’s also so much we haven’t figured out yet. Where does Damien Black fit in this? How to stop Hades…
“I think this is bigger than us, Micah.”
For a second I think she’s talking about the feelings between us, but then I realize she’s talking about the health centers and the souls. About Hades’ plan to populate the Underworld.