by B C Morgan
This whole situation had just been raising more and more questions and no answer seemed in sight.
“I will take my leave child, but I hope to see you this evening, there is a ball being thrown in your honour. I’m sure Malachi will help you with whatever you may need.”
With that said, he gave a quick nod towards the man I know now as Malachi and then strolled out of my room. This left me alone with Malachi, the guy I was supposed to be marrying.
Nothing had been said for at least ten minutes, I did not know.how patient I had been before my brain malfunctioned, but since I had woken up my patience was non-existent.
“So, tell me lover boy, why such a strong reaction to my arms, you must have seen them before,” I stated, more curious than I ought to have been.
“When I first saw them, they were nothing like that. They had appeared to be nothing more than a tattoo, but they look different to me now.
I’m guessing the same can’t be said for his lordship or he would have acted differently,” he replied, looking around the room, as though he was on edge.
“Why are you being so weird?”
He stood up and then leaned over me, placing his lips just against my ear. It sent a shiver down my spine and I rather enjoyed the feeling and decided I could do a lot worse than marry a guy like this.
I realised it disappointed me when it was made clear that he only chose that position, so he could whisper in my ear.
“The walls have ears love, be careful what you say and to whom. And trust in your tattoos.”
With that said, he placed a chaste kiss to the point just below my ear, turned around and left my room.
There wasn’t a great deal for me to do, so instead I just perused my room and wondered just how long I had lived here.
3
Unya
I went back to bed, when my headache returned, but sleep eluded me.
I can’t tell you how annoying that was, but it was made worse when a young girl entered my room, yet again without bloody knocking.
Swearing to myself right then, that the next person who just walked on through would get their fingers snapped off. There was a part inside of me, that seemed thrilled by that prospect, which had been quite startling, if I’m being honest.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Tut tut ebony child, is that any way to act towards someone who is offering you aid?” Asked the little girl, who seemed older beyond her obvious young years.
This whole bloody situation was aggravating, and I wasn’t sure how to navigate it.
I remained quiet, which only earned me a stony look in reply. The little girl was quite terrifying, which should be embarrassing. I would guess, but there had been something about her that seemed off right from the start.
“I am Yana, I hoped that you wouldn’t have forgotten me, but it’s to be expected, I guess.. Especially if you could have forgotten Malachi, I doubt many girls would claim such a thing.”
Her statement rubbed me the wrong way, and I growled in response which made her giggle.
“ooh interesting, you can feel every annoying little emotion flowing through you. But seeing as I can’t see any harm in it, we’ll keep it between us. You know us girls must stick together.” She said this while she rummaged through a wardrobe, looking for something.
I knew full well I would not trust this strange little creature, but I had no qualms with pretending for her benefit.
“What are you doing?” I asked, as I got closer and closer to where she was searching.
“Finding you something to wear silly, I mean it’s not my job. Menial tasks are beneath me if I’m to be honest with you, but Hades asked me to help get you settled. And you will soon learn that we do not deny his Lordships wishes or orders. A happy master means a happy life, you would do well to remember that.”
She re-emerged with a beautiful black gown, made almost entirely from silk. It cascaded like a waterfall, with layers of tulle and lace falling down the skirt and spreading out around the back into a train, that shimmered when the light fell upon it.
She helped me to put it on, much to my chagrin. She fitted the bodice around me, which had me gasping until I became accustomed to it. The bodice had fine detailing, which appeared to be delicate little flowers, with real rubies fitted to the middle of each of them.
She then put a choker around my neck, with a ruby dangling down and falling just above the gap between my breasts. She commented that it looked much better than the necklace I used to wear, but I had no memory to compare it to, so I just kept quiet.
The next item she had me wear a black sapphire ring that had lace coming off of the band and webbing over my hand and up to my elbow, she then did the same to my other arm, before placing ruby tear drop earrings into my ears.
I drew the line at letting her place shoes on me, which to be honest she seemed rather thankful for. She still made me put on ones of her own choosing.
Bloody high things, that had me fearing for the safety of my neck, but they turned out to be comfy. She justified the height by saying that I would still be below Malachi, but much easier to kiss.
I wasn’t sure that any of that would go on with someone who was a stranger to me, whether or not I was one to him.
The thoughts of him had drawn me back to the tattoo on my arm, one where I had seen his name written. It was strange to be fair, it said ‘Malachi. Your heart’s choice, but not your head’s.’ They had seemed rather peculiar words to my frazzled brain, but whoever had written this, cared enough for me to add these little reminders.
By the time she finished primping and preening me, my hair had been put up into a fancy twist with tendrils falling down the side of each cheek. My eyes were light, just highlighted by a gold colour and black eyeliner and my lips were a ruby red with a slight blush staining my cheeks.
She stated rather forcefully that I needed the blush seeing as I had grown even paler than before. She also indicated that I had lost weight since the incident but said that would soon be rectified. Especially with the banquet I was to attend, I’ll admit that I had been feeling nervous. I had no idea what to expect and I still did not understand what the hell the ‘Underworld’ meant.
The other thing that made my head spin was the fact that the words on my arms appeared different when I viewed them in a mirror. Intricate black vines wound up my arms to the top of my shoulders, with forget me nots and roses scattered here and there, with black inky shading around the flowers, that gave them a dark edge.
Yana soon left me to my own devices but advised that I should remain in my room until I was sent for. She said it was because I couldn’t navigate myself around safely, I doubted that was the real reason though.
I didn’t see any point in arguing with her about it, what can I say the girl was still giving off the creepy vibe.
I had no idea who I’d been expecting to retrieve me, but I shocked myself by how relieved I felt when Malachi knocked at my door and waited for me to allow him entry.
He’d already gone up in my estimation just by knocking on the freaking door, had I always been that easy to please or was this a new thing. Because if it was, I had already started to think up ways to fix it, I did not want to be one of ‘those girls.’
“Wow Unya, you look incredible. Although that’s not to say I didn’t like your old style, it was more you than this is, but it suits you.”
He was rambling, which brought a smirk to my face, but I let it drop away before he could notice.
I walked closer to him, mere inches away when I stopped. Seeing him swallow, it was clear that I seemed to make him nervous. I didn’t let myself dwell on it as I threaded my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, connecting my lips with his.
I felt him shudder against me, as his arms cascaded down my back and then rested on my hips, pulling me even closer. It was a thoroughly enjoyable moment, but too soon he pulled away.
“Sorry Unya, I shouldn’t have let that happen, you don’t even
know me anymore,” he stated, which just made him seem even more endearing again not that I had anything to compare him to.
“Look Malachi, I kissed you. One, because I wanted to see what it would feel like and two, I wanted to see if I could feel a spark of, well anything. I mean if I agreed to marry you then we must love one another right?”
Malachi had a moment where pain filled his eyes and I wanted to know what caused it, but it passed, and I lost the moment to inquire about it.
“I can’t tell you how you felt Unya, it just wouldn’t be right. How could I expect you to just take my word for it, but what I can tell you is what I felt and still do.
When I first saw you, you captivated me, you were such a firecracker. So much sass and attitude, you intrigued me from the start. And the more time we spent together and the more I got to know you, I just realised that I never wanted to stop getting to know you. The first time we kissed, I knew that it doomed me as an incubus and a man from that very point.”
“What the hell is an incubus?” I asked, trying not to lose myself in his words alone.
He looked shocked for a moment, before he disappeared over to a bookcase and came back with an encyclopaedia. It was huge and I didn’t want to read that beast of a book, but the look stamped on Malachi’s face couldn’t be argued with.
So for the next hour, until we had to leave he helped me to come to terms with the creatures I would be likely to see that evening. It was hard to get my head around at first and a part of me wanted to go straight into denial, but I fought it. I asked Malachi to prove it and I allowed him to use his gift on me, it had been an incredible rush. Intoxicating pleasure flooded me and he had to restrain me until it wore off, just so I wouldn’t jump him.
I think I would have enjoyed it but he hadn’t thought it to be right. By the time we had to leave, there was way to much information crammed inside my mind.
I knew that all I had to do was make it through the meal and then I could escape back to my room and just let myself relax.
As we were leaving, I saw something shift within the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks and just stared as a shadow seemed to grow larger and larger. It didn’t stop until it had morphed into the shape of a man, features indistinguishable except for light for eyes and a mouth. I went to say something, but before I could it lifted a finger to its mouth and made a shushing motion. I don’t know why I listened to it but I did, not mentioning the strange appearance to Malachi and later I’d come to regret it.
4
Malachi
I despised myself in that moment, not being able to remind Unya of who she was. I didn’t know how many more lies Hades would weave in his favour all I knew was that I could not contradict him, not if I wanted to stick around to keep Unya safe.
I noticed her staring into a corner of her room as we’d been leaving but I’d chosen not to bring it up.
It wasn’t clear what she’d seen but I hadn’t imagined it to be anything good. I had to accept that I couldn’t expect her to trust me straight away, I didn’t think she should at all not while I was stuck under Hades’ thumb.
I hated the situation I’d put myself in, but in the beginning, I believed that it had been a necessary evil. Hades wasted no time in correcting my assumption, while Unya had been catatonic.
The day after Unya’s birthday
“Will you stop moping; she is still alive is she not?” Hades posed it as a question, but I knew that he didn’t expect an answer.
“She hasn’t moved an inch my lord, she won’t eat or drink. How can I not worry, I made a deal with you to bring her back last time, I have nothing to offer if the same fate should befall her again.”
My words brought no reply, except for a deep belly laugh from him. His reaction confused me, I always liked to think of myself as smart and perceptive but in that moment, I had second thoughts.
“You stupid boy, did you think I would not bring her back without your offer. I could not let her remain dead I needed her to release my brethren from their prison. Just like I need her now to finish them for good, it is in her destiny to wipe them from existence.”
“Then why would you accept my offer?”
“Open your eyes Malachi, you are not that dense. You offered me something that I could not refuse. You. After your father died you disappeared on me, you became a shadow of yourself. You ignored your heritage, never once letting yourself feast until your victim was nothing more than a lifeless bundle of flesh and bone. But you offered your services to me, and I intend to enact on that agreement the moment she awakens.
You will agree with every fabrication I weave; you will play whatever part I create for you and you will never disagree with me when she is standing before us. And should she question you in private, then you will be a good little soldier and validate my story. You won’t betray me Malachi, as long as she lives in my realm you will be my slave and you will not lead her back to her world. Do I make myself clear?”
Hades had not been too wise in his orders, if Unya escaped without my aid, then I would be free to reveal every single one of his dirty secrets. Which would include the truth about her, so in response all I did was nod my head, turn around and stride out of the throne room.
Night of the banquet
Unya had tucked her arm within the crook of my elbow and I had led her towards the great hall. The moment we crossed the threshold I could feel every creature present, looking to us or more, her.
Hades orchestrated it perfectly, no one would dare correct her misconceptions of who she had been but that didn’t stop their curiosity. Many of these beings hadn’t had the chance to lay their eyes upon the ebony child and they were not about to waste this opportunity.
Unya’s eyes hadn’t stopped shifting from creature to creature, some looked human-like in appearance, but others made it easy to tell that they were meant for the Underworld.
Hades’ snobbery didn’t allow him to invite every bottom feeder to attend, only those who could offer something significant to the greedy lord. But word would spread, Hades had found the one he’d been seeking, and she was fighting for him.
We approached the table and Hades motioned for us to join him at the head of the table, the honour was significant, but it would have meant nothing to Unya in that moment. Many of the creatures showed a mixture of jealousy, disdain and awe at our special treatment.
I wished to be far from there, but I refused to give her up to the wolves. No as far as I was concerned, Unya was under my protection even if that meant having to pretend that we had been planning to one day wed.
It hadn’t been a repulsive idea. It just made me feel wrong, she’d chosen Lawson over me. The reasons for that remained unclear and I doubted that she could shed any light on it now, but I didn’t want to trick her into being with me.
As far as I was concerned that needed to be her decision, I didn’t have a choice.
I had to pretend, and not do anything that would make her hate me if she ever came back to herself.
I can’t tell you if she ever does but believe me when I say that she would shock, surprise and sicken me in the days to come.
Hades sat at the head of the table, with the chair next to him on the left empty. No one would dare draw attention to Persephone’s absence, one down from her seat sat the freaky Yana with Semias standing proud behind Hades back. Unya took the chair to his right, sitting right beside him if not for the corner and I took the seat next to her.
I was angry to see Troy in the seat opposite mine, devouring Unya with his eyes. His presence confused me for sure.
“My lord, where is the queen. I thought she always presided beside you, unless she was on the surface. I may have that wrong, I only had a few moments to skim the history but I’m sure that I have that correct,” Unya stated, as every set of eyes once again rested upon her.
“It’s good to see you are trying to familiarise yourself again my dear, but my ravishing queen is unwell. Even the lord of the underworld must make all
owances in these situations.”
He’d spoken his words kindly, but his eyes held an edge to them. The queen resided in her quarters, no doubt still mourning the loss of her son.
That one had been a shocker even to me, but unfortunately for her and Lawson, Hades knew all along.
Unya just nodded her head in response and stared as servants began placing food before us all. I could tell by the way that she stared at her food, that she was remembering the words that had been inked upon her. I had already thought of a way out of that predicament, I mean come on, even Hades’ servants could be bought for a price.
“Your food is safe love,” I stated, indicating towards one of her arms.
She gave me a strange look, which she followed through with a quick nod before tucking into her food.
The smug look that spread upon Hades face infuriated me, but I knew that I would get to have the last laugh. Seeing as I knew the true origin of her feast, and it had been created far from this hell of a place.
5
Unya
It had been disconcerting having everyone watching my every move, I did not have enough context to understand why they appeared to be surprised by my arrival.
If I had always been on Hades’ side, they would have come in to contact with me at least once or twice.
Malachi returned me to my room, but he only gave me a kiss on the forehead before he departed. He hadn’t been acting as though we were in a relationship, so it made me wonder if this was an arranged marriage. But then, I thought back to that kiss we shared, which made me doubt my first conclusion, almost instantly.