Chapter 18 Maliki
Maliki
A Few Minutes Earlier
The underworld Hades built is beneath the Netherworld Kingdom.
Which is utter Styx. Because not once did he mention the existence of a damn labyrinth. Hades has always been mysterious in that superior God sort of way, but I never realized how much he kept me in the dark until these last few days.
First with the escape plan.
Now with taking Sera to some sort of twisted maze created to punish his Persephone.
Normally, I stay out of his affairs. But this… this is too fucking far. “There has to be a way to break through the wards,” I say to Morpheus, interrupting whatever he and Typhos Lucifer were just discussing.
Because I don’t give a Styx about politics.
I care about Sera. And I am not leaving her with Hades in what is likely a complex network of horrors.
“Who can we talk to?” I press, aware that everyone in the room is now staring at me. “Give me a name. Any name. I’ll go wherever we need to go if it means saving Sera.”
“Interesting that you think the Omega needs to be saved,” Typhos drawls. “Isn’t Hades her Alpha?”
“He’s mated to her soul,” I tell him. Not that he needs or deserves an explanation. But if he has an idea that could help, it may be worth taking a few seconds to elaborate. “But Sera—the person, not the Omega—is unclaimed. That’s why her impending heat sent off that signal. Right?”
I look at Morpheus for confirmation. I don’t actually require it, but solidarity in this situation is important. I know Typhos. He values and rewards demonstrations of loyalty. And perhaps he’ll be more amenable if he sees us as a united front.
Or maybe he’ll just try to cut a deal.
That’s fine. I think he’ll find that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get to Sera.
She’s mine to protect. My charge. My responsibility. And that includes protecting her from the one who assigned her to me in the first place. Hades.
Because at some point, I decided she was my priority. Not him.
I’m guarding her because I want to, not because I have to.
And Hades has made me question everything.
“Well, this is fascinating,” my brother says, his violet eyes looking me over with interest. “I had no idea you finally found a mate. I just assumed you and Hades were, well, you know.”
I glare at him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Oh.” He glances at Ajax. “He hasn’t figured it out yet.”
Ajax snorts. “Shocking.”
“I believe his relationship with Hades is similar to yours with Typhos. Claimed, but not in a sexual way,” Morpheus murmurs.
“I am not claimed,” I tell him. “I also haven’t found a mate. Sera is my charge. And you all are wasting my time with your idle gossip.” I focus on Morpheus. “Do you have any suggestions or not?”
“Actually, Hades’s claim on you might be useful,” he says, his expression pensive.
“He hasn’t claimed me.”
“He has,” Morpheus murmurs thoughtfully. “I assume through a token of some kind. A coin, perhaps?”
“I don’t…” I trail off, recalling the gold coin he gave me the other day.
The one he told me to put on my wrist. Only it dissolved into my skin the second I took it from him.
I told him at the time that it felt like a trap to accept his “gift.” He responded that I felt that way because I knew him well.
So he never denied it.
Nor did he ever explain it.
“He told me it would keep you from bothering me,” I say slowly.
Morpheus snorts. “I suppose he’s not wrong; his claim protects you from my abilities. But it does a lot more than that. It identifies you as part of his mate-circle, something I believe he properly initiated when he let you play with Sera.”
My jaw clenches. “I fucking hate all your Alpha games.”
“I’m not the one playing right now,” Morpheus murmurs. “However, I am thinking, and Hades’s claim may be your ticket into the maze.”
All right. If that’s the case, then… “I’m listening.”
“First…” He turns to Typhos. “The Alphas shouldn’t be a problem for your realm any longer.
While the maze Hades built is technically beneath the Netherworld Kingdom, it’s not a tangible location.
More like a paradigm, I suppose, only far more intense in terms of creation magic.
That’s why you can’t sense it or access it. ”
Typhos narrows his gaze. “When I permitted you access to my realm, it was with the purpose of expecting you to watch over and protect my fae, not—”
“Which we’ve been doing,” Morpheus inserts. “The Netherworld Kingdom and the Morpheus Kingdom are both safe.”
“Tell that to my Strigoi,” Typhos deadpans.
“Well, that whole situation with the throne wasn’t my responsibility,” Morpheus returns. “And you know how I feel about interfering in games of fate, Typhos. I observe. I bless them with dreams. I do not fix nightmares.”
Typhos grunts.
“Or are you saying you needed my assistance?” Morpheus presses. “Because it seems to me that fate worked in your favor, yes?”
The Hell Fae King folds his arms across his broad chest, his dark blue eyes on Morpheus. “I don’t need anything from you. I would just appreciate improved communication, given that I allow you to reside in my realm.”
Morpheus grins. “Consider me duly chastised, Your Majesty. Now, as far as communication goes, it seems to me that your Strigoi require an heir. Unfortunately, I hear he’s quite, shall we say, stealthy. Perhaps removing his ‘shadow’ would help, hmm?”
I have no idea what he’s talking about. Nor do I know how any of this is relevant to the situation with Sera. “Can we go back to discussing how Hades’s supposed claim can help us break through the maze wards now?”
Typhos looks at me and then at Morpheus. “Just get out of my palace.”
Morpheus’s smile grows. “Happily.” He grabs my arm before I can comment and mists us to my room in Death’s Palace.
My gaze narrows. This area of the palace is riddled with Hades’s magic. Morpheus bringing us here with such ease shouldn’t have been possible. “I assume the maze wards are different from the ones in this palace?” I guess, prompting him for an explanation.
He shrugs and releases me. “When Hades tasked me with cleanup duty, I made some changes.”
I snort, not at all surprised by his response. And any other day, I might even be amused by it.
Alas, I’m not in a humorous mood today.
“Well, if you know how to undo or alter Hades’s wards, then surely we can figure something out with the maze,” I tell him. “So start talking.”
“Your demanding nature is rather attractive, Ghost,” he drawls, then collapses into my favorite chair—just like Hades always does.
Fleur chooses that moment to fly in, my familiar clearly having followed me back from the Human Realm. She takes one look at me and then Morpheus before choosing the God’s lap to land in.
“Your loyalty is noted,” I mutter as she curls up.
She responds by closing her eyes.
And begins to purr.
Brat, I think at her.
Morpheus combs his fingers through her black fur. “You’re a pretty little one,” he coos at my sphinx. “A fine familiar, too.”
“Stop complimenting my cat and focus on the maze.”
“Maybe if you spent more time complimenting your precious beast, she would choose you over a stranger,” he muses, his purr igniting to life and startling Fleur.
But rather than run away, the little traitor curls up even more, her contentment clear.
I roll my eyes. “She just likes Alphas.”
“Most females do,” he murmurs with a smile. “Wait until you see Serapina react to our knots. It’ll be a beautiful display indeed.”
“If we can even get to her,” I say through my teeth. “Why are you not more concerned right now?”
“Because I know Hades won’t hurt her, and he was right when he said his maze was a safe space.”
“Except you also said it was built to punish Persephone.”
“It was,” he replies, frowning a little. “But Serapina isn’t Persephone.”
“Clearly,” I state dryly. “So she doesn’t deserve any of this.”
“No, what I mean is that Serapina might not see any of it as a punishment.”
“Something I would believe if she weren’t trapped there with Hades right now,” I ground out.
Morpheus shrugs. “Maybe it’s what they both need—some solitude so they can finally talk.”
I stare at him. “You think this is good for them?”
“I think it’s good for Hades,” he corrects. “And I’m trusting Serapina to be able to handle herself.”
“So you’re not worried at all,” I press, my ire mounting. “You think she’s just fine in that labyrinth of horrors.”
“Depends on her point of view.” He scratches Fleur behind the ears. “But let’s talk about his claim on you and how that may be of use to us.”
Oh, now he wants to get to the point.
Rather than comment, I just continue to stare at him.
“In theory, you’re already a member of the mate-circle. Which means his wards should grant you entry. But that requires us to find a proper door. I assume it’s somewhere in this palace. And it won’t be in an obvious place.”
“That’s helpful,” I mutter.
He shrugs. “This is Hades we’re discussing, is it not? Nothing is ever what it seems where the God of Death is concerned.” He cants his head. “So where do you propose we begin?”
I blink at him. “You’re asking me where to start?”
“Well, yes. You know him best.”
“Do I?” I ask, serious. “Hades didn’t tell me about the escape plan, and he’s certainly never mentioned the underworld to me before. So do I actually know him best? Because you knew where to go and you knew about the maze.”
“I only knew where he took Serapina because of my link to her soul,” he informs me. “As for the underworld… it’s been a point of contention between us for nearly two thousand years. I sensed when he started to build it, and, well, I didn’t approve of the intention behind it.”
“Because you don’t want to punish Persephone.”
“No, I do not,” he says softly. “I don’t believe she intentionally hurt anyone. But Hades has been blinded by her perceived betrayal and refuses to see beyond it. Until now, anyway. Serapina, I believe, is going to change everything.”
I study him for a moment, then take the chair across from him. “That’s why you want them to talk.”
“Among other reasons, yes,” he admits, his gaze taking on a faraway look. “She’s the key to undoing millennia of wrongness. And potentially the one who will help us save the Mythos Fae Realm.”
My eyebrow inches upward. “That sounds like a prophecy.”
His lashes flutter, his blue-green eyes capturing mine. “Maybe it is.” He looks down at Fleur. “Sorry, pretty girl, but I need to check on something.” He glances back at me. “See if you can find that door. I’ll be back.”
He disappears before I can comment, leaving me growling an expletive in his wake.
“Bloody Alphas.” I don’t even know what door to search for.
But as Fleur meows, I suddenly have an idea.
Maybe Howl and Mort can help me…
Pushing off the chair, I go to look for Hades’s beast. Maybe the three-headed creature followed Fleur back here.
If not, I’ll go trash Hades’s suite in search of the elusive door.
And raid his liquor cabinet.
Because that arse owes me a stiff drink. As well as a Styx-ton of answers…