Chapter 8.
Maia
Corridor after corridor, door after door, everything looked the same. I was lost, again.
This was what I got for not wanting to bother Erebus or Stephan. Why was the palace a maze? What was the point? To deter guests? Thieves? Bandits? Of all the annoying things in the Underworld, this was by far one of the worst.
After a long day in my study or out at the Terminal, I just wanted to come home and take a nap in bed.
Not run a marathon of stairs through the palace in search of my chambers.
And to make matters worse, Penelope was going to arrive any moment and I wanted to greet her personally and make a good impression.
A crooked torch looked familiar and I turned left, relieved to find a set of stairs going down. I raced through the hallway, glad to find a familiar turn at the end. I made it.
Panting, I burst into the entrance hall and almost ran straight into Penelope herself.
“I’m so sorry,” I panted, trying to steady my breathing. “I got lost, this place is a maze. Sorry.”
Her gaze travelled down my body and a bemused smile tugged her lips up. “You alright there?”
“Yes, I got lost on my way down. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere but I finally made it. Did you know it takes twelve sets of stairs just to get from my wing to here?”
She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “How would I know? I don’t exactly make it a habit to visit the Hades’ chambers.”
“Ah. Of course. Anyway, thank you so much for accepting my invitation.” Finally in control of my breathing, I extended my hand. “Let’s try introducing ourselves again. I’m Maia, it’s nice to meet you.”
The other woman stepped forward, taking my hand in hers. She squeezed softly, her grip firm but gentle at the same time. “Hello, Maia.”
The way she said my name sent a shiver down my spine. It was so deliberate, so intense. Intimidating but intriguing.
Still holding my hand, she gave it a slight shake. “Penelope. You have my apologies for my initial rudeness. It was bad manners on my part and it won’t happen again.” Her eyes smouldered, making it clear she meant what she just said.
I smiled, eager to try out her name. “Penelope. I look forward to getting to know you better.”
“Me too. The Underworld would greatly benefit from a good work relationship between the Hades and the Persephone.”
Right. I almost forgot what this was all about.
She finally released my hand back but I could still feel her touch on my skin. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, I rang one of the crystal bells by the door.
Stephan appeared from nowhere with a golden tray. “Dinner awaits you, Your Darkness.” He bowed slightly towards Penelope. “Your Greatness.”
“Your Greatness,” I repeated as we followed him. “That’s how they address you down here?”
Penelope’s lips pursed, her smile evaporating. “Some do.”
“Lucky,” I grumbled. “I keep asking the staff to call me Maia but they keep falling back to ‘Your Darkness’. What does that even mean?”
Penelope snorted uncharacteristically. Her shocked, horrified look revealed she hadn’t meant to laugh and she quickly composed herself, but I knew what I saw. A knowing grin curled my lips up. So underneath that stoic demeanour, there was a sense of humour somewhere.
“After you,” I offered as we arrived at the Grey Hall.
Penelope entered the room, pausing hesitantly at the large banquet table. Laden with an abundance of dishes and variety, it looked like a dinner for a small party, not two people. The cooks certainly went all out.
Two plates were waiting on opposite ends of the table and I sat down, disappearing behind a mountain of food. A golden bird in the middle obstructed my view of my guest and made it impossible to converse.
This was even worse than an awkward date. Not that this was one. This was just me getting to know the other ruler of the Underworld over a business meal. Nothing more, nothing less.
Not sure how to even get started on the food, I looked for Stephan but he and all the other servants were already gone. I assumed they’d disappeared to give us privacy but this wasn’t making things better.
Not wanting to be spoiled or awkward, I decided not to call them back.
“Help yourself?” I said, gesturing to the sea of food.
Penelope rose from her seat, golden plate in hand. “How are you adjusting to the bounty of the Underworld?”
“I’m getting there,” I said, scooping some wilted vegetables on my plate. “Some of the fruit is familiar but all the poultry and fish are very different.”
“I remember when I got here. It took me a while to get used to it. However, you can always import goods from the Overworld, if you wish.” She loaded her plate methodically, moving along the table to get a little of everything.
“Do you import anything?”
She smiled at me, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Only the Hades has that power.”
“Ah.” I followed suit, eventually meeting her in the middle. “Anything you miss in particular?”
“Coffee. But I’m quite used to the Underworld’s delicacies by now.” The other woman stood slightly taller than me, her gaze mysterious but warm. “If you need any help with the food, I’d be happy to assist.”
“I might take you up on that offer,” I smiled, admiring her silently. She was quietly confident and it showed. Not wanting to stare at the beautiful but intimidating woman, I deposited some random meat on my plate and returned to my seat.
Penelope seemed bemused by my nervousness but she was gracious enough not to comment on it. She sat down on the other end of the table, not bothered by the lavish feast in the middle. Perhaps she was used to it.
We ate in silence, prohibited by the distance to make conversation. With every bite, my frustration grew. If I wanted things to be awkward, I would have just gone to one of our monthly meetings.
It was a relief when both our plates were empty and the servants cleared them away. Before Stephan could suggest dessert, I rose from my seat.
Penelope quickly followed suit, giving me a rare glimpse into how she regarded me. Even if she disliked the Hadeses greatly, she still held respect for the position.
“Would you like a drink in my study?” I suggested, not wanting the night to end like this. This dinner was supposed to improve our relationship and it definitely hadn’t done that.
Penelope subtly glanced at the thin watch on her wrist and nodded. “I won’t say no to one drink.”
“Excellent.” I felt myself smile. I gestured to the doors, happy to lead her to my office. I smiled at Stephan waiting in the hallway, hoping he wasn’t going to take the next thing I said as an insult. “You and the rest of the staff can take the night off.”
Surprise flitted through his eyes as he bowed slightly, his pristine dark suit barely wrinkling. “Thank you, Your Darkness.”
He sounded genuinely grateful but I made a mental note to check with Erebus what the holiday policies were for this place. The last thing I wanted was to insult any of them.
With Stephan retired for the night, I escorted Penelope to the study personally. The one place in the palace I was confident in finding. Still, I was relieved when we reached it without getting lost.
I pushed the double doors open, stepping aside. “After you.”
“Thank you.” Penelope crossed into the study, her gaze immediately drawn to the wall of books. “Wow, this is beautiful.”
“It’s my favourite room in the palace,” I admitted, joining her in her admiration. It would take me a good while to read everything in here but luckily, I had eternity to familiarise myself with it all. I gestured to the cosy seating area where I usually have my lunch. “Please.”
My guest settled in one of the chairs with a type of grace and authority I could only dream of.
The way she was sitting made her chair look like a throne and her like the most powerful woman.
She radiated power regardless of what she did.
The way she stood, walked, sat. She didn’t just wield her power, she was powerful. Like she was born to do this.
A little smirk appeared around the corner of her mouth when she realised I was staring. I quickly averted my gaze and strode to the nearby cabinet to grab two golden chalices, an attempt to hide my fascination with her.
I returned, pretending I couldn’t feel her burning gaze on me. “Wine?”