Chapter 15.
Maia
The carriage came to a shaky halt in front the Golden Mansion and for once, the rising nausea in my stomach wasn’t due to the tumultuous ride.
The driver held his thumbs up questioningly and I returned the gesture.
Even if it was still too fast for my liking, it was a lot better than it used to be.
Maybe in a few years, it would be an acceptable speed.
Nerves jittered through me as I approached the ostentatious building. I couldn’t decide if this was worse than my castle or not. Neither felt like a place to live in.
The golden front doors swung open before I could knock and a man in a stiff suit welcomed me in. “This way, Your Darkness. Her Greatness is waiting for you in the dining room.”
“Thank you.” I followed him into the mansion, trying not to pay attention to the reflective walls. I was already worried enough about how I looked, I didn’t need to see it a hundred times around me.
He opened a set of double doors and my breath hitched at the sight of Penelope waiting in the middle of the room. She turned, her grey dress accentuating her natural curves. “Evening.”
“Hi.”
She smiled at the servant. “Thank you, Remus. You can retire for the evening.”
He bowed slightly and I could tell how much respect he held for her just in the way he carried himself around her. It only made me admire her more. Remus closed the doors on his way out, leaving the two of us in the dining room.
“Would you like a drink before dinner?” Penelope proposed, gesturing to the little cart with all kinds of bottles of liquor.
I nodded in my approach. “Yes, please.”
“Anything in particular?” she asked, picking up an empty glass.
“Surprise me.”
“Adventurous.”
“I told you I like trying new things,” I returned, hoping I was coming across half as interesting as she was.
“So do I, although there’s also comfort in routine and monotony.” She prepared two amber drinks with ice and handed me one, our fingers brushing against each other. “To our health, considering we’re still alive.”
“To our health,” I toasted, gently clinking my glass against hers. I took a sip from the floral drink, surprised by the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. “This is delicious although I don’t recognise the flavour.”
“The Underworld has a lot to offer.” She gestured to the little salon in the corner. “Shall we sit?”
I nodded in agreement and occupied one of the velvet chaises, disappointed by how far we were sitting apart. To hide my discomfort, I took another sip from my drink and put it on the glass table between us. “I never got to ask why you’re down here.”
“It’s a boring story,” she said.
“I doubt it.” I crossed my legs, trying to get more comfortable in the chair. “Please, I’m curious.”
“Well, I was brought up in one of Demeter’s temples and the priestesses prepared us all for diverse positions. I ended up getting a taste for this one.”
“Interesting. I heard it’s really hard to get into Demeter’s temple. They must’ve realised you were going to be special.”
“No, nothing like that. One of the high priestesses found me when I was a baby. She always claimed I was born from the tears of a white calf but I think that was just a story to cheer me up so I didn’t feel bad about not having parents.” She smiled at me over the rim of her glass.
“That’s quite a story. Uncommon but not unheard of it though,” I smiled. “It could be true.”
“It seems unlikely. Anyway, even though I grew up in the temple, I never felt like I fit in.”
“So naturally, you took a job in the Underworld,” I teased.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing, you’re here too.” She set her empty glass on the table. “Do you ever regret it?”
“No, I don’t. I worry about it, but I don’t regret it,” I admitted.
“Worry? What do you worry about?”
“A variety of things. Not being good enough, not doing things right, disappointing the dead.” I hesitated. “Disappointing you.”
“Me?” Surprise raised her voice.
“Hmm-hmm. I admire you and the way you run this place. My first priority is making sure I live up to my title and doing right by our guests,” I explained, finishing my drink too and setting the glass next to hers. “I won’t lie, I took this job on a whim but I want to do it justice.”
“I can tell. I admire you too. You’ve already done more for the Underworld in the short time you were here than all the Hadeses of the past century.” She rose from her seat and gestured to the table. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“I am.” I followed her, taking to the seat opposite of her. Just like dinner at my place, the food was waiting for us under golden domes but it was a reasonable amount of platters and we could actually see each other.
We filled our plates in amicable silence, passing serving spoons between us.
“Everything looks delicious,” I said, taking my first bite from a confusing green vegetable.
“I have good cooks.” Penelope gestured to a little gravy boat with red sauce. “You should try the specialty of the house. Pomegranate sauce.”
I chuckled. “Really?”
“Hmm. It’s the original Persephone’s recipe.”
“Then I have to try it,” I said, picking up the jug and pouring some on my plate and releasing a fruity aroma. I dipped some of my meat into the red sauce and ate it, surprised by the depth of flavour. “Wow. That’s delicious. I’d have stayed in the Underworld for that.”
“I know, right?” The other woman snapped her fingers. “Wine. I’m not letting you leave without trying it this time.”
I contemplated making a cheeky remark but I was barely holding my nerves together, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the conversation of the evening.
Penelope poured us two glasses of wine and I took my first sip, not particularly impressed by the taste. It tasted slightly tangy with a hint of sweetness. Nothing special and I couldn’t help but wonder if the wine had always been a ruse.
"Where’s Cerberus?” I inquired between bites.
“He’s being watched,” she assured me. “I’m sorry that he attacked you last time.”
“Hey, you’re the one that got hurt. Can I ask you something though?”
She finished her food and folded her cutlery on her plate. “Go ahead.”
“Why is he not guarding the gates of the Underworld?” I ate my last piece of meat and wiped my mouth on the napkin. “I asked around and it appears he hasn’t for many centuries.”
“That’s a good question.” Penelope rose from her seat. “Shall we get more comfortable? I had the sunroom set up for us so we could have some of your wonderful coffee, although there’s admittedly little sun.”
We retreated to the parlour where true to her word, there was hot coffee waiting next to two comfortable ear chairs facing each other.
I sat down in one while Penelope sat down in the other, a little smile playing around her lips.
She’d orchestrated the entire evening and I could tell she was enjoying it running as planned.
I picked up the hot mug she prepared for me and eagerly sipped the bitter drink. “So, Cerberus?” I asked.
“Right. Well, as you can tell, he can be a little… wild and unruly. One of the past Hadeses, way before my term, seemed discontent with managing the hellhound and locked him up to get him out of the way.” She pensively drank from her steaming cup and sighed.
“I found him and decided to take him in. It’s been quite a challenging venture but I couldn’t stand having him locked up. ”
I nodded, considering everything she just told me. “Do you think he’d be willing to return to his post?”
Surprise flitted over her face. “I’m not sure. He’s grown a real distaste for the Hades, you experienced that first hand. But I’m sure he could learn to trust again, if someone was willing to put in the effort.”
“I am,” I assured her. “I just want the Underworld to run like it’s meant to and have everyone in their rightful place.”
She chuckled slightly. “You’re preaching to the choir.”
“I know. I think we can make that happen, together,” I said. I wasn’t sure where I got my confidence from but something about Penelope made me believe we could do it.
Penelope set her mug down. “I think so too. If you’re committed to helping Cerberus, I’ll help you with that. Make sure he doesn’t tear you to shreds.”
“I appreciate that.” My laughter gradually ebbed away and left me with a warm glow in my chest. Recognising the feeling, I rose from the seat so I could look at the view of her beautiful gardens instead of at her.
“I really appreciate all the help and your patience while I find my feet. I know it can’t be easy to have so many Hadeses pass through. ”
“I usually don’t bother, it’s a lot of wasted energy,” Penelope said, joining me by the window. She placed a gentle hand on my arm, urging me to look at her. Her dark eyes shimmered. “Most of the time.”
My chest fluttered. “But not this time?”
“No, I don’t believe so.” She leaned in and pressed a wonderfully tender kiss on my lips. She tasted of coffee and pomegranates, a strange combination that suited her.
Butterflies awoke in my stomach and I felt lighter than air as they fluttered through me. I eagerly kissed her back, not able to remember why I thought this was a bad idea in the first place. Everything between us felt so natural even if it was new. It just felt right.
A clattering sound drew my attention and I gasped. “It’s raining. I didn’t realise it rained down here!”
Penelope’s bemused face lit up the room. “Of course, it does.”
I threw the sliding door open and grabbed her hand, pulling her out into the night. “Come on!”
“What are you doing?” she called, resisting only for good measure.
Thick drops of rain fell on my face, tickling my skin. “It’s hot!”
Penelope laughed as she pulled me into her, her hands falling on my hips. Water streamed down her face, wetting her hair and staining her grey dress dark. “You’re ridiculous,” she mused affectionately. “How can you have so much fun in the land of the dead?”
“Because I’m not dead,” I shouted back. “I’m alive. You’re alive!”
Her gaze smouldered as it settled on me.
She pulled me in, capturing me in a determined kiss that set me ablaze.
The warmth of the rain melted with the searing heat of her mouth and I drowned in her, the desire in my belly growing with every caress and every breath.
Butterflies grew rampant in my chest and I barely remembered to breathe.
I just wanted her like I hadn’t wanted anyone before.
She pulled away, leaving the space of a breath between us. “I don't understand.”
“What?” I asked, barely able to hear her under the heavy pour.
Penelope tugged me along to one of the open sheds. The falling rain played percussion on the roof but it wasn’t nearly as deafening as standing in the middle of it.
She brushed her thumb along my bottom lip. “I smudged your lipstick. And got some of mine on you too.”
“I would think so with the intensity of how you kissed me,” I blurted, feeling uncharacteristically daring.
She chuckled, her eyes flickering with intense emotion. “You’re so vibrant, Maia. So full of life. When I’m with you, I can feel it.”
“Feel what?”
“The sun.” She kissed me again, soft and tender this time. “I want to do this with you.”
“This?”
Penelope’s voice caught with excitement. “Whatever this is. Ruling together, us together. I want to take a chance. It’s so not like me but there’s just something about you. I can’t resist it. I don’t want to. You’re a breath of fresh air and I want to see where this will take us.”
Her declaration released the flood of emotions I was holding back and I allowed them to flow through me.
I pulled her into a kiss, determined to show her how much I wanted this too.
Maybe people would find it unconventional that we were getting together but down in the Underworld, nothing felt more normal to me.
We were the Hades and Persephone after all.