Chapter 2 – Hades
HADES
The shade holds my daughter’s, Cerberus’s, scent.
Even from a distance I can smell the beastly hellhound who betrayed me.
I can feel that the shade was born from my child’s pain.
If I had control of the shade, I might be able to use her to hurt Cerberus.
At least I believe I could, if the connection is strong enough.
Never before has a shade been born from an immortal’s suffering. She is rare. And different.
I don’t like rare and different, unless I can use it to gain what I wish. The idea that already the shade has done what no shade before her has disturbs me.
No shade is aware of the rule. That if they can remove their thread before their first kill, then they can be free of my control. Nor do most shades have the clarity of mind to perform such a thing. Most thirst and hunger for nothing but my command to kill.
And this shade? I may not even use her like the others. I may simply strap her down and find out how much pain she needs to feel before my child feels it too. I might see how long I have to hurt her before Cerberus is forced to return to me.
The idea fills me with pleasure.
I will have this shade under my control once more. But how can I get her?
“Andros?”
The undead gargoyle steps forward on the wall.
His sad eyes stare straight ahead, and his huge body seems to fill the space around me.
He’s a good soldier, a rarity that I couldn’t allow to move onto the afterlife, but he isn’t fun.
His misery cloaks him like a blanket…which means he is one who serves me, but doesn’t enjoy it.
A fact I don’t care about. Even if I wish the big man would join me in bed with Persephone.
Usually, my wife could care less about my male companions, but I see how her eyes stray to Andros.
And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious what a gargoyle was like in bed. Were they always stone hard?
“My lord?”
I jerk my gaze away from his package. “We need to go to see the witch. I have a question.”
He bows, and I start back down the stairs connected to the wall that surrounds my kingdom. Outside the gates, and toward the back, are more stairs that lead to the prisons. This isn’t a place I enjoy going to, but I do enjoy seeing the witch.
I starve her. I beat her. I even had a demon impregnate her years before. And still, she will not be broken. And yet, I long for the day that I’m successful. Because everyone breaks.
Eventually.
“Hecate,” I call as I reach the bars of her prison cell.
“Well, well, well,” I hear from the darkness. “The asshole god himself has deigned to gift me with his presence.”
I force a smile as the blue-skinned witch emerges from the shadows into the torch light. “You’re looking dirty and thin.”
“What do you expect from this ‘five star resort’ you’ve thrown me into?”
My teeth clench together for the briefest moment before I remember not to let her see that she gets to me. “A shade, born from violence against my daughter, has just escaped from the Underworld. I wish to know how to capture her.”
“And what do I get for helping your royal assholeness?”
This time I know I’m glaring. “I’ll have Andros beat you less today.”
The gargoyle stiffens behind me.
“Well,” I say, drawing out the word.
She continues smirking.
I snap. “When your useless half-demon spawn escaped, I didn’t look for her. The creature was useless to me. But perhaps it’s time I find her. The threat of hurting her when she was imprisoned with you usually cut this banter of ours down to a minimum.”
She goes pale. “You’re a bastard.”
“And you think you’re so special. The first witch. Gifted with her powers by a foolish god. But here you are, my prisoner still.” I laugh. “So let’s stop wasting time. Tell me how I may capture her.”
Her smile is gone. She lifts a hand and a ball of blue flames forms in her palms. She murmurs words that mean nothing to me, and the ball of flames expands.
Her gaze moves to it, and the flames reflect off her golden eyes.
I would never tell her, but I wish that I could see what she sees in these visions.
It makes me feel like I need her, and I don’t need anyone.
Besides the fact that I’m not always certain she tells me the truth.
Suddenly, her eyes lift from the flames. “You’re not going to like this.”
My temper flares. “Tell me what you’ve seen!”
“Your shade? You can’t hurt her now.”
I can feel my pulse jumping in my neck. “None of your riddles, witch.”
“She has the protection of dangerous beings. Beings that the goddess Selene herself protects.”
“Selene!” The name comes out an outraged shout. “She is no goddess! She is a monstrous female of no worth!”
“And yet the rules of the gods are clear: as long as she is in their care, you can do nothing to take her or harm her. Or you will face the wrath of the gods.”
I can feel my rage boiling. I shall watch as Andros beats the flesh from this cocky witch’s bones. And this time I won’t let him stop until she begs me to end her suffering.
And then I stiffen, realization dawning on me. “I can do nothing directly to get her back. But there are always ways around such things.”
Hecate’s expression of triumph fades.
“Andros, I have someone to visit. You are to beat the witch.”
“Yes, my lord,” he says behind me.
And I smile. The shade might be free for now, but it won’t be long before she’s mine once more.