Chapter 19 Hades
Hades
“You know what you are?” I bellowed, power bursting from the end of my pointed finger. Zeus smiled lazily back at me as he flicked his hand up and blocked it. He needn't have. He was easily strong enough to absorb my outbursts.
“What am I, Hades?”
“You're a colossal fucking prick, just as she said you were!”
Danger danced in my brother’s eyes.
“I had no idea she was going to provide this much entertainment when I brought her back,” he said, strolling to the edge of my throne room and peering down at the endless flames. Rage was thundering through my body, that dark well of power desperate to expend itself.
“Zeus, without me, Olympus will fall. Do you really think putting me in my place is worth that risk?” I hissed, trying to calm myself.
“Is that a threat?” he said, raising his eyebrows as he turned to me.
He was in his true form, as was I. Ancient and glowing with the barely containable power of the sky, his face was lined with as much fury as I felt.
“You caused this, Hades. You broke the laws. You deliberately defied me. Did you expect me to let you humiliate me and belittle my rules in front of the world?”
Lethal rage dripped from his words, and I felt the smoke pouring from my skin as I glared back at him.
“You killed them all. An entire innocent realm, save one. Was that not punishment enough? Did you really need to risk bringing her back just to see me suffer?”
His eyes narrowed.
“So you share Poseidon's belief that she is still dangerous?”
“She can't stay here.”
“I'm well aware of that.”
“So now you are forcing her into a Trial where my own realm will kill her? Do you despise me that much?” The smoke rolling off me was starting to burn, flames dripping like liquid from my body onto the marble floor.
“She's stronger than you think, Hades.”
“That's what your wife said,” I snarled. Zeus didn't deserve Hera. He never had.
His eyes flashed with purple lightning, and the roar of thunder rumbled through the floating throne room.
“We're not talking about my wife, brother, we are talking about yours.”
“You need me, Zeus. Remember that. Sky, Sea and Underworld. If any of those three fall, Olympus falls. And then who will you have to rule over?”
“You, dear brother, are immortal. Where the fuck do you think you could go that I wouldn't find you?” He flashed and reappeared inches from my face. His fierce electricity burned through my body and jet black magic coursed through my veins in response.
My monster was wide awake and ready to unleash hell.
“Desert the Underworld and I will make your life even more miserable than it has been for centuries,” he hissed.
He thought I was threatening to leave? I barked out a laugh.
“You have me all wrong, Zeus. All wrong.
I won't leave Virgo. Ever. I will remain here until there is nothing left. All of Olympus will burn around me, the undead will flood the world, drowning the living with their rotting corpses, and I will be here, exactly where you put me.” Alone.
Broken, twisted and unable to contain the darkness inside me any longer.
For the briefest of seconds I saw doubt flicker across my brother’s face. But then it was gone, a smug sneer twisting his features instead. He folded his arms and stepped back from me, tilting his head.
“That is quite a threat.”
“It's not a threat. It is the consequence of pushing me too far.”
“Are you telling me that you are unstable, little brother?”
“No, Zeus,” I lied. “I am as in control of my power as I have ever been. But I would advise you not to test me.”
He regarded me a moment longer, then sighed.
“We shall see how your little human fares tomorrow. Her Trials are no more dangerous than those the other contestants experienced.”
“Bullshit,” I snapped. He smiled at me.
“See you tomorrow, brother,” he said, and vanished.
I roared, and the room lit up with flames.
They crawled over the dais, and I felt the darkness building inside me as they reached my throne, the skulls flaring blue as the fire touched them.
Then a shaft of light pierced my own skull, and my rage skittered as my focus shifted. Persephone. It was her light, her magic. I closed my eyes and sent my senses through the palace, seeking her green flare.
And there it was. In her rooms. Why was she using her magic now? Was she just practicing?
Or had whoever left that doll on her doorstep managed to get inside?
The thought was enough to re-trigger my rage, and I flashed myself to her side instantly.
“Woooah, you look really mad,” she said as I whipped my head around the small room, looking for the threat.
“What?” I focused on her, my instincts telling me nothing dangerous was here, but my heart was pounding all the same. “Why...” I trailed off.
She was wearing a pink silk vest and shorts, and her white hair was loose around her shoulders. Her pupils were dilated, and I could smell cherries. “Have you been drinking?” I asked her slowly.
“Spartan spirits.”
“I thought I recognized the smell,” I said, and let the smoke fade from around me, feeling my racing pulse start to slow. “Hecate's cocktails are lethal, you know.”
“Ah, but it turns out that my new powers can heal hangovers,” she said, excitement in her slightly slurred voice. “Which is just about the best news I've had since coming here.”
I couldn't help the smile that was tugging at my mouth. She was happy. I wanted nothing more than to see her happy. Well, maybe there was one thing I wanted as much... My eyes dipped to the low neckline of her silk top.
“What were you using your magic for?” I asked her.
“I, um, wanted to see you. But I kinda broke the dresser.” She gestured to her dressing table, which was splintered completely in two. I raised my eyebrows.
“Magic wielding whilst drunk is never advisable,” I told her, and flicked my wrist. The dark wood of the dressing table began to knit itself back together.
“Why not if you can just fix whatever I mess up?” Her words, though meant teasingly, were far, far too close to home. How I wished I could fix everything.
“Well, I'm not going to fix your mess for free,” I said, folding my arms, and shoving the dark thoughts down. I was here now, and she wanted my company. I couldn't turn that down, no matter how much power was still swirling dangerously close to the surface of my skin.
“Oh yeah? What do you charge for dressing table repairs?”
“I want to see you,” I said, dropping my voice and locking my eyes on hers. She gulped.
“You can see me,” she said.
“I want to see all of you.” Her pale skin colored but she held my gaze.
“Are you trying to take advantage of my drunkenness?” she said, pronouncing each word carefully.
“Isn't that why you wanted me to come here?”
Her eyes dipped from mine and I knew I was right.
She wanted me as much as I wanted her, the gold vines had shown me that.
But she didn't feel the bond yet. She didn't feel the dying cord that had crackled back to life when I had seen her in my throne room, and had been glowing a tiny bit brighter every day since.
I would know if she felt it too. It would burst into life, safe and solid and present and eternal.
“It might have,” she said, and swayed on her bare feet.
“I'll tell you what,” I said, my anger from earlier now merging with my arousal, pent up energy crashing around inside me like an ocean storm. I couldn't take her like this.
But there was no fucking way I was leaving with nothing.
I flicked my hand and the kobaloi barked as a smoky bubble enveloped him. I wasn’t sharing this view.
“Let me see you, and maybe I'll do the same.”