Page 15 of Wicked Warlock
“You will say nothing,” I snapped. “All of our lives are on the line. Not just yours.”
The muscle in his jaw ticked. “Very well.”
“Just like a reigning heir should be.” The corner of Beckett’s lip pulled up in that cocky, shit-eating grin.
What the hell did he have to be so happy about? “You don’t say anything either.”
The smile dropped from his lips. “Very well.”
The ferryman steered the boat right to the very edge of the steps of the castle where Hades stood tall and imposing with his dark wavy hair, vivid violet eyes and hulking stature. If I didn’t know he was part of the Greeks, he might’ve passed for one of the Fallen. Power rolled off him in waves, and he didn’t smile as he stood waiting. The boat rocked to the halt, and I had to take a step to catch myself.
Soto popped to her feet. “Thanks for the ride, dude.”
The ferryman said nothing. I walked to the opening and stopped waiting. Hades stared up at me, his lips pressed into a hard line. Was this like some royal occasion where I didn’t speak unless spoken to? I waited; he glared. I waited some more; he ground his teeth.
Screw it! “Hades we—”
“Are here because you thought death would be easy and I’d bring you back?” When I opened my mouth to answer, he cut me off, throwing Ashryn to the ground at his feet. She just landed there on her knees, a sad, ghostly thing that I almost didn’t recognize. Steam rose from his fists. “Death. Is. Not. Easy.”
“I know but...”
“I don’t remember asking you to speak.” He turned on his heels and his long black trench coat billowed out behind him. “Come… now.”
Power took full control of my body, and I had no other choice but to do as the king of the underworld demanded.
Chapter 6
Astrid
The only footsteps that echoed down the tall church-like hallway were Hades’. He marched ahead of us with his shoulders back and head held high. A king in his own right. Power rolled off him. Being dead, I felt more than ever. My body was forced to move forward and follow where he walked.
“So, your little friend here,” he motioned to Nova who glided along beside him, “killed you all.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up one finger. “I’ve heard enough from you. It’s their turn.”
“Yeah,” Beckett growled. “She killed us all.”
Nova whipped around so fast her hair didn’t even have time to settle back into place. “Like I had a choice.”
Hades stopped in his tracks. He spun around to look at our group of dead misfits. The torches on the walls flared and his violet eyes swirled with power. “You did, and you chose wrong.”
Nova tried to speak once more, but he silenced her with a look. “You.” He pointed at me. “What happened?”
“We were trapped in the Unseelie realm and we were being hunted by Nylore, the Unseelie general, and his army. They were so close to catching us, if they had we would’ve died.” I shrugged. “We chose the better of two deaths.”
This seemed to bring a smile to his face. Hades gave one humorless chuckle. “Death is never an option. It’s an inevitability.”
He turned from us once more and the force of his power had us following closely in his wake. I stared up at the vaulted ceiling that held so many hidden shadows and the grand black marble flooring that reflected Hades like a mirror. He walked across the grand ballroom up toward a small rise where two thrones sat side by side. Hades turned and dropped down into the throne on my left. His jacket billowed out around him and fell across the arms of the throne. He extended his hand out to the side as though waiting for someone to place their hand in his.
A single vine sprang from the seat of the throne next to his. It grew straight up then began to twist and turn around itself as more vines sprang from it. At first, they were a dark brown, then as they wound more tightly, they changed to a bright leafy green. They contorted and turned into a topiary of a woman. It all moved so quickly, the sound of rustling branches filled the air as a single branch twisted and extended out toward Hades’ waiting hand. The topiary’s shining leaves turned from green to warm honey-colored flesh before my eyes, with long dark brown hair that fell over the seat of her chair. Warm amber eyes met mine, and I wanted to smile.
“Persephone.” She’d once helped us before, but now her full red lips were pressed into a hard line that did not seem welcoming in the least.
Hades brought her fingers to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. “Good of you to come, my love.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” She glared at us with those bottomless amber eyes. Her leather pants pulled tightly over her legs as she crossed them. Golden leaves continually fluttered over her black silk shirt. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and sat back in the throne.
Nova stood still as a statue off to the side and in the corner. I wanted to go to her to make sure she was okay. But she made no move to join us. Instead, she had her arms crossed over her chest and stood, barely making eye contact with them or me.
