Page 23 of Love and Death
After all, how could anyone know the burden that I have carried all these years? How could they know the true extent of my bond to Hades and the Underworld?
I may be called a guardian, but it has been far too long since the title was anything more than that. Far too long since I have been more than a puppet at the mercy of the king’s hand.
“Please. I seek Eros, not for my own benefit, but for that of another,” I say, biting back my own frustrations. “Without his help, I fear the girl’s soul will—"
“Oh, so now you care about saving the souls of others,” the man laughs. “How much of a fool do you take me for?”
“Girl?” the woman interjects.
“Lilia …”
“What girl? Whose soul are you speaking of?” Lilia repeats, ignoring the warning in her husband’s voice.
I hesitate for a moment before answering, “The mortal girl. The one called Hazel.”
“Hazel? Then … then she is still alive?”
I nod, appreciating the hopeful lilt that brightens her voice.
“Yes, at least for the time being. Do you know her?”
“Of course, she was one of the women held in the palace with me. I daresay everyone knows about her now. It is not often that a mortal walks among us, and for the first time in this city, let alone one who …” Lilia pauses, her mouth opening and closing a few times as if struggling to find the right words, before reluctantly finishing, “Well, let alone one quite like her.”
It is painfully obvious that she is keeping something from me. Something that could be important.
“What were you really going to say about her,” I say, trying to press a real answer from her as gently as I can.
“I cannot say.”
“I promise, you have nothing to fear from me.”
“Truly, I cannot say,” Lilia repeats, turning to give her husband a pleading look.
“I told you not to say anything.”
“Theo, please, I was only trying to help.”
I let out a low growl of frustration, my patience wearing thinner with each passing second.
“If it concerns the girl, then I must insist that you tell me—"
“We cannot,” her husband snaps. “It is forbidden.”
“Please, believe me when I say that I would tell you more if I could,” the woman says, an ache to her voice, “but, as you know, we are bound to secrecy over the mortal’s part in the king’s deal.”
“Lilia!”
“What does the mortal have to do with Hades’ deal?”
She clasps a hand over her mouth, and I get the impression that she is not supposed to be able to mention this little detail.
“It would appear something has changed since the deal bound your tongue,” I say carefully. “Please, just try.”
Lilia’s hands fidget, twisting nervously in her skirts, her face pale as if she is about to be sick.
“You are with child.”
“Yes.”
