Page 3 of Love and Death
If that is true, and I have to believe it is, then perhaps he is not dead, at least, not in such finite terms.
And yet, I cannot deny the horrible sense of finality in the scene that now lies before me.
Cerberus returns with another guard who steps in to replace his fallen companion, eyeing the others warily before cautiously kneeling and reaching out to take hold of Death’s upper arm.
This time, nothing happens.
Relief softens the tension between them, and the other men quickly move into place to help carry Death’s body from the arena. Their relief is short-lived, however, as they soon find themselves struggling to move him any significant distance.
“I will not suffer fools. Do as you have been bid, lest I scatter you like ashes upon the ground myself,” Hades hisses, snapping his fingers impatiently. “More men. Quickly, now!”
Cerberus once again obeys, and a few moments later,more than double the number of men have materialized from the darkness to aid the other guards in their struggle. This time, they’re successful in their endeavor, though it still proves to be no easy task. I watch on in dismay as Death’s body is all but dragged from the arena.
Just as they finally manage to disappear into the shadows, an involuntary sob escapes me before I can catch myself. The king’s attention immediately snaps back to me, his eyes burning with such dark intensity that they have my stomach knotting.
“The trial. You,” I start, the words spilling from me before I have a chance to think them through, “you twisted it for your own means, didn’t you?”
“Clever, girl,” Hades says, seeming genuinely impressed. “But you cannot honestly tell me that you are surprised. I am a man of my word, after all.”
I cannot hold my tongue at this. “That is highly debatable—"
“Is it,” Hades smirks, closing what little distance there is between us and catching my chin in his long fingers before I have a chance to step out of reach. “Did I not tell him that I would be the one to claim you in the end?”
“I would ratherdiethan allow you to claim any part of me,” I spit.
“Allow,” Hades says, with a laugh that turns my stomach, before dropping his voice to an icy whisper. “I do not need your permission, mortal, nor do I want it.However, if death is what you truly desire, then I will be more than happy to grant it to you … but not before you have finished playing your part. And by then, I doubt you will becapable of remembering what you wanted, let alone begging for it.”
“I will not be party to any more of your schemes,” I hiss back, his choice to call me mortal again not going unnoticed.
“You already are. Now, you will return to the palace—"
“No,” I object, yanking my chin from his grasp and stumbling back a few steps, my mouth growing dry at the very thought of returning to the dark halls of his sapphire palace and, undoubtedly, his bed.
“You still dare to defy me?” Hades scoffs, a wicked grin stretching across his face as he lifts one hand and snaps his fingers. “Very well. Men, seize the mortal’s father.”
Two new guards hurry into view at his command, this time without Cerberus’ help, and roughly pull my father up off the arena floor and onto his knees. I watch in horror as his head lolls forward, his body sagging wearily between them, and the knotting in my stomach worsens.
How could I have forgotten so quickly how little leverage I have now? In the aftermath of Death’s sacrifice, I had forgotten what …whothis has all been for.
My heart thuds painfully within my chest as I take a small step toward my father, my hands trembling as I realize the sheer horror of the predicament that I am in … and that it is no one’s fault but my own.
I am the fool who has wrought this chaos upon us all.
I am the one who turned my back on Death.
He gave up everything for me, and what did I do to deserve his sacrifice? To deserve him?
Nothing.
I should have listened to my heart. I should have kept the promise I made to my mother. I should have let love prevail, but instead, I chose to let fear and anger blind me.
I chose to harden my heart, and now I have lost everything.
My eyes dart to Cerberus, but he keeps his own eyes trained on the ground, refusing to watch, let alone look my way.
Coward.
And to think he asked for my forgiveness before the trial for not protecting me better.
