Page 9 of Love and Death
I open my mouth to question him once again, only to be silenced by the loud clearing of his throat as he glances down at me. Before I have a chance to feel offended, his eyes flicker over to a nearby alley just as a guard steps into view, quietly reminding me that we are far from alone here.
The questions will have to wait, for now.
Biting my tongue, we quickly make our way past the guard and continue onward in silence. It isn’t until we’ve turned another corner that I suddenly realize his hand has slipped lower to catch my own. My heart skips a beat in my chest as hope springs up once again, and I smile softly to myself as I hurry to keep up.
Staring down at Cerberus’ hand, now clasped around mine, my mind races. The small adjustments, the concerned looks, the subtle warnings ... I hardly dare to believe it, but Hades may have unwittingly given me an even greater gift than I thought possible.
If I’m not mistaken, the king has handed me over to one of the only beings left who might actually be able and willing to help me defy him.
3
HAZEL
Despite the possibility of this slowly blossoming hope, I cannot quell the feeling of dread that pools within the depths of my being as we draw closer to the palace.
My courage begins to falter, along with my steps, as we climb the stairs leading toward the glinting crystal towers that I’ve come to know as my own personal hell.
Reaching the gaping maw that is the palace entrance, it takes everything in me not to shrink back as we cross the threshold. I blink against the sudden darkness as it swallows us whole, and find my nerves immediately set on edge by the palpable tension in the air.
If I thought the chaos in the city was awful, this quiet sense of foreboding we’ve stumbled into is somehow far worse.
Much to my surprise, I feel Cerberus’ grip on my hand tighten ever so slightly, as if he, too, is put off by the violent intensity that permeates the air here.
I glance up at him, my eyes straining to make out his face in the darkness, but it’s impossible. His expression is unreadable, eclipsed as it is within the shadows of the entryway. Before my eyes can adjust to make him out, Cerberus pulls me forward, leading me ever deeper into Hades’ palace.
Our footsteps echo harshly through the otherwise silent halls, joining those of the armed guards that push roughly past us in greater number than I’ve ever seen here before. Dread only continues to rise within me as I notice no other beings, be they goddess or servant, among them.
What’s happened here since the trial? Where has everyone else gone?
I’m not the only one who seems to sense how out of place Cerberus and I look among their ranks, and I catch more than a few guards side-eying us along the way. Turning down the corridor leading to my tower room, we finally break free from their number; though, I swear I can still feel their eyes boring into the back of my head as the hellhound and I continue on alone.
Neither of us says a word as we reach the staircase, and I steel myself for what I must do next.
I’m not sure how to begin, but I have to find out if the Guardian of the Underworld still wants my forgiveness. If he does, then I can only pray that he is willing to listen, if not earn it.
If not …
No, one step at a time.
I push aside the poisonous thoughts that rush to fillmy mind with despair. I cannot allow myself to be swallowed whole by defeat before I’ve even had a chance to start. I know this battle over my heart and mind will not always be so easily won, but I will try my best to come against it and be victorious in the end.
The stairway spirals ever-upward, each step moving us closer and closer to my prison. I need to speak now, before it’s too late.
I look up at the hellhound, trying to catch his eye, but his gaze refuses to be drawn.
“Please, can I—”
“Not now.”
“But—”
“I said, not now,” he insists, his voice sharper than I’ve ever heard it.
Crestfallen, I do not press him further as he suddenly picks up his pace. It’s a struggle to keep up, and by the time we reach the landing, my breaths are shallow and my legs are aching from the exertion.
I shouldn’t have given up so easily. I’ll be lucky if I can get a single word out now, let alone my full request.
Cerberus drags me toward the door, dropping my hand to pull out a set of keys in the process. I watch, mouth dry and chest heaving, as he finds the right key all too quickly and slips it into the keyhole.
