Page 35 of Guided by the Stars
Hera’s tongue reaches forward, licking me from my neck to my mouth. “You have no idea how good your blood tastes. One day I will make sure I drain every ounce from you,” she promises, increasing the speed of the whip against my back, delivering the message loud and clear. I’m always only theirs.
***
“Fuck,” I hiss, startled awake, looking up at the ceiling of the stone chamber I’m in. This is in the lower level of the Hall, a judgement cell where Zeus sends those who are to await their punishment.For fuck’s sake, I hope he’s done.
Sitting up from the ground, I rub my tired eyes, feeling the venom of the serpents still circling through my body. Those fuckers are strong and can knock out any giant creature. I guess I should be grateful that Hera brought them out, however, with that bitch I’m left wondering what else she fucking did.
The stone door creeks and I snap my head towards it as Aphrodite appears. Her eyes widened in shock at seeing me. I’m in better shape than most of the times I’m punished. There’s blood caked into the shirt they dressed me in and aches cover my entire body, but the burn from Zeus’ rays only radiates with a dull fire along my back. All things considered, I’m lucky the venom kept me out for this long. I’m healed for the most part and only left weak and tired.
“Aphrodite, this is my son, do not interfere. Go seek your pleasure elsewhere,” Zeus orders, stepping into the room, barely glancing my way.
Aphrodite saunters toward him and lifts her finger, outlining the side of his face, drawing his attention “My sweet god, I have a way with men and making sure they pay. I was trying to help like you’ve ordered,” she says, and I roll my eyes, giving my attention to my ruler, who’s clearing his throat and looking down at Aphrodite’s naked body.
“The poison from the serpents kept you asleep for a few days. Given your past loyalty, you’re lucky I felt generous, otherwise I would have let Hera wake you,” he says to me before meeting my eyes. “Let this be a reminder to you, I’m your father. You serve me without betrayal.”
I nod, getting up, and he snickers at me. “Go home, my son. Next time, instead of sticking a thunderbolt through you, I will suck energy out of every source, striking you with a pressure more powerful than my enemies have ever felt. Understood?” I don’t utter a word at his threat. This is routine. The same existence I live every day, there’s no reason to argue with him. Instead I walk past him, eager to head home to the one person I truly want to see.
***
As I open the door, I regret making it home so fast.
“Kai took her to the Underworld.” Daemyn’s voice hits my ears and I grumble in frustration. Every muscle in my body is spent, lacking energy, and unprepared for the fierceness of Nora if we are explaining Kai.
Both sets of heads snap towards me as I enter the kitchen. Daemyn’s concerned gaze looks me over before he nods in greeting, hiding the questions he wants to ask. Nora is void of the concern she had before I left. Her face is drawn tight into a frown, her eyes narrowed to determined slits. Guess she’s not happy I made it home to eat after all.
“Like, as in Hades? The King of the Dead?” She speaks to the room, but her eyes stay on mine, blaming me, threatening me. She’s accusing me as though I’m the sole god responsible for all this grief. Her eyes show the pure rage and fear flashing through her.
“Now you know where she is. Go get her. Now!” she yells.
Daemyn stands there between us, staring, refusing to help, but wanting no part in this.
The cellar isn’t looking as bad as I thought. I could have stayed and focused on healing instead of having to break her little heart. With a sigh, I take the burden, “Love, I can’t portal into the Underworld. First, it takes a lot of energy that I don’t have right now—”
“Bullshit. We have an answer. There has to be a way in. Get us there now.”
“Nora. I’m God of the Sky in Olympus. I’m not allowed entrance.” I attempt to soften my tense muscles and inch a little forward, unsure how to explain that we have boundaries between our domains.
“What do you mean ‘not allowed’? You’re the damn son of a god.Thegod! Act like it and get her back, maybe evenbreak the bastard’s neck for taking her down there in the first place.” She rests her hands on her hips, fueled, ready to fight. It’s completely opposite to how she’s behaved so far. No panic. No crying. There’s a determination in her stance, she’s loyal and willing to do what it takes to protect the person she loves. It’s something I admire, knowing a thing or two about that myself. Unfortunately for her, it’s impossible for me to cave to her demand.
“Nora, get that idea out of your pretty little head. Hades blocked me from entering his kingdom,” I say, biting down my irritation. I try to stay calm despite how frustrating this is. Hades and Kai will never let me enter. Not knowing that I took what they wanted. The only choice would be if I use Nora as a bargaining tool, but that shit isn’t going to happen.
“Sneak in! Gods have done it before!” she demands, shaking with anger.
Daemyn places a hand on her shoulder, finally coming to my rescue, “Nora, sneaking in isn’t as easy as you think. A day to us could mean mere hours, weeks, or even years in the Underworld. Time works differently there. He could find himself stuck. And that’sifhe finds a way around Hades’s barrier. He is the only one who can grant access to those who enter or leave his home.”
“Woman, like I said, I can’t just walk in. It’s suicide anyway. Anyone who enters either dies or surrenders themselves to the mercy of Hades,” I add, done with this conversation. She makes it sound so easy. Gods have given up their souls doing what she’s asking, and the few who have survived paid a price far worse than death. You lose a part of yourself to the Underworld.
“Fuck!” I yell as hard glass crashes against my sore face, hitting me in the middle of my forehead. It shatters on thefloor and I sigh, looking at her. Hades is a sadistic ass, manipulating his realms to creep into your mind, torturing you for eternity. I wasn’t wrong for saying going in would be suicide, but that look on her face hits harder than the glass and makes me regret my words.
Her lips twitch, her chest rises faster, and her beautiful eyes are red with tears. Anger, I can handle. The sadness, however, I have no way of fixing. I took away her hope and left her devastated. “Love,” I whisper, attempting to move closer.
She only allows me to move a couple of feet before she runs past us to her bedroom. I wince, hearing the door slam shut as she locks herself away.
“She threw a fucking cup at me.” I give a fake laugh to Daemyn, resisting the urge I have to run after her.
“The rate you’re going, we’ll be out of mugs,” he chuckles with a roll of eyes. “Think about it. What would you do if you were in her shoes?” He holds his hands up, stopping me from my smartass remark. “I’m serious here. She was kidnapped and taken to a place she never believed existed, only to be hidden and dependent on the same jackasses that took her. We told her what we could, which is too little, and she’s terrified.”
I scoot forward, taking a seat. Daemyn does not miss a beat, he hands me his glass of ambrosia and stares, inspecting me, turning serious. “Alexius? How bad this time?”
