Page 62 of Guided by the Stars
“Enough rambling babe, you’re going to drive yourself crazy. Aphrodite is far too obsessed to hurt him.” Daemyn’s words do more harm than good. The whole way here he has reassured me by explaining how much Aphrodite enjoys spending time with Alexius. On one level he calmed me down. On another, he raised the panic within me. The one person not seeking his blood is the naked Goddess of Love.Go figure!
“And quit with the jealousy, it’s overwhelming,” Daemyn says, leading me towards a small wooden gazebo, making me leave my thoughts behind. “On our side, our stuff isn’t as fancy as the buildings you saw at Zeus’ Hall, but I promise the view makes up for it.” My eyes scan the white paint peeling off of the pillars and my feet step on the worn steps with caution. As soon as I walk in though, little sparkles bounce around from the light shining through the glass dome above, making the space seem important and magical.
“Wow, I’m not sure what Zeus has, but this is amazing.”
“Just wait.” His smile spreads as he guides me towards the edge. The breath hitches in my throat as the sight in front of me pushes the jealousy aside. Emerald green grass springs to life as the golden rays from the sun reflect off the tall, crisp field below. Little yellow flowers bloom, highlighting the colors, and orange budded bushes grow up like vines into the trees of the forest that line the meadow. “Those extend up high so that all the creatures can reach and drink from it. It’s like their version of ambrosia.”
Stunned, I peer around at the calm wildlife that roams beneath me. Hummingbirds the size of rabbits buzz above the deer galloping. Bulls grazing towards the flowers as doves and butterflies fly between them. Countless other animals, large and small, dash in and out of the trees, mingling together.
His small chuckle hits my ears before he explains, “This is where the creatures of Olympus go when the gods allow them to. Their power is strong and is surrounding us as they refuel for the day. Wait one second and look over there.” His arm extends from behind me as he points towards the enormous oak trees.
Vibration buzzes through the air and a crack of thunder booms. From the deep back corner of the woods, huge wings emerge, drifting through the sky. “You’re kidding,” I mumble with my eyes glued to the enormous white stallion flying towards me. Its mane glistens as its elegant wings extend wide in the glow of the warm sun.
“Well, he’s not the Pegasus you’ve heard about in legends back home, but like most creatures, Zeus made sure we reproduced all the important ones.” As Daemyn continues to speak, my focus drifts to the beautiful white horse soaring through the sky. He circles the field, looking down into the meadowsover all the creatures below before landing with grace near the maple trees.
I strain my head over the edge, watching in amazement as his amber eyes burn into mine. Instant despair hits as if it’s leaping off of the giant Pegasus into me. The feeling of loss and terror coat my skin. “What’s wrong with him?” I ask with a shiver and spin around, breaking off contact with the creature’s sorrow-filled eyes.
“The Pegasus’ power is significant. With a single tap of their muzzle, they can fill whatever they desire with water. They used to travel to the Mortal World, helping the mortals during droughts, but the gods started to abuse their power.” Daemyn’s hands reach my waist, pulling me away from the ledge. “Zeus, as you know, is cruel, but he rules with a sense of order. He brought the creatures to Olympus, restricting them to the Land of the Gods, a lot like the eagles. They were taken to hurt the Mortal World, but here everybody has a role to play. And the Pegasus is a favorite among the ruling gods to use for torture.” His words twist my gut as he continues, “At an excruciatingly slow pace, they fill our bodies with water, suffocating us to the brink of madness. Then, they drain the water even more slowly out of you. It’s done repeatedly from sunrise to sunset, when the Pegasus has to rest.” The faraway sound in his voice pains me and I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tight, absorbing as much of his grief as I can. He isn’t just explaining, he’s reliving.
Adriane
When Darkness Reveals
There is a long black box on Kai’s bed, adorned by a big red bow. My name is scrawled on the tag hanging off the box. My eyes shoot over to Kai in surprise. He is pulling out all the stops for me. Except when I take in his reaction, his nostrils are flaring and his eyes are full of shadows. I know this wasn’t from him and I quickly cross the room to the box, picking up the tag.
Adriane,
I demand your presence at midnight for dinner. I took the liberty of having a dress made for you.
The Lord of the Underworld & your new owner.
Hades
I throw the card back on the bed, shaking my head. “It’s from Hades,” I say in astonishment as Kai moves to the bed, throwing open the box.
“Who else would have sent it?” Kai’s body quakes with rage and his eyes go hard as ice. Inside the box, a gorgeous black tiara made of onyx and encrusted with emeralds and rubies sits on a black dress. I hear him growl and I pick it up, placing it on the bed carefully. I hold up the dress next. The black gossamer dress is so light, it’s see through. The front is short, it comes up to my mid-thigh. The back has a long tail that will trail behind me. It twinkles in the light and I feel so connected to it. I touch the sparkles as if I can sense the energy coming from it. The sound of faint screaming fills the air around us. My eyes dart around the room, searching for the sound. Kai glares at the dress, his eyes full of disapproval. “He has souls trapped in it. That’s what you’re hearing.”
I drop the dress at once, as if it has burned my hands, and my stomach flips. “If he thinks I’m wearing that, he has lost his fucking mind,” I say. Looking back in the box there is a pair of black heels that have red satin ribbons attached to it so they will lace up my legs. “Kai, can’t I just say no?”
Kai moves over to me, grabbing my hands. “I’m sorry, you don’t have a choice. If you don’t go, he’ll send for you and that isn’t something you want.”
“Will you go with me?” I ask, biting the corner of my bottom lip. Kai bends over and kisses me.
He lets my hand go, and reaches up to trail his finger along the side of my face. “Jax and I will be the ones escorting you to dinner. Whenever there’s a formal dinner, we must all attend.” I lick my lips nervously. I don’t want to go and I don’t want to wear a fucking soul dress. It’s awful enough being here butnow I have to see the Ruler of the Underworld, knowing that these gods want us for an unknown reason.
Though I know it’s not for anything good. Why else would Hades want me?
The way he ended the card hasn’t escaped my notice either. “Can’t we just escape back to the Elysian Fields?” I ask and his eyes twinkle, but he shakes his head. My thoughts turn to Nora. I wonder if she has met Zeus or if she is being paraded around.
Kai pulls away from me. “I will return, rest before dinner. Jax will keep you company. There are some matters I must attend to.” Before Kai even finishes his sentence, Jax is standing in the room.
I want to grab Kai and give him a kiss, but I don’t.
Who am I to him anyhow?
This is all so new to me, I don’t want to be clingy. Instead I smile and wave. I feel so stupid when he winks at me and walks out the door.
A wave, really? What is wrong with me?
