Page 7 of Guided by the Stars
He shrugs and grabs my shoulder. “I think you should go into this with an open mind, okay?”
A shudder goes down my spine as I glance at him, trying to read his expression.
He gestures for me to enter the room, and when I do I see Hades. His short black hair is perfectly styled and stubble lines his sharp jaw. He’s grinning widely and points to a seat across from him. “Sit.”
“What was it you needed me to rush here for?” I ask, looking past him at the solid gold cabinet and the bronze statue of Hades standing beside it. The decorations that adorn the room are much like the rest of the palace, made of lavish minerals or in dark colors. Anything for the Giver of Wealth, which is just another way for him to showcase his many talents.
He steeples his ring-covered fingers and stares at me until I sit. His dark eyes dare me to defy him so he can have the pleasure of making me pay for it. “I have a very important task for you, one I think you’re going to enjoy. I should really make you beg for it, but I’m in a charitable mood.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands. Charitable my fucking ass. Hades hasn’t done a single charitable thing in his existence. The old gods are all the same selfish beings, hoarding power over each other to stay important. But for what? Humans these days don’t care about them, the worshippers don’t bring offerings to our temples anymore, so who gives a flying fuck which person has the most power? We’re stuck in our hovel, torturing souls for eternity, while the world changes around us.
“Well, spit it out already, I’ve got other things to do,” I say, already through with this conversation.
“I need you to pick up a package for me on Earth.”
“What kind of package?” I ask, failing to keep the skepticism from my voice.
Jax shifts beside me with a pensive look on his face. “Kai, man, you and I are leaving the Underworld to capture the last descendants of Delphin.”
There’s no way I’ve heard him correctly, though. Those descendants are just a myth, a story whispered about in the shadows, with no real merit. It must be a test, a wayto lay on another beating when I inevitably come back empty-handed.
“Nah, I’ll pass,” I say, getting up to leave. “I’ve got plans.”
Hades is beside me in a second, using the shadows as a heavy weight against my shoulders, pushing me back onto the chair. “You’ll do as you’re told, boy. Clean or covered in your own blood, it makes no difference to me.”
In his anger, Hades grew three times his size and used his power over the earth’s minerals to create a small dagger with a tip made of pure Adamantine and pressed it against my neck.
“Let me sweeten the pot to ensure you don’t fuck this up, hmm? Retrieve the two descendents and freedom is yours,” he says. The tip of the dagger slices my skin and a thin line of blood runs down my neck. “I’m being more than generous, wouldn’t you agree, Jax?”
I can’t move without cutting myself, but Jax enters my line of sight and nods with a look that begs me to trust him. “Fine.”
Hades lets go, and the blade vanishes as he walks toward the door. “That’s better. Go now, time is of the essence. Don’t disappoint me this time, boy.”
Once he’s gone, I clean up the blood on my neck. The wound is already closed thanks to my quick healing, and the blood goes unnoticed on my black shirt.
“What the fuck did I just agree to?”
Jax picks up his glass of nectar and passes one to me. “You agreed to a chance at freedom. And, being your best and only friend here, I know how long you’ve wanted that. So stop sulking like a little bitch and get excited.”
He’s right, of course. I’ll make the best of this trip, grab the humans, and then I can do whatever I want without repercussions. This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for, a chanceto get out of here and never return. I have no clue what he wants with the descendants of a line everyone thought died out centuries ago, but I don’t care. There’s no cost too high to be free of this entire realm.
“Let’s go,” Jax says, breaking into my thoughts. “I know you had plans with Rose, but she’ll wait. Portal us to the falls.”
It’s about damn time I get to leave this messed up place and prove to Hades that I’m not a screw up. Because as much as I hate to admit it, I crave his approval.
With a flick of my wrist, I cast a portal that bathes the room with a golden glow and I step forward to claim my freedom.
Alexius
When Orders are Assigned
My eyes fly open as the familiar tug hits the back of my head, sending a flood of irritation pulsing through my veins as I wait for his message to come through.
It’s too damn early for any of them to be awake. Even though they don’t need sleep, those fuckers drink themselves into oblivion, making the crack of dawn an unusual time to get activity, let alone receive a summons requesting my immediate presence for a second day in a row.
“Shit,” I groan, jumping out of bed before stumbling around and pulling on the same shit as yesterday. I’m still suffering from last night’s training. I’m low on energy and needing to replenish, but by the gods, there’s no time to waste.
I chug the little ambrosia I have left and run down the stairs, straight out the front door. Whatever this is about, there’s no doubt that being late would make it worse.
