Page 11 of The Fifth Gate

I don’t have time to panic. I for sure don’t have time to pass out. I need out of this room, pronto. Maybe while Ares is busy trying to bargain with Dear ol’ Mom (Ha!), I’ll be able to get to Janie.

I pace around the edges of the room. It’s not the worst place I’ve been locked in. It’s your typical castle room, probably meant for not very important guests. One room. Bed. Wardrobe. Little table with an ewer and bowl for washing up. No windows, no trap doors, no convenient escape hatch through the back of the empty wardrobe, which I check three times.

Just stone walls and an iron bound oak door.

I check under the bed, just in case there’s a secret passage under there.

“I love what you did with the chess piece.”

I shriek, and jerk back, slamming my head against the underside of the heavy wooden bedframe hard enough to send black spots darting across my vision like a flock of startled birds. My hand claps to the back of my skull, and I’m actually a little surprised not to feel any blood. I yank myself back onto my knees and out from under the bed.

Hades is sprawled across the bed, reclining on it like he’s lying on a couch. His toga is black today, with an impressive gold and ruby pin keeping it secured on his shoulder. He’s also forgone the tunic underneath it, so I can see a good portion of his hairy chest, and broad shoulders.

He arches an eyebrow at me. “Are you alright?”

“How the hell did you get in here?” I hiss and check my fingers again, but I’m still not bleeding.

Hades gives me a look. “I’m the god of the Underworld,” he says slowly, and patiently, like he’s explaining that rain is wet to a small child.

I scowl and shove myself to my feet. It’s not that I’m not happy to see him, I am. I’m really happy he’s here, actually. I just wish he could have gone without scaring the absolute shit out of me in the process.

“As I was saying, the trick with the chess piece. Brilliant.” Hades laughs, flashing strong white teeth in the shadow of his beard. “You should have seen Ares’s face when he finally, caught it, and it fell apart in his hands. I don’t think he even saw the knight fall. I must have laughed at that for a good two minutes,” he finishes, shaking his head as the smile grows on his mouth.

“I’m glad I could amuse you,” I frown.

Hades rubs a thumb under his eye, like he’s wiping away a tear. “He’s lucky he’s immortal, or he might have actually had a coronary.”

I’m still trying to get my heart rate back down to something resembling human speed, and my head is throbbing, but a little pleased smile curls my lips. I’m proud of my plan and how well it’s worked so far. If it had only bought me ten minutes more, I might have grabbed Janie and been gone already.

“You were very clever,” Hades says, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners.

Okay, I’m not loving the patronizing tone, like he’s talking to a dog that just pulled off a trick. I’ll shelve the offense for now, though, especially if he can actually spring me from this joint.

I cross my arms and ignore the way Hades’ eyes drop immediately to the way my breasts are pushed up. “Why are you here?”

He props his head up on his fist and gives me a worryingly serious look. Serious is dangerous on Hades. Please bring back the irreverent horn dog, thank you.

“I don’t know if you’ve realized,” he says quietly, “but you’re in quite a lot of danger, my dear.”

A chill rolls down my spine, ice tripping over every vertebra.

Through force of will alone, I manage to keep my voice from trembling. “I had noticed that, yes.”

He’s quiet, almost somber for a moment. Then a grin stretches across his face, and a twinkle comes to his eye. “Would you care for a rescue?”

Relief swamps me, and my knees sag a little. “Um… yes?” Is this a trick question? Of course I want a rescue!

He cocks his head to the side and studies me like I’m a prized painting. “I’d hate to see you killed.”

I don’t even care that he’s looking at my breasts again. There’s laughter caught in my throat like a golden bubble because if Hades interferes, that means I actually still have a chance to save Janie.

Hades sits up, the fabric of his toga draping across the bed in a way that fabric really shouldn’t be able to. It moves more like ink, like shadow, pooling and shifting in ways that make my eyes hurt to watch.

He waves a hand as his sandalled feet touch the floor. “Just say the word, Penelope, and I shall whisk you away beyond the sixth gate.”

His words hit like a bucket of ice water. “Wait, what?”

“To my realm,” he clarifies. “To the Underworld.”

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