Page 35 of His in the Dark

If only she would reach out and take it. If only she would fall to her knees and let me give it to her.

“They are simply hopeless. Simply empty. And then they are sent back. To do better…” I take her chin in my hand and stare into her eyes. “Or not.”

“That is–”

She attempts to interrupt but I continue, “May they hear the sounds of torture and the pleas from their victims, one at a time, over and over, unable to stop it now that it is done. May they live with the screams and cries, the wails of babes and their mothers’ screeches for mercy, over and over again and hear nothing else and feel nothing else but the raw pain and the emptiness of hardships.”

“Those who do such things…”

“They are not you. You could not and would not cause so much agony would you? Would you seek for those who profit on pain to have no justice?”

“I–”

“Yes I am cruel. Because life requires it. Death is where so much justice is delivered and I have the honor of balancing that pain but there is so much more," I say with my voice low. “There is so much more to the Underworld. So much more of balance and…” My breathing becomes heavy as I stare at her. Knowing the weight of what will be when she is given her throne.

“So much what?” she asks.

But I can not answer. Not just yet. Not when she knows next to nothing. When she has no idea what power she already has.

PERSEPHONE

Istare up at Hades, waiting for his expression to change… for something to change. Tensionlingers in the air between us. These souls—these mortals—they get a second chance. What about the Gods? Dotheyever get a second chance? I wish I had the power to go back. I wish any God had that power.

Swallowing thickly, I wait.

I do not wring my fingers together, but I want to. The strength in Hades’s touch feels barely restrained. If he wanted, he could take me to the bed and have his way with me, and I would be powerless.

Surprised by my thoughts, I ignore the shiver of desire that moves through me at the idea of being powerless.

It’s not right for me to feel that. Iampowerless. I am still a captive in chains. Yet it is his hands that stay in my mind, just as his hand is on my chin.

Touch me.He must be thinking it, given his offer of the guards…

“Come,” he says, and walks to the door. The two guards who came with him follow without hesitation. The small hairs on the back of my neck stand as I glance at the men. I can barely lookthem in the eye. Especially the guard who dared to speak and offer himself. What a fool, a voice in the back of my head hisses, but I ignore that darkness. I ignore the shadows. What lurks there brings out the worst in me.

I stare at Hades and can’t move.

“What?” I manage to say, my throat gone dry with the shock.

Hades turns his head. “Come, my queen.”

A blush rises to my cheeks and I stand, only now noting the chill has dimmed with Hades in the room. I hurry to catch up with him. I didn’t expect him to offer to take me out of his chambers. My mind races with thoughts of why. What did I do that made him think he could let me out? Perhaps he's only taking me to the hallway. Perhaps this is only a trick meant to confuse me. To taunt me with his power. But my heart leaps excitedly into my throat anyway. Racing, beating hard and trying to keep up with every little thought and every little possibility.

Once I am at Hades’s side, he puts his hand at the small of my back. Goosebumps rise and I nearly shiver at his heated touch. It takes everything not to gasp. The guards follow us as he sets a fast pace, moving down the hall.

I keep myself poised, but alert. Perhaps the magic of chains does not follow. I wish I could test such things without Hades noticing. Glancing again to my left and right, flanked by the two guards, I think better of attempts of escape.

At least for now.

As our footsteps echo in the halls of silence, I take in the surroundings so different from Olympus.

I knew I was in his realm, the Underworld, but the size of the land of the dead only becomes apparent when we leave what must be his bedchambers. Every window carves out cities of souls. Lights and noise from the distance that travels and doesn’t seem to end. As we take a spiral staircase down, I’m given more and more views of so much of what has only been stories.

Every corner of the Underworld houses different souls of different fates. From the unfortunate to those who live in abundance. From the Gods and heroes to those who are damned and those in between. Ones who suffer with loss for a thousand years in the fields of mourning, to those souls simply living in peace now that their human lives have ended.

I cannot imagine the depth of Hades’ reign. So much to control. So many souls to judge.

In the back of my mind, I think, so much cruelty defined as just.

---