Page 87 of His in the Dark

It seems as if the guards and the other attendants who keep the other courts in the Underworld—for there must be many if we are to accommodate the number of souls who pass through these realms—have chosen representatives from among their group.

“My Lord,” the man at the front says. He wears dark robes like the man and woman who accompany him, but he is the tallest of the three, with close-cropped dark hair. “If I may?”

“Go on,” I command him.

“May we speak with you for a moment?”

“Come this way.” I steer them back to the wall, where we will not be so conspicuous. “What is it that you want to speak about?”

They exchange a glance. “My Lord, there are far more dead than usual.” The timbre of his voice shakes.

“It is winter. There are always more souls in the coldest parts of the year in the mortal realm,” I offer, my forefingers running against the rough pad of my thumb. I act as if I do not know.

The leader shakes his head. “More than the heaviest winters we’ve had. More than we can recall in centuries.”

“It came on gradually, my Lord,” the woman guard adds. “The higher numbers could be explained by the winter in the beginning. Now we are certain.”

My hand stills and my body stiffens at her words. I take a calming breath, fighting down the strong, immediate concern that grips my chest.

“Certain of what?”

“Mortals are always the ones who pay when the Gods fight and these deaths… there is a war in the mortal realm. There must be.” Her eyes are wide with despair.

The three representatives wait quietly, but they cannot hide their own worry. Balance between the realms is a delicate business. Though the Underworld appears vast—and it is larger than most mortal minds can comprehend—itcanbecome overburdened with souls. Their movements through the phases of the afterlife can be unbalanced. Souls lost forever signifies the end coming. It is an omen and one ancient souls like the men and woman before me, do not take lightly.

“We will do what we must to keep the balance on our side,” I tell them. “End the necessary souls.”

There’s a beat of shock, then the leader bows in understanding. His companions follow his lead. “Thank you, my Lord,” they murmur as one, then turn and hurry away, to whatever courts they work in.

They will need to deliver my message quickly, because it will affect the process of judgment today.

There is another option beyond hell or Elysium.

In times of great imbalance, souls can also be ended. We will begin with souls of weak morality—those who have had more than a single lifetime and remain weak and unworthy. Their threads will be cut then burned. They will not be awaiting rebirth in Elysium or paying penance in hell.

They will simply be gone.

Sometimes, difficult choices must be made. I have not shied away from that. It is them or Persephne and I will always choose my queen. Even if it means we will rule over a pile of ash.

I take my throne and the murmuring hushes. “Let us begin.”

The doors open.

The first soul of the morning is brought in.

The day feels more like paying my own penance. My stomach churns with the choice I have had to make. I waver every moment. It had to be done. No, there was still time to wait. Ithadto be done.

This, at least, is true. How far will Demeter take it? Will Zeus allow his mortal realm to rot with death?

I know it’s for the best to begin purging now, before the surge in souls trickles over into all the realms of the Underworld. Still, it is a terrible sign of things to come. Imbalance causes cracks at crossroads. The realms as we know them will cease to exist if such things are allowed to happen.

The balance must be maintained. The Underworld cannot be weighted too heavily, or there will be less and less reason for souls to exist in the mortal realmat all.

I’ve lived several lifetimes by the time court ends for the day.

I leave the hall behind and go to my rooms, desperate for Persephone to be close and to ensure she is still with me. Dread is cold and heavy in my gut.

Persephone is already at the door when I enter as if she sensed me coming. She greets me right away, taking both my hands in hers and looking up into my face with real concern in her expression.

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