Page 2 of Until Death
I must find out how her father ended up here despite her sacrifice, and I will do everything in my power to save him from this fate.
To make sure Hazel’s soul was not given in vain.
I must trust that Eros will keep her safe, though the very thought causes bile to rise in my throat. I do not trust him; and yet, I have no choice. This is what she wishes of me, and I must accept it for the time being.
Until I can ease her suffering and quiet her fears once again.
I watch Hazel’s father for a moment longer as he slumps against the gate, already having forgotten me in the haze of his current existence.
There is no other choice for me but to go before the Fates themselves. With the gates shut, only they can give me the answers I need, and perhaps the future I so desperately seek to share with Hazel.
I have no doubt they will find a way to use this against me.
My lip curls up in disgust at this, my hands balling into fists at my side as rage and uncertainty war within me. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.
So be it, I will do whatever it takes to make sure Hazel is given everything she is owed a thousand times over.
Double checking the red ribbon binding Hazel’s father to the gate, I turn back to face the Underworld.
And, ultimately, the Fates themselves.
2
Hazel
Eros is quiet as he walks beside me.
Lost in grief, I barely notice the changing scenery around us as we move. With one arm wrapped around his, and the other still clutching the small package I found on Death, Eros gently guides me through the dark forest.
Though I find our closeness unnerving, as long as our skin does not touch, at least it isn’t physically draining as well … and I’m thankful that I’m not completely on my own at this moment.
Especiallygiven my current state.
Occasionally Eros will softly mutter something, words meant to distract or comfort me I’m sure, but they fall on deaf ears. I am lost in a daze of emotions, unable to even muster a half-hearted mumble in response to him.
It’s strange to be walking through the trees like this.
It was just a few days ago that I was here with Death at my side. My heart full of hope, love, and the possibility of a future.
A future withhim.
I had thought Death was everything I’d ever wanted.
Now it’s Eros who leads me back to Aglaia, City of the Gods … and I can’t help but feel like I’ve made a grave mistake.
Eros keeps me tucked against him as we move deeper into the woods, and I wonder how I allowed myself to end up here.
My heart feels like it’s breaking over and over again with each step I take. Not just over the death of my father, but over Death himself.
The loss of him at my side. The loss of my trust in him … and worst of all, the loss of what could have been.
My love for him is deeper than even I had realized, and it makes what he’s done that much more unbearable. His betrayal stings deeper than anything I’ve felt before.
And yet, part of me still wants nothing more than to turn around and run back to the gates. To throw myself into his arms, allowing him to wrap me up in his icy embrace and wipe away my tears.
More than anything, though, I just want him here by my side. The urge to glance about, seeking him out in the shadows around us, is almost impossible to ignore … but I do.
I hate the way I hope he’s somewhere nearby, watching over me, keeping me safe. Despite everything, I still want him to be close.
