Page 53 of Until Death
It’s all just another reminder of how out of my depths I am here.
I also need to be wary of Cerberus, as far as I can tell, he isnotto be trusted. I cannot begin to imagine what made Eros think it possible in the first place.
The hellhound is even more dangerous than I would have guessed. Especially with his obvious desire to please his master … whatever the cost.
Frustrated, and nearly driven mad by my own thoughts, I turn back to the bed and reach under the mattress to pull out my hidden book. Leaving the parchment behind, I settle on the floor by the window to try to read in an effort to distract myself.
Opening it, I close my eyes as I lift the book to my nose, breathing in the warm, well-loved scent of the worn pages. Sighing, I lean back against the wall and turn to the first story.
Though it takes several minutes to lose myself within the words, I soon find my heart and mind calming as the stories carry me far, far away from here. The book was obviously meant for a young girl, but the fairytales still manage to bring a smile to my face; however bittersweet.
I inhale sharply, peering about the dim light of the room as my mind scrambles to remember where I am. Glancing down, I realize I must have fallen asleep, the book of fairytales laying half-open in my hand on the floor beside me ... and a blanket tucked in around my waist.
My heart leaps in my chest as I realize that someone must have come in while I was sleeping. Before this thought has time to settle, I’m suddenly reminded of Hades’ no-so-optional invitation to dinner.
Panic crashes through me as I throw the blanket off and pull myself up onto my feet. Looking out the window, I groan in frustration.
I don’t have much time.
Hurrying across the room, I quickly re-wrap my book and stuff it under the mattress, muttering a grateful prayer that whoever came in didn’t take it. It’s only as I straighten that I realize a new dress has been lain out on the bed for me.
At least I know what I’ll be wearing.
Grabbing it, I make my way into the bathroom, quickly stripping off my nightgown and sinking into the steaming waters of the bath. I viciously scrub at my skin and hair, as I rush to clean myself as best I can before I’m sent for.
Stepping out of the bath, I wrap a towel around myself just as I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and can't help but sigh.
I look even less alive than I feel. Wet hair hangs in a tangled mess around me; my face is sallow and making my dark circles appear more prominent than ever before. The lack of food and good sleep certainly isn’t helping my cause.
Turning away from my reflection, I finish towel drying before pulling on the new dress. Again, it’s a dark midnight blue, but this time it also has intricate silver detailing that catches in the light, however dim, and makes it sparkle like a starlight night.
I’m almost shocked by how modest the dress is, but not at all displeased. The last thing I want right now is to try to seduce Hades. This may be the one chance I get to spend time with him on my own, and yet I can’t seem to bring myself to care.
Not after everything I just learned from Eros.
I need more time to plan, to hope that Death will come and prove me wrong before it’s too late to save myself.
Braiding my hair, I take one last look at my reflection before perching on the edge of the bed to wait. I don’t have to wait more than a few minutes before the door opens.
Cerberus ducks inside, ready to escort me to dinner as promised.
“Come.”
I stare at him for a long moment before rising to obey and nervously smoothing out the skirt of my dress. Suddenly, I wonder if I’ve made a mistake not trying to make myself more presentable.
“You look lovely,” Cerberus comments as if reading my mind, and I glance up at him in surprise. “The dress suits you. Now, come.”
I say nothing in response, unwilling to waste any more words on him. This seems like the safest route, given that he might as well be Hades’ eyes and ears.
Yet, he seems eager to strike up a conversation with me as we leave my room behind.
“What do you think of the palace?” he asks, as we make our way down the stairs. Again, I don’t say anything. I can feel his gaze shift to me, but I keep my eyes fixed forward and my head held high as we move.
He lets out a small snort of annoyance, and I have to fight back a small smile at this unexpected prize. We walk on in blessed silence for a few minutes before he speaks again.
“I hope the blanket was enough to keep you warm.”
“That was you?” I ask, unable to stop the question from slipping past my lips.
