Page 21 of The Prince of Hidden Shadows
Her piercing blue eyes zoom in on him, disappointment evident in her features. “You know that’s not how it works, Zag. I don’t care what you did to him, but I’m not getting in the middle of this. As a loyal friend, I’ve done too much already.”
Narrowing his gaze, Zagreus frowns. “Look, I’m not at fault here. Wasn’t with Nathan either. I’m trying to clean up the messes others made. Sue me!” he snarls.
I know better than to ask questions.
“Like I said, I’ll deal with Théo in a minute. By the way, you’re welcome to tag along to the Renversé Hotel if you want. My suite has plenty of space.” He draws a deep breath. “Hear me out, will you?” She nods. “My biggest problem is Eros.”
“What about him? What could he have done now? I don’t see him anywhere.”
“Eros should mind his own business, not mine or any other god’s. It’s a recipe for disaster.”
“Care to explain?”
“Didn’t you tell me that he confessed I had nothing to worry about after my break—” His head tilts my way so fast that a squeak escapes my mouth. He looks back at his friend. “He did say that, didn’t he?” Hecate confirms. He saunters closer to her, cocking his head to the left. “Doesn’t this look like his handiwork?” My distress prevented me to put two and two together on the spot.
“Sure does!” She bursts into a hearty laugh. His eyes shoot daggers when he reaches my side again. She shrugs. “Eros wants you happy, not wallowing in your misery. What’s wrong with that?” I store that piece of information for later, although I doubt that I’ll ever be in a situation to ask Zagreus to share his love life. Rubbing her chin, she eventually says, “So, you felt the sting?” Her question has me rubbing my skin where I also felt it. “That’s strange…”
“He broke the rules, Hecate.” She rolls her eyes at his statement, obviously not believing him. “I should have realized sooner what this sting I felt was… but it took place here. Eros isn’t supposed to work here. He isn’t supposed to?—”
“Come on, Zag.” She cuts him off, not bothering to hide her annoyance. “Eros is a professional, like the rest of us. I meant what I said: he wants you happy, but he’s no fool. He knows his job. Maybe he thought Charon deserved a second chance.”
What? Zagreus and Charon? Maybe I should research Greek mythology as soon as I’m back where I belong because I’m pretty sure I never heard about this. This is getting juicier by the second; the corner of my mouth quirks up, waiting for shit to hit the fan in a world I’m not part of.
“Hold your horses, Hecate… and leave Charon out of this,” Zagreus mutters between gritted teeth. “I’m telling you, Eros fucked up. He aimed at the wrong person.” His jaw clenches so tight I hear his godly teeth grinding—inhuman efforts to stay collected.
“How do you know? Who else got bitten?”
Unsure of what’s going on, I rack my brain. Then realization sinks in. Her face goes cold at my words.
“I did.”
Chapter Nine
DON’T FORGET THE NITE
Théo
“Gnnnarrrf…” I groan, rolling over in the bed until my stomach sinks into the cool sheet, and immediately regret the swift movement. I lace my fingers together at the back of my head in a feeble attempt to stop the buzzing and throbbing behind my temples.
To no avail.
The dull, insistent, and painful ache takes residence before I so much as open an eyelid. My head feels like it’s been stuffed with cotton and dropped down a flight of stairs. My mouth is dry, my tongue heavy and sticky, coated with a bitter taste.
Water. I want water. I need water. No, no, no, I crave water.
I pry my eyes open, wincing at the muted light filtering through the heavy curtains. The air smells faintly of cedar. Dizzy, I survey my surroundings, registering the unfamiliar room. It’s ridiculously big, but thanks to the somewhat similar set up and furniture, I easily guess that I’m at the RenverséHotel.
But… “Where am I?” I murmur to myself, my pulse going a mile a minute. For some reason, the most prominent question is: How the hell did I get here?
Hell… Bits and pieces flash inside my head. The Underworld… Seriously?
What a fucked-up dream last night! Noé would crack up at how wild my mind got. I don't remember finding a hookup—sole reason I’d be in some stranger’s bed. I don’t remember walking into this room—let alone crashing overnight. I don’t remember anything. All of this breaks my rule.
Fuck… My head is pounding like a war drum. Booze?
How the hell did I get here?
My gaze falls on the nightstand, and that’s when I see it. A tall glass of water, beads of condensation trailing lazily down the sides, and next to it, two aspirin tablets perched on a folded note. I blink, my brain lagging, and reach for the paper with unsteady fingers. I have my confirmation since it’s a hotel stationery pad.
