Page 3 of Monster Song
“I like her already. Let’s invite her,” Pavlina said.
Tryphon just sipped his wine.
“One of the Olympians cursed an innocent woman with snakes for hair and a gaze that turns anything to stone. We’re familiar with twisted.”
Barbatos just laughed.
“Yes, I’ve read some literature about the Olympians and their curses. It’s a little passive-aggressive if you ask me. Solron will get creative and draw it out until you are begging her to kill you. All she needs is a shadow to get into that temple. She’s an expert assassin, and she and Bael torture people for foreplay. She can take out anyone around Persephone and get her out safely with another shadow. Once Persephone is safe, we can attack the temple without risking your queen.”
“Well, let’s do that,” River said. “Persephone is safe, and we can send Demeter to the pits of Tartarus.”
“Easy, River. It’s not that simple. There are seven kings of Hell, but they all look to Bael for answers. Solron wants to do this. She loves this kind of thing. Bael isn’t sure he wants to risk our people for a realm we’ve never had any type of alliance with before. He allowed me to come because you’re involved. My legions follow me. For what it’s worth, most of Hell wants to help, and he usually gives Solron what she wants. Almost everyone knows we stopped that uprising with help. We helped the Fae when they needed it, and we should extend that to the Underworld too.”
“So, what now?” I asked.
“I suggest we sleep on it,” Barbatos said. “Bael is holding council meetings and intends to decide in a week.”
That was fine for Bael, but Demeter could check in on River at any time to find out why she hadn’t used that knife on Hades. It would have been pretty obvious she hadn’t if she was still alive. And they could call us to fight at any minute.
Chapter 3
River
M
y father kissed my hand as we got up from the table. I don’t know what I was expecting. I was way too old to be tucked into bed, but maybe we could have a nightcap where I got to know him a little better. All I learned over this dinner was that he was royalty, and he stole my mom’s pet Hellhound she bought from some rogue demon. I learned very little about Hell politics except for the fact that one of their kings was willing to let Persephone die and monsters suffer not to risk his lover. What kind of realm was I from, anyway?
“I’m sorry, River. I want to know everything about you, but this place needs help. I need to iron out some details with Hades. I’ll be returning to Hell to meet with Bael to discuss what Hades and I talked about. When I return, hopefully, it’ll be with a solid alliance with Hell.”
I got it. I totally did. He wanted to get to know me now that he knew I existed, but he was doing this in the best way possible. I was learning exactly what kind of demon my father was. He could have easily demanded Hades release me. Hades kidnapped me once, but my father could have kidnapped me again back to Hell. It certainly would have been safer than leaving me here.
He wasn’t doing that. He didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go with him. He must have known his blood ran through my veins and I would want to stay and help. So, he was giving me as much help as he possibly could. He brought his own fucking army, and he was working on bringing more. He even had a plan for making sure Persephone lived through her rescue.
And that meant a lot to me. If he had shown up puffing up his chest and demanding Hades release me or acted arrogant about the help he was bringing, he would have lost me for good. He might be a duke, but he was just so down to earth. I wanted to get to know him better. I knew that had to wait, but it would happen.
My monsters surrounded me as we walked back to my bedroom. I loved their monsters, but it was nice seeing their human faces. It didn’t hurt that they were all drop-dead gorgeous.
Kimon slipped an arm around my waist.
“How are you, baby bird?”
“I like him. I wasn’t expecting most of what he said, but he seems cool.”
Tryphon was walking to my left as a man, but I felt one of his tentacles wrap around my waist. Tryphon was walking sex with his long blue-green hair and silver tattoos. I love that he painted his fingernails and toenails and wore some sort of flowing robe. And yeah, I liked his tentacle around my waist too.
“I don’t know what Hell’s terms are for helping us, but Hades will agree to it if it keeps Persephone and the Underworld safe.”
I got the feeling my father might want me to live in Hell with him when this was over. While I could understand it wasn’t like what everyone talked about back home, and I wanted to get to know him better, I had my reservations. What kind of kings ruled it that they wanted things from Hades before they would help? Was it not enough that people were suffering here?
“Never underestimate a woman who wants something. I’ve never met her, but I get the feeling this Solron will get her way,” Pavlina said.
“Not every woman is the equivalent of a mental bulldozer, Pavlina,” Demos said.
“No, but we can smell our own. You just wait, Demos. We’ll have our shadow demon.”
I mean, Pavlina wasn’t wrong. My father was the only demon I’d ever met, but she was right. I could be a mental bulldozer when I wanted to be. It was probably why I liked Pavlina so much.
I liked all of them. We were out of that jail for the time being, and there was a big, comfy bed I could sleep in now. There was also a huge, flat-screen television in my bedroom. I’d been ignoring their little flirts with me, but why? There was something I liked about all of them. Maybe they could get along long enough to pretend this was just a normal night back home.
