Page 125 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 59

Under the Moon

The stagnant air hit Selene's nostrils; it was a smell she had grown used to. The fire that barely reached the tops of the logs was almost down to a smolder. It kept the room scarcely warm enough to feel her fingers. Normal humans would have frozen to death; thankfully, she was no human. The two others that huddled in the corner for warmth rubbed their hands together. Their faces were a bit brighter than hers.

Selene tried to lay by the fire, the flicker of the flames made her wish she could one day feel the warmth of the blaze and heat of a significant other, but that wasn't in the cards for her. To feel the fiery touches of the warmth of a soul mate that she had granted to so many, yet she could not give herself that.

Hermes held Hecate close. There was no glow between their touches; they were not mates. Selene sighed as she tried to recall her Sphere, the one that helped her match souls from afar. She wondered what their mates were like; the two gods were closer to her than any other.

Selene was able to wield such a device, helping distance souls connect to each other while she stayed in the solace of her home. Had Ember found it yet? Many were looking for it, for the Sphere and Ember. The evils knew of her mission; the one dream she had sent to Ember had been infiltrated for information. Now Ember was in just as much danger as her. Selene huffed, causing the fire to hiccup and blowing the smoke back to the edge of the chimney wall.

"Selene, come here." Hecate's voice beckoned her. The three gods had one large blanket to share between them. Their captors were not merciful, especially since they dared not cooperate fully. Only when the evils started abusing the gods in different ways caused them to crack under pressure. The dragon shifter blood was enough to keep their powers at bay and trap them in this hovel of a prison.

Hecate was forced to calm her compelling powers among the magic deemed too strong for its time. The Shifter Dragon blood had reached its full potential, able to significantly hurt the gods even among the original twelve. Especially the second generation. Hermes was one of those gods; he could be killed, but neither Selene nor Hecate would allow it.

"Ember has to find it soon," Selene spoke solemnly. "So many souls to match.” Selene crawled to the other two; they quickly engulfed her inside their blanket. Hecate's own powers, who helped suppressed with the Dragon's blood, were now as helpless as the others, especially against the binding spell cast on the hovel.

"She will find it," Hermes spoke. "Ember is a strong one; if she could calm the storm in Hades, she can do anything," he chuckled.

Selene hummed as she buried herself closer. The yells and roars outside invaded their tender ears. Vampires, Witches, Warlocks, and Sorcerers had been dancing by the fire. Their victory would soon be theirs and rise from the ashes from where they came all because of a promise that had been granted to them.

The damp, musky room was breeding nothing but mold with the barely-there fire. Shivering against each other, they heard a click on the large wooden door. It creaked and whined as it opened. A figure, ever so graceful, walked through. Green and light brown robes of tulle floated inward as she closed the door. Her wheat-colored hair and those brown eyes scanned the room until they landed in the corner of shivering, starving gods.

“Demeter,” Hermes hissed. Demeter all but smiled as she approached the table and sat down in front of the shivering trio.

"I've come to ask for today's request," she purred as her chin rested on her thumb, her index finger ran up the side of her face. Leaning on the table, one would think she was the confident, alluring God of Harvest and Grain. One with grace, poise that enhances the beauty of the Earth and of Bergarian. That had all but changed. The area surrounding them was now dank, dark, and desolate. No sun to beckon the crops and no green to soothe the soul.

"You won't get it," Hecate shrilled. "You hurt your own kind and beg to hurt others, and for what? Just so your daughter won't ever leave your side? You need to learn to let go."

Demeter's mannerisms changed in the blink of an eye, her eyes narrowed, and her hand slammed on the table. "Don't tell me how to treat my daughter." Vines from the outside of the window slithered through the cracked window; its tendrils slithered through and round tables and chairs. Finally reaching its intended target, its grip wrapped around Hecate. "Don't forget your powers are substantially weakened with the Dragon's Blood. I could choke you now, and you would fade into nothingness."

"Enough," Selene pleaded. "What do you want?" The vines retracted, and Demeter's face became softened.

"Good girl," Demeter purred. "I need Hecate to strengthen the bond between Malachi and Persephone one more time."

"You are playing with fire!" Selene yelled. "You cannot force a bond with magic! It won't last, and your daughter will suffer!" Demeter stood up and sauntered over to the group on the floor. Bending low and pulling Selene's jaw tight.

"It is only for a while until I find the Sphere," she sang. "Then I will force you to bind Persephone's soul with Malachi. They will then live on Earth with me, and I will never have to be without her. Always living in my home while she helps me tend to the seasons." Demeter bit her cheek to withhold a smile.

"Then I will have you sever Hades and Ember's bond, killing them both." She let go of her cheek and began to laugh maniacally. Holding her stomach in, she glared at Hecate. "Now get up, or Hermes will get a good dose of poison, and this time he won't wake up."

Hermes grabbed Hecate. "Don't, I'll be fine."

Hecate shook her head. "No, you won’t be. Let's just hope help is on the way." Hermes' grip tightened as his head lowered, and Hecate walked out the door with Demeter.

"What do we do?" Selene almost sobbed. Her head rested on Hermes, who continued to console Selene. His hands rubbed up and down her arms as he stared at the door.

"The fates are in control now, Selene. All we could do is wait and hope that Ember will find it soon." Selene nodded silently as she gripped Hermes' cloak. The moon that sat in the middle of Selene's forehead began to glow; the light blue lit up the dark blanket that covered them. Hermes pulled Selene back, mouth agape.

"What happened? It's glowing brighter?" Selene touched her forehead.

"Kronos," she whispered as she felt the tingle in her forehead. "A match, a match has been made." Hermes shook his head.

"How can that be possible?" Selene sat back on the wall as she continued to massage her forehead.

"She found it; she found the sphere." Hermes let out a chuckled sigh as he grabbed Selene to hug her. They held each other's embrace for a few moments until she pulled back. "Not only that, but she can match souls."

Hermes let out a single laugh. "What does that mean?"

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