Page 45 of Hades

“Your plan to rescue me from clean air and hot water was to take me to prison?” I yell, unable to contain my anger any longer. “Because Treachery sounds like such a lovely place, I can’t imagine why more people don’t come here,” I add as I look around. “Did you find it on discount travel dot com?

It doesn’t look like a prison, at least not ones I’ve seen. It looks more like the side of a mountain that rises higher than the eye can see. A large chasm stretches miles across from where we’re standing, and from here, it doesn’t look like it has a bottom. “Great. A bottomless pit. Just what every kidnapping needs,” I snap.

“Rescue, and it can be whatever you want it to be,” Hades whispers. “But it’s the only place your mother’s magic can’t reach.”

I want to believe that the man before me is the good guy, but he’s just done everything Clara and Themis said he did before. But this time, he’s found a place where even the powers of a goddess can’t reach.

“So, what? Now I’m your prisoner instead of hers?” I ask, hoping to get more of an answer from him. But he stands stoic with crossed arms, glaring at me like I’m the bad guy. “Because I wouldn’t exactly call this a step up. For future reference, you generallyrescuesomeone from a worse situation than you bring them to.”

“You aren’t my prisoner,” he states flatly.

“But…because there sounds like abutfollowing that statement.”

His eyes glance to the ground momentarily. “You can’t leave, at least not yet. It isn’t safe,” he adds as he turns and walks to the edge of the chasm.

For a moment, I hope maybe he’ll fall off the edge, but I regret it instantly. “Again, the definition of a prisoner is someone trapped someplace by someone else, and they can’t leave. For Christmas, you’re getting a dictionary,” I snark as I sit on a jagged rock and try to make myself comfortable.

Hades turns and gives me a smile. I don’t want to think of him as the handsome guy I met only a few short days ago. But standing there in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, he looks ordinary, like the kind of guy I would have liked to get to know better. I let out a laugh at that thought, because some of my memories would suggest we’ve known each other pretty well.

“What’s that laugh for?” he asks as he comes to sit beside me. I instantly skooch over, not wanting to be too close to him. I’m still very angry at our situation and at him.

“Nothing, just something I was thinking about in the shower,” I answer before turning my back toward him. “You didn’t have to handcuff me, you know,” I say, rubbing my wrists that have already started to bruise.

“I’m sorry about that. Can I see your wrists?” he asks softly, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see that he’s holding out his hand.

I roll my eyes even though I’m aware he can’t see me. “The time for being chivalrous has passed.”

I hear him sigh and it morphs into a slight laugh. “You are so frustrating.”

Before I tell him otherwise, he’s kneeling in front of me, grabbing my hands and inspecting my wrists.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I thought… I didn’t realize you would still be human.”

I’m not exactly sure what to say, but the look on his face shows genuine concern. It isn’t until he presses his lips to my wrists that I realize the pain from the bruising is gone, as are the bruises.

“Thanks,” I say as I yank my hands from his and avert my gaze toward the ground.

“Hey, look at me,” he demands before placing his fingers under my chin and forcing me to look into his warm, brown eyes. “I need to leave you here for a little bit.”

“What? No!” I yell. “You are not leaving me here alone to fend for myself.” I’m doing my best to keep calm, or at least not break out into hysterics, but this place is terrifying. There are no sounds, no greenery… nothing but an unforgiving, desolate landscape.

“You won’t be alone,” he says before placing two fingers in his mouth and whistling. The sound echoes and bounces off the cavern walls. “Argos will stay with you.”

The mention of my dog’s name puts a smile on my face. The last time I saw him, he was asleep in the shabby motel room. I’m not exactly sure where he expects Argos to come from, but he gives another whistle and waits.

“We’re still working on some commands,” Hades informs me. “Argos!” he bellows into the abyss.

I’m about to ask him where he expects Argos to come from when I see a huge animal in the distance galloping toward us. The creature is massive, at least three times the size of my hundred-and-twenty-pound Akita mix dog.

“What the hell is that” I utter in a panic, hiding behind Hades’ enormous body as the creature skids to a stop before us.

“That’s Argos.”

“What did you do to my dog?” I ask as I peer around his shoulder to look at the monstrous creature. Argos stands there panting as droplets of drool drip from huge, elongated fangs. “Argos?” I managed to squeak out, and the creature’s eyes practically light up, and it leaps forward in excitement.

I let out a blood-curdling scream and the sudden movement has me jerking back and tumbling off the rock. The massive creature follows and traps me between its meaty paws. I can’t help the panic that overtakes me, nor can I stop screaming in fear. It isn’t possible that this monster is my Argos.

Hades quickly grabs the monster by the scruff and pulls it back. “No, you’re scaring her. Sit,” he commands and to my surprise, the creature listens. “He’s just excited to see you,” Hades explains, but I’m still shaken.

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