Zotera, who had been quietly watching us, moved to sit at the bottom of the dais. She glanced back at me, smiling reassuringly before facing the entry.
The first creatures to appear were just as horrific to look at as I remembered. They shuffled into the throne room, their expressions fluctuating between fear and excitement. And they didn’t just pour through the main entrance. They appeared straight out of the walls, too, flooding the space with their numbers. It wasn’t until I stared at one spot that I saw the opening disguised to look like an unbroken wall.
I focused on those details as the room filled quickly, rather than the hundreds of monsters staring at me. The size of the room made more sense when it filled to the point that some lingered in the entrance.
The murmur of their conversation quieted as they stilled. I waited on Hades' lap for him to speak. He didn’t. The silence grew. The monsters closest to Zotera shifted slightly, and she whipped her head toward a tusked beast to give it a sharp look. It hung its head and peeked up at me.
I looked at Hades. He wasn’t even looking at them. He was watching me. Studying my reaction as his hand slowly smoothed over my side.
“Now what?” I asked softly.
“You decide.”’
I glanced at the monsters staring at me.
“She would send them away, wouldn’t she?”
Hades’ lips curled at the corners.
“She would,” he agreed.
“What wouldn’t she do?” I asked.
“Talk to them.”
I wanted to groan and hide my face in his chest. It was a tempting place to be. But it wouldn’t prove anything except that I was a coward.
So I focused on the tusked creature who’d moved.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Unt.”
“Ooh-nt?”
He bobbed his large head.
“What were you doing before you came here?”
“Walking the halls,” he said with a note of boredom. He perked up as he watched me from under his heavy brow. “Do you want us to chase you?”
“No, thank you.”
“Do you want to remove my tusks and watch me bleed?” he asked hesitantly.
“Uh, no. What I’d like is your opinion. Do you like the tree sculpture that Zotera made?”
Every head in the room turned to look at the tree.
“Yes?” Unt sounded like he was asking a question instead of answering one.
“This isn’t a trick, Unt. I’m just curious if you like the room the way it is or if you’d like to see other changes.”
Unt’s gaze shifted to Hades. I looked at the King of Hell too. His gaze held mine, and he moved his hand a little closer to my breast. My breathing hitched, and I froze.
“Speak your request, and I will grant it,” he said softly. “Anything you wish.”
“Send me home?”
