Morpheus heaves a loud exhale and shakes his head. “His underworld,” he mutters, his eyes meeting mine.
“You mean the Netherworld?” I ask. Because there’s no way Hades took her to the death world. And I have no idea what else the “underworld” could mean.
“Not quite.” Morpheus’s uneasy expression tells meI’m really not going to like whatever he’s about to add. “His underworld is the maze he made for Persephone’s heat. And it’s so heavily warded that neither you nor I can enter. Because the only power that can combat his hold over that creation comes from Persephone herself.”
Styx…
Yeah, I definitely don’t like that.
Not one fucking bit.
Chapter 16
Sera
Hades’s scentis all around me, drowning my senses with the false promise of a beautiful winter morning.
I’m so eager to escape it—andhim—that I shove away from him the moment my feet hit the ground.
And instantly stumble into something hard and cold.
A shiver bolts up my spine, the temperature a startling difference from the Hell Fae Kingdom. Glancing around, I see stone walls and intricate designs that look like vines, except they’re made of rock, not leaves.
The ground beneath me is hard as well, matching the walls, reminding me of a concrete prison. However, this one has texture.Like the garden at the palace, I realize, examining the intricate engravings more closely.
There are flowers etched into the corridor, giving it the illusion of being amongst wildlife.
Only it’s all cold and dead.
How fascinating, I marvel.
Then remember that I’m not here to enjoy the view or the company.
Becausehebrought me here. To whereverhereis.
“Where are we?” I demand as I spin toward Hades.
He regards me carefully. “In a safe place,” he answers vaguely.
“Like the cavern in the Human Realm?” I ask, unable to mask my annoyance. “Which you madeunsafeby trying to kill Morpheus?”
He frowns. “I didn’t try tokillMorpheus. Why would you think that?”
“Because I was forced to leave when you found us in that lagoon together?” I suggest.
“That’s not why you had to leave,” he replies. “I was careless in my pursuit of returning to you and failed to check my surroundings, thus putting you in danger. And for that, I apologize.”
I blink. “Wait, what? You weren’t fighting Morpheus?”
“I may have been about to at one point, but no. I didn’t fight Morpheus. He helped me handle the Alpha issue after Maliki took you to the Hell Fae Kingdom. However, unfortunately, it means the cavern is compromised. So I brought you here… where I know I can keep you safe.”
My lips curl down at the hesitation in his voice. “How do you know I’ll be safe here?” My question comes out almost as slowly as the latter part of his statement. I may not know Hades well yet, but it’s obvious there’s something he isn’t telling me.
He stares at me for a long moment before saying, “Because I built this place for Persephone’s heat. Only our souls can exist here.” His jaw ticks after uttering the words, suggesting that he’s still holding something back.
“And?” I prompt, my hands on my hips.
Hades looks ready to growl, but his voice is interestingly steady as he replies, “And I never meant to bring you here.”
