Ihave no idea why Emmet came over earlier, but Walker intervened before I could find out what he wanted. Probably to apologize for his shitty behavior. He was always fucking up, but still he’d wormed his way into my heart, the fucker. I cared about him. I cared about all of them, each holding a section of my heart. Even Garrison, who in his quiet yet commanding demeanor had slowly wormed his way to being a friend. And sometimes I could swear he could feel the growing spark between us too. I flick my gaze over to where Garrison is seated and take in how handsome he looks in his suit. They all look fucking edible tonight. What is it about a man in a suit? Catnip for my pussy apparently. He catches me starring and holds eye contact with me a beat longer than appropriate, making my cheeks flush with heat.
Clearing my throat, I take another sip of my tart tasting drink and push around the food on my plate, not feeling hungry.
The rest of the dinner goes off without a hitch as several courses come and go, all without managing to temp me into eating.
I wait for my moment to talk to Hades, wondering if he’ll answer any of my questions that have been looping around in my mind since I arrived to this hell-scape. As the servants remove the last of our meal, we’re directed into a large ballroom located through an attached hallway. Dancers are already well underway, swirling around in synchronized circles. Upon a closer look, I notice that some of the dancers are partially rotted corpses, wearing frayed garments as they’re spun around by a variety of demons. It’s grotesquely gorgeous. Macabre, but still somehow inviting. The black marble flooring reflects their images as they move, making it look as if their ghosts dance upside down underneath them.
String music swells as the demons dip their partners in time with the music. Garrison and Emmet find their way to me, the latter grabbing my hand and leading me off to the side.
“Salem. The sins are out.” Emmet whispers, his hand splayed on my waist as he leans into my neck. If anyone were to see us, it would look like we were caught in an intimate embrace. I keep my face still as to not convey my shock since we’re still surrounded by the dinner guests who pass us on their way into the ballroom.
“Are you sure?” I ask, taking in Garrison standing directly next to Walker. They’re close enough to hear us. Garrison nods.
“Greed visited my room and warned me not to eat any pomegranates.”
My mind flickers back to the pink drink I had consumed at dinner. Emmet barreling towards me. Garrison looking concerned.Shit.
I turn my gaze up to him. “That’s what you were trying to warn me about at dinner?”
He nods as a stone of anxiety settles in my core.
“What… what happens if we eat pomegranates?” I ask, licking my lips that are still saturated with the drink’s sugary sweet flavor.
The guys all look at each other with an unease that matches my own.
“I need to find my father and get answers to all of this.”
“Are you sure we can trust him?” Walker asks, taking a step closer.
I squeeze his hand. “No. I don’t know if we can trust anyone but ourselves down here. We at least should find out where Pierce is.”
The guys look of guilt tells me that’s the last thing they were thinking about, but I won’t be swayed. I wanted to come down here for him, and I won’t leave without him.
I grasp the hands of Emmet and Walker as we stride into the depths of the ballroom. Garrison follows closely behind. Swiveling my head, I search for Hades amongst the throng of attendees. I don’t care if he is the God of the Underworld, he’s still my father and I deserve to find out what the fuck is going on.
At the far end of the room sits four thrones, the middle two raised above the others and thankfully are occupied by Hades and Persephone. They seem in the middle of a heated conversation, but I’ve never been good at waiting.
I wind my way through the crowd, dropping the boys’ hands. I can feel that they’re not far behind me as I stomp up the dais, my gown curled in my hands, so I don’t trip on the way.
“What were you thinking?” I catch Hades asking, his face a shade of scarlet while Persephone looks on unfazed.
“What did you expect me to do to that bitch’s spawn, dear husband?”
“She’s my daughter-“ Hades turns, catching sight of me in his periphery. His face contorts quickly into a smile that’s too tight around the mouth. His eyes are strained with the force to cover up their conversation.
“Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” I demand. I’ve waited long enough, and they are clearly talking about me.
“Aren’t you a rude little thing?” Persephone quips, crossing her legs and leaning back to assess me.
“Rude? This is nothing, I promise you, I can get a whole lot worse.”
“You dare to talk to the Queen of the Underworld with such disrespect?” Her eyes carry a warning as she digs her long nails into the black armrest of her throne.
“Calm down, Persephone, she deserves to have answers to her questions.”
She snaps her head in Hades’ direction and clicks her tongue. “Fine.”
“Go ahead, Salem.”
