It’s him.
Nikolas.
The impossibly gorgeous guy from Hayes’s house. The one with the shock of white hair, the wicked scar, and the attitude. He’s still in the head-to-toe black leather ensemble from Hayes’s house, but now there’s a sword strapped to his side.
A literal fucking sword.
He looks like some dark knight or ancient assassin. It’s objectively alarming. But also… notnothot?
“Where… where am I?” I ask, my voice scratchy, like it hasn’t been used in days. “What are you doing here? Where’s Hayes?” I yawn, my jaw popping. “And why am I so freaking tired?”
“It’s the atmosphere down here,” he says. “It can take a toll on the body. You’ll adjust.”
Oh, right.
Down here.
As in, the Underworld.
A shiver ripples through me as everything comes rushing back. The ghosts, the black river, the skeleton ferryman, docking at the Palace gates and then… nothing. The rest blurs.
“So that was all real? I’m really in… Hades?” I ask. “I didn’t dream it?”
“Afraid not.”
“So, uh, what happens now?”
“Not my job to explain. That’s for Hayden and the royals,” he says coolly. “I was just here to make sure you didn’t wander off or choke in your sleep. Now that you’re conscious, I’m off babysitting duty.”
He turns toward the door, then pauses. The corner of his mouth lifts in quiet, mocking amusement.
“Glad you survived the journey. Next time, try not to pass out,” he says. “See you around, Alysander.”
Pass out? What’s that supposed to mean?
But he’s gone before I can ask.
A beat later, Hayes appears.
“Hey, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?” he asks, his voice low and threaded with concern as he rushes over to me.
He’s changed since I last saw him. He now wears a tailored black velvet suit, sharp and effortless. Shimmering gold trim runs along the lapels and cuffs, like fire flickering at the seams. Cufflinks glint at his wrists, and a gold pin rests on his lapel, ancient and ornate. The pin bears a snarling three-headed dog—ruby eyes glowing, a serpent coiled around its body, just like the one carved into the Palace gates.
The effect of it all is startling. Commanding. Powerful.
“Uh, why are you dressed like that?”
His eyes glint with a hint of teasing.
“You don’t like it?”
“No, I—” I rub at my temples, trying to push back the strange fatigue. “You look good. Really good. It’s just… what’s with the whole Gothic CEO vibe?”
He chuckles, pulling the soft duvet up and tucking it gently around my shoulders, then leans in. His fingers brush a strand of hair from my cheek.
He’s so close, I can feel his breath, cool and steady, ghosting across my skin.
“You really scared me for a minute there, Alligator.”
