“Don’t you see that’s impossible?” I asked. “Asking me or the underworld to be anything other than what we are is like asking the earth not to circle the sun.”
“Physics again?”
“Fate.”
Her lips tightened, and she looked like she wanted to say something. But her eyes fluttered closed, exhaustion seeming to suck her down.
I swallowed hard, staring at her. My chest was a riot of emotion, conflicting feelings battering against each other. It made my head spin. Made me want to rise up and fight something, anything, to get this energy out.
But I couldn’t. She needed me.
I swallowed the feeling down and rose, trying not to jostle Seraphia. She needed to rest. I carried her to Horse, mounting as smoothly as I could, then nudged him in the sides.
He took off at a smooth walk, and Seraphia’s mount followed. Though the walk was slower than my usual preference, it was better for Seraphia.
I held her close, trying not to be swayed by the warmth of her in my arms. It burned, as usual. But I loved it. Far too much.
I could die like this. Happily.
Fates.
These thoughts were insane. She was diverting me from my path, stirring up things that should never happen.
I looked down at her, trying to see her as what she really was—my opponent.
A worthy opponent. Not a pawn.
I wouldn't make that mistake again.
And she’d proved her strength here today. She’d been magnificent.
Unable to help myself, I looked back at the forest.
The enormous trees grew tall and strong, green leaves tipping each branch. It didn’t look bright and cheerful, but it was a gem of life in the middle of a sea of death. I’d never seen it like this—not in all my time in the underworld.
And yet, Seraphia had changed it on her first try.
I frowned.
What did this mean for the future? How would she change this place?
How would she change me?
I shook away the thought. She wouldn’t change me. I would change her. She had it in her, the darkness that wanted to rise. She’d been magnificent in the forest. All I had to do was encourage that. Stoke it.
Soon, she’d be willing to help me with anything. We’d walk across the earth together, spreading the dominion of the underworld, as I’d been created to do.
We reached the city gates as the sun was beginning to set. Horse walked sedately through the gates, heading toward the castle. As we made our way down the city streets, people came out of their houses, watching Seraphia and me.
Unable to help myself, I pulled her closer, wanting to put myself between her and their curious gazes. To be helpless in front of your people was a deadly mistake as a ruler, and with every second that passed, I accepted more and more that I wanted her to rule at my side.
Someone as magnificent as Seraphia deserved to be the queen of hell. And if that was my end goal, I didn’t want my citizens looking at her in this state.
I glared at them all, leveling a stare that would freeze fire. They scurried back into their houses, and Horse continued on. We reached the castle a few minutes later, and I smoothly took the stairs two at a time, striding past the guards and into my chambers.
In the main room, I stopped, eying the couch. I could put her there. That’s where she’d slept last night.
But the bed called to me. She should be there.
I swallowed hard at the mere idea.
I wanted her. Of course I did. Though I’d never wanted another in all my days, I wanted her. She burned me like fire, and I wanted to become one with the blaze. It was dangerous. I knew it.
I didn’t care.
Decided, I strode toward the bedroom. The massive bed awaited, empty as ever. It had never bothered me before. Never so much as registered in my mind that it shouldn't be that way.
Now, it did.
I laid her on the bed and removed her shoes, then pulled the covers up over her.
The sight of her in my bed, pale and beautiful, made a fist clench at my heart. I stepped back, nearly tripping over my feet.
Too much.
This was too much.
I whirled around and stalked from the room, seeking the darkness at the base of my castle. The abyss called to me, offering sweet oblivion.
I would take it.
Now, more than ever, I needed to recommit myself to my cause. There was no other option. I’d been born for this. It didn’t matter what Seraphia inspired within me. My goal was all that mattered. All that could matter.
8
Seraphia
I woke in a massive bed, alone. A blanket was pulled up over me, and a pillow rested under my cheek.
Groggy, I blinked and sat up. What had happened? I didn’t actually remember getting into bed. And whose bed was this?
Confused, I looked around—and it came to me.
Hades.
This was his sleeping chamber. My heart thundered as I turned toward his side of the bed. I’d felt alone when I’d woken, but what if I wasn’t?
What if I hadn’t been?
Could I have really slept next to Hades and not known it?
But the bed was empty, the covers undisturbed.
He hadn’t been here. Somehow, I knew it. I would have woken in the night if he’d climbed in bed with me. No matter how ill or unconscious, I wouldn’t have been able to ignore something like that.
So where was he? And what time was it?
I looked toward the window and spotted the pale gray light of daytime. Or at least, I thought it was daytime. It was so hard to tell in the underworld, where it was just different shades of misery.
Still tired, I climbed from the bed. “Hades?” I called, even though I could feel he wasn’t in his quarters.
There was no answer, of course.
The waistband of my jeans dug into my hip, and I realized I’d gone to bed fully dressed. Hades must have done that.
I couldn’t help but appreciate the courtesy of it. Fates knew I would have freaked the hell out if he’d undressed me. My shoes sat near the end of the bed, but I really didn’t want to put them on. Not until I’d had a bath.
I needed fresh clothes, too.
As if answering my call, there was a knock on the door. I strode to it and opened it, finding Kerala on the other side. Hades must have sent her. The pretty maid smiled and held out a change of clothes. All black, as usual for this dreary place.
“Thank you, Kerala.” I took them. “Do you know where Hades is?”
“Couldn’t say, no.”
“Thanks.”
She curtsied and left. I turned back to the room and spotted breakfast on the table. I set the clothes down on a chair and picked up a pastry. As I bit in, I couldn’t help the anxiety that streaked through me. Though I knew rationally that eating shouldn’t make any difference since I’d already had the pomegranate potion, I’d spent so long being afraid of it.
Tasted good, though. Not phenomenal, but I doubted anything tasted phenomenal here.
Except Hades.
The traitorous thought made me want to hiss.
Instead, I went to the bathroom, desperately wanting a bath. The chamber was large, and the bathing pool drew my eye. It was set directly into the dark stone ground, massive and full of steaming water. A huge window overlooked the sea, but I had eyes only for the swimming pool–sized tub.
Quickly, I shoved the rest of the pastry into my mouth, then shucked my clothes and climbed into the water. It closed around me, warm and lovely, and I sighed. Besides the apothecary’s cottage, it was the only nice place I’d been in all of this miserable underworld. Except the forest. That had been all right once I’d fixed it.