Pinehurst: A Magical Olympian Adventure-Young Adult Romantic Adventure/Fantasy Novel (27 page)

How could I? But I didn’t remember promising myself exclusively to him. But that wasn’t exactly information I needed to point out.

“The gate.” He motioned to the left. His eyes, still fixed on me. The garden façade had vanished. Now, hot molten rock appeared before me. Loud screams poured through the crack in its wall.

I jumped back, using Hades as a shield. Damn! I had to act tougher, especially if I was going to be dealing with unsavory demons from Hell. I peeked out from behind him and ducked back. Nope. With eyes closed tight, I pressed my forehead against his back, willing myself somewhere else. There was no way I was going near that thing. Who knew what was going to jump out of that fissure and rip me apart. I’d take my chances with Hades. And why couldn’t he wear a shirt? Holy Hell was this guy built! His back was as muscled as his front. Talk about temptation!

“Fearless I see.” He was mocking me for still hiding behind him. I didn’t care. “We had a bargain,” he insisted.

I gripped his arms and peered out from behind him again. “
Had
.” I emphasized, ducking back once more. I was such a coward.

“Are you going back on your word?” He growled over his shoulder. I could see a muscle ticking under his eye.

I thought about that. I wanted to say yes, but then I pictured my dad the last time I’d seen him, small and frail, and Antonio, beaten and bleeding. Havoc and Chaos, my pixie pain in-the-butt friends; they’d been scared too. Not to mention Roland, who was still under the assumption
he
was my boyfriend. He’d been tied to a spit and roasted over a low flame for days. Poor, Roland. What was I going to do about him? At the moment, that was the least of my problems.

“The Oracle first,” I demanded. When I was last here, Satan, I mean, Hades, had promised that in exchange for my sacrifice, to put it mildly, he’d give me the location to the Oracle: A powerful being that possessed the knowledge to save my father and restore his health to what it once was. “And don’t you dare tell me Medusa!”
Please
don’t say Medusa.

His eyes narrowed. “Megara.” Ok, not Medusa, but not exactly the detailed map I’d expected. Still, it was a start.

I met his stare, giving him a distressed look.

“They will not harm you,” he assured, almost sounding sympathetic. Yeah right; like I trusted
him
.

Okay, let’s assess the situation here. I was stuck in the Underworld, hiding behind Hades, and stalling so I wouldn’t have to open the gates of Hell where I might get eaten by some . . . God only knows what—I winced in pain.

“I told you,
never
utter that name here,” he growled, turning to face me.

“I know!” I couldn’t freaking help it. I needed divine intervention. I glanced toward the mock sky.

Hades would kill my father and friends in a heartbeat if I backed down. Not to mention what he’d do to me. He may not be Satan, but he was darn close; if not worse as I said before, evil incarnate. If there was any credence to the legends about him, and I believed there was, I was sure of that fact. He controlled the Underworld. He
was
the Underworld. And the Greek God was not forgiving. Talk about an unexpected turn of events!

I growled mentally. I stepped around him and walked slowly up toward the rock. The screaming intensified as I neared. “God help me,” I prayed, fighting back the pain that shot through me once again. I’d take it without complaint now. This would be my penance for what I was about to do.

I reached out, hands shaking. I could feel the pressure building in them as before, when I’d cast those spells to fight off the creatures of Hell while trying to rescue my father. My hands began to glow with a luminous light once more. I looked back. Hades was stepping forward with eager anticipation.

“You sure they won’t hurt me?” I questioned. Stupid of me I knew. Why would he care if I were suddenly overrun by demons?

“You will not be harmed. I swear it.” The sky thundered above, cementing his promise.

And with the comfort of that knowledge, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I pressed my hands against the rock. A sonic boom vibrated through my body, propelling me backward. My head hit against something hard. My vision blurred and then everything went black . . .

###

Nicole Grane lives in Tooele, Utah with her husband and three children. She enjoys collecting cool rocks, oil painting, finding unique pieces of jewelry, and playing on the beach with her family. As a native Californian, the ocean is a cherished part of every visit back home.

Nicole has always loved mythology, folklore, and researching unique places. The Pinehurst series has allowed her to study and explore theories and sites she never would have known about. To incorporate her findings into these books and share them with readers has been an amazing experience that she wishes to continue.