Royal Heiress (15 page)

“You need to make yourself more presentable
to men. Wear something appealing. Men love dresses. You never wear
make-up. I think if you wore some, it would bring out the beauty
you already possess. You’ll be surprised at how many men will
notice you then,” she had instructed Katherine.

Amanda winced as she recalled her words with
crystal clarity. She didn’t realize how insensitive she had been,
although Katherine tried to tell her. She’d treated the matter of
Katherine being second best as if it was to be expected. She hadn’t
stood up for her sister or insisted the men be as nice to her
sister as they were to her. It hadn’t bothered her that Katherine
got her rejected suitors.

When Katherine was told she needed a veil,
she felt sorry for her, but secretly, she was glad it wasn’t her
who was told her looks weren’t good enough for Atlantis. She was
actually pleased she attracted the men of this place more than
Katherine did. I was filled with pride, she thought. She had gone
about her life believing she was better than everyone else,
especially her sister.

Her tears froze to her face. Determined to
change her ways, she found the strength to stand up. The bitter
chill swept through her entire body. She struggled to walk to the
entrance of the building next to her, but she had trouble finding
it. Demeter’s fury was horribly unpleasant. She hoped Persephone
would be back up here soon so the weather would return to its ideal
condition.

She made her way around the corner of the
building and noticed a group of angry people.

“We’ve got to make Zeus bring Demeter’s
daughter back!” one of the many people yelled. “We’ll all be dead
if this place freezes over.”

“To the arc!” someone else screamed.

Relieved, she quickly joined the group. Being
among them provided some shelter from the blistering winds. She
would also demand Zeus bring Persephone back. She would also seek
out someone who could protect her from Pallid.

Ironically, she recalled Pallid’s words to
her shortly after they had met.

“You’d be surprised at how quickly bad things
can happen,” he had warned her. “Sometimes events catch you off
guard and you’re not able to react in time. Bad things do happen,
even to the Queen of Raz. You must proceed with caution.”

“I have been trained since I was a little
girl. I won’t be caught off guard,” she had retorted.

Now she knew better. She had learned that
just because she was the Queen of Raz, it didn’t mean she didn’t
need other people’s help. That was why choosing the king was a
serious matter. She needed to choose someone who could defend her,
someone who would sacrifice his life to save her. When she got back
to Raz, that would be her first priority.

For now, she had to get through this mission
alive.

***

Jake glanced around the large garden in the
center of the cave which had at one time been barren. Now it was
converted into a place where everyone in the Underworld could meet,
eat, and enjoy themselves. The first order of business was for the
people to meet each other, so Persephone instructed the servants on
the meals to prepare, tables to set up, and any toys for the
children to play with.

Hades was more than accommodating and
welcomed the change, so she had free reign to do as she pleased.
She decorated the area with her own flowers, though the quality was
not as good as what could be found above ground. Still, it made the
area more pleasing to the eye. She also gathered anyone with a
musical talent to play sweet melodies.

“We will establish schools for the children
and find adults to teach them,” she said, looking to Katherine and
Jake for their approval.

“It’s a wonderful plan,” Katherine assured
her.

“I have also requested that all the babies
and children be brought here so we can start pairing them up with a
mother or father who will love them and raise them. If anyone
wishes to marry, then we can do that here as well. I figure as
people meet each other, they will fall in love and dedicate their
lives to one another. But first, I am anxious to take care of the
little ones who cannot adequately care for themselves. It is sad
when babies and children come alone to this world. In a perfect
world, every child would be loved and cared for regardless of what
handicap or imperfection he may possess.”

“In my opinion, this world is already a major
improvement over the one above ground,” Jake said. “The idea that a
parent would willingly send their child down here is
unfathomable.”

“It is sad that Atlantis became a society
which allowed such things to occur,” Persephone agreed.

“How did it happen?” Katherine asked. “Was it
always this way?”

“Oh no. Originally, it was a very
compassionate and caring place to be. People had a high sense of
family unification back then. Had we noticed where we were headed,
we never would have passed the laws that created the world it
became. But none of us saw it coming, and the sad thing is, we
aren’t exactly sure how it even began. It’s as if we woke up one
morning and found ourselves in our current condition.
Unfortunately, it keeps getting worse. I fear we may destroy
ourselves before too long.”

Jake knew that Atlantis would sink into the
ocean, and it would be hidden so well no other nation on Earth
would be able to detect it until it mysteriously rose again.

“Oh look! Here come some people,” Persephone
cheered. “I hope we can make their lives better down here.”

The servants brought out some delicious food
and placed them on the tables.

None of the people spoke as they were brought
to the center of the Underworld, but she eagerly welcomed them and
led them to the tables where they could sit and dine.

“After dinner, I shall offer the children to
anyone who wishes to care for them,” Persephone told Katherine and
Jake when she was done.

Hades showed up with a huge smile on his
face. “You have done a marvelous job,” he complimented her. “I
hardly recognize the place.”

“I can’t take all the credit,” she replied,
pleased with his comment. “Katherine and Jake have been an enormous
help.”

“Thank you,” he told them. Turning to her, he
asked, “Does this delight you?”

“Very much.”

“Now will you reconsider my proposal? It
would be a shame for this place to be without a queen now that it’s
better.”

She sighed. “I wish it was so easy, Hades.
Really, I do. It’s never been a question of whether or not I want
to be your wife. You know I do. But Mother won’t allow me to stay
here. She is quite stubborn when she wants to be.”

“So what if she doesn’t approve? I can handle
her. I’m one of the six main leaders and am equal to her in
power.”

“Yes, but she controls the weather. I can
only imagine what it’s like up there now that Hermes knows where I
am. I hope she is being merciful to those people. They shouldn’t
suffer for my sake. If only there was some compromise we could
reach.”

Katherine picked up on her cue. “I have an
idea, but it will require you to be with your mother for six months
every year.”

Hades raised an eyebrow in interest. “But I
will get to be with Persephone for the other six?”

She nodded.

“How can such a thing be?” Persephone
asked.

“It’s easy,” Katherine told her. “But we’ll
need a witness. I think Jake might do well for that, if he wishes?”
She glanced at him.

Jake was flattered she wanted to include him
in her plan. “I will do what I can,” he consented.

She quickly told them her idea.

Chapter Fifteen

Thousands of years in the past

Atlantis

Amanda followed the angry group into the arc
where people swarmed the stairs all the way to the top. She
couldn’t see if anyone was watching them from the very top, but she
had to assume that since she saw some leaders trapped in their
offices, Zeus had to be up there, fully aware of the chaos on his
hands.

“We want warm weather! Give Persephone back
to her mother!” the crowd chanted over and over.

Amanda could hardly breathe from the people
pressing in on her from every side. She had never been surrounded
by so much anger and resistance, and she hoped she would never face
such a situation on her planet.

Someone grabbed her shoulder.

Gasping, she looked over her shoulder and
groaned in dread when she realized it was Pallid.

“Why did you run off like that?” he demanded.
“I had the hardest time finding you.”

“What are you going to do? Kill me?” she
asked.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not going to kill
you,” he yelled above the chanting people. “We need to go someplace
quiet. Take me to my living quarters.”

She couldn’t believe his audacity. Why would
she take him to the perfect place where he could kill her with no
one there to witness the crime?

He misunderstood her hesitation. “There are
so many people here no one will notice us disappearing.”

His words registered through her overwhelmed
mind. He was right, she knew. He could easily inject her with the
needle, and no one would see it. So if he wanted to harm her, he
would do it here. Maybe, then, his aim wasn’t to hurt her.

“Why?” she asked.

He groaned. “I can’t fill in all the blanks,
especially here.”

“If I do what you ask, will you tell me what
you’ve been planning?”

“Deal,” he finally agreed after thinking
about it.

She hoped she wasn’t making a big mistake.
She closed her eyes and used her magic to take them to his old
living quarters, which was a small apartment near the arc.

“It’s freezing in here,” he said as he ran to
close his open window.

“I heard you plan to kill someone,” she told
him. “I overheard you talking to that man at the store you took me
to.”

He walked back over to her and invited her to
sit on the only chair in the small room. He sat on the bed across
from her and set down his cane. “How much did you hear?”

“You told him you were giving it to a friend
who didn’t want to go to the Underworld.”

“Naturally, you assumed I meant you.”

She nodded. “How could I not? You don’t like
me.”

“That’s not true. I may not agree with a lot
of beliefs you hold about yourself or other people, but I wouldn’t
say that I don’t like you. I’m sure under better circumstances,
we’d get along just fine.” He paused. “If you need further
assurance, however, I’ll tell you the truth. I would never harm the
daughter of Ann and Hathor. I have nothing but respect for your
parents.”

This fact did comfort her. “They have
mentioned you when they told of the time they went to Atlantis. But
when they did, they also emphasized the need to destroy this
place.”

He winced. “Yes, they weren’t too happy with
this city.”

“But you are.”

“It is my home. I was created here.” He
glanced around the room. “It was a great city in its time. I admit
it’s not as ethically sound as it should be, but it’s my city.
Imagine if someone asked you to give up Raz.”

“Raz’s future doesn’t threaten the lives of
the Augurs and Olympians. I have a pact with both groups of people.
I am bound to do everything I can to save their lives. Sometime in
this city’s past, the six main leaders made replacements of
themselves. When Atlantis rose on its own, the replacements began
to form. Once those replacements mature, the Olympians will die
since the replacements and Olympians cannot co-exist. Then the
Augurs will die when the replacements attack them. The Olympians
need to stop this process from happening, but they forgot the
password. The Augurs said you are the only one left who remembers
it.”

He stared at her for a long moment then shook
his head. “I did see some clones forming, and they were in the
exact image of the six leaders. But I do not have a password. Who
told you I had it?”

“The Augurs and Olympians.”

“I’m sorry, Amanda, but I have no idea what
they are talking about. I didn’t even know the leaders made
replacements of themselves.”

She bit her lower lip. The Augurs wouldn’t
lie about anything. Pallid had to know it.

“Is it possible there is another Infer who
has a Stone of Immortality?” he asked.

She shook her head. “You’re the only one
left. That’s why I need your help.”

“How can I know a password to something I
didn’t know existed?” He stood up, walked over to the window, and
looked out of it.

“Maybe the leaders told you but you forgot
it,” she replied.

“I was made to remember everything. It’s
impossible for me to forget a single detail.”

“Maybe the leaders made a mistake while they
were creating you. Maybe you can remember 99% of the events you
experience.”

“No. I know that it isn’t true.” He rubbed
his eyes wearily.

She stared at him, wondering how it could be
that he didn’t know the password. She felt so lost. What was she
supposed to do now?

Looking at him, she realized he was
frustrated that he couldn’t remember something as simple as a
password. Suddenly, he didn’t seem as strong and indestructible as
she’d assumed. He was human. He had his own set of strengths and
weaknesses, just as everyone else did. He just managed to hide it
better.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

He jumped at her question. “My name?”

“Do you have one?”

“Yes.”

“And it’s not Infer Number 177, is it?”

“No. That’s my title.”

“I know it’s not Pallid. That’s the name my
parents gave you since they didn’t know what else to call you
besides ‘the man in white.’”

He chuckled. “That’s why they called me
Pallid. I had wondered about that.” He turned back to her, still
laughing. “It fits. It means white.”