Royal Heiress (16 page)

She sighed. “You’re not going to tell me your
name, are you?”

“No. Back in my past, shortly after
Persephone married Hades and returned to her mother, I vowed I
would never tell anyone my name again.”

She blinked. Of all the things he could have
said, this was the last thing she expected to hear. “Why not?”

“A name is personal. When someone knows your
name, they can get close to you.”

“You know my name, and we’re hardly close
enough to be friends.”

“I mean, it exposes you on a different level
that can lead to intimacy. It can be emotionally connecting.”

“I don’t think so. I think it’s just nice to
call you by your name instead of a description of what you
wear.”

“So we disagree. It’s not the first time. I’m
sure it won’t be the last.”

She waited for a minute before saying, “You
promised me you would tell me why you bought the needle and poison
to go with it.”

He took a deep breath. “I intend to kill the
person who was responsible for this city sinking into the
ocean.”

“One person sank it?”

“No, but he is the one who started the war
that led to its sinking.”

“How did he do that?”

“He tried to steal the leaders’ Stone of
Immortality so he could overthrow them and rule Atlantis by
himself.”

“What was his name?”

“Avar. He was a little higher than the Augurs
in intellect and ability, though he was an Augur himself. The
leaders wanted to create the perfect person, and except for his
pride, he was perfect. That’s why I made note of what he was
borrowing from the library. He’s drawing together his battle
plans.”

“So that’s why you don’t like him. But
Pallid, if he hadn’t tried to overthrow the leaders, then they
would have made more of him. Then what? There would be no room for
anyone with any imperfections? Would other Augurs who didn’t meet
up to his standards be cast into the Underworld? Would you or I
have a place above ground?”

He seemed to consider her question.

“Who has the right to define perfection
anyway?” she asked, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. “Who are
the leaders to be playing God with all this technology? What is the
point in being human if you can’t be unique?”

“So if I kill him, then that helps get rid of
the quest to make the perfect person.”

“Or it will motivate the leaders to make
another one.” She chose her next words carefully, knowing he
wouldn’t like to hear them. “I just met the Olympians after I
became queen. They seemed so nice and accepting of human
imperfection. Even they aren’t perfect, though they are extremely
beautiful. I just can’t believe they used to be this petty and
shallow. They even cast out their own citizens who aren’t worthy
enough to be seen in this city.” Her eyes filled with tears. “This
is not the kind of world I want to be in. It’s too cold and
unfeeling.”

She missed her sister. She hoped Katherine
was alright in the Underworld. She had a sudden longing to go see
her, even if the Underworld was the most miserable place on Earth.
When she got back to Raz, she would make things right with her
sister, if Katherine would have anything to do with her. Amanda
wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. Not after all the mean things
she’d done to her.

“Atlantis doesn’t have to be a cold and
unfeeling place,” Pallid softly said.

“With the way things are going, how could it
not be?” She didn’t speak with the intention of hurting him, but by
the way he winced, she knew her question stung.

“I need to rest,” he finally said. “I have
some things to think about. Do you want me to take you to the guest
quarters?”

She took in her surroundings in the small,
one-room apartment. “Is it nearby?”

“It’s down the next floor.”

“Why is your place so small? With the
elaborate wealth of this city, shouldn’t you have a bigger
place?”

“I did, but I lost it when my wife left
me.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “I didn’t know
you were married.”

“It’s not something I like to remember.”

“Why not?”

“You’re too curious for your own good.”

“Considering you were romantically interested
in my mother, I think I have a right to know.”

He grinned, despite the awkward topic. “Your
point is well made. Alright, since you wish it, I’ll tell you. The
leaders paired me up with a female Infer, and they married us in
hopes we would produce more Infers. I loved her. One day, she was
involved in an accident that disfigured her face, so she went to
the Underworld. I didn’t realize it until I followed her down there
that she had intentionally disfigured herself because she couldn’t
stand to be with me. She was very unhappy with her life up here so
she escaped. I left her in the Underworld and went back up here. We
shared a big and luxurious apartment, but when the leaders realized
what had happened, they placed me here. By then, they had learned
all Infers were incapable of reproducing among themselves anyway,
so there was little point in giving us special privileges. They
still respected us for our memories, but that was about it.”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” she replied. She couldn’t
imagine how awful it must have felt to be rejected by a member of
the opposite sex, but Katherine was aware of the feeling. Again,
she felt a twinge of guilt at the memory of her indifference to her
sister’s feelings back on Raz.

“The trip wasn’t a total loss.” He shrugged.
“I got the Stone of Immortality while I was down in the Underworld.
It’s ironic if you think about it. The ability to live forever is
buried in the walls of that cave, yet it is a place where you wish
most for death.”

She cringed. She couldn’t wait to leave so
she could get Katherine and Jake out of there.

“Is there anything else you wish to know?” he
asked.

“No. I will go to the guest quarters
now.”

He led the way to her temporary quarters.

“You won’t leave without me, will you?” she
asked. “I don’t want you to leave me alone in this city.”

He smiled. “I promise that after I am well
rested, I will come and get you.”

She felt much better knowing that. This was a
city she didn’t want to be in without his protection.

***

Meanwhile, the tension in the arc was getting
worse, and Zeus was worn down. He hated to confront Hades, but he
finally admitted it was inevitable. Hades might not have been the
head leader, but he was, by far, the most intimidating one. Zeus
dreaded his encounters with Hades.

He glanced down at the crowd of people
chanting that he give Persephone back to her mother. He cringed.
The people were getting more demanding. If he wasn’t careful, they
would have him overthrown. He was safe for the moment. The guards
were faithfully blocking the people’s way to the very top of the
arc where he, Demeter, and Hermes stood around the large
mirror.

What he had just seen in the mirror chilled
him to the bone. If he didn’t agree to Demeter’s terms, the people
would conspire against him and send him into exile on a vacant
island where he would die because he was no longer under the Stone
of Immortality’s protection. He knew what he had to do. He just had
to gather the courage to do it.

He glanced at Demeter, who stared at him, her
cold gaze uncompromising. She would only accept victory.

“You win,” he finally told her. “I will go
down to the Underworld and force Hades to give Persephone up.
Hermes, I need you to guide me through there since you know that
place.”

Hermes nodded his agreement.

Demeter smiled for the first time since her
daughter had disappeared. “Once she is back, I will bring back the
warm weather and sun. Then things will prosper once again on
Atlantis.”

Zeus sighed. “Yes, I understand.” He turned
to the crowd of people and brought the microphone up to his mouth
so they would hear him. “Citizens of Atlantis, this is Zeus, your
head leader.”

The crowd, recognizing his voice, immediately
grew quiet as they anxiously waited for him to continue.

“I will bring Persephone back,” he said.

Their cheer was deafening.

He put the microphone down. “Apparently,
they’re pleased.”

“As am I,” Demeter stiffly replied. “My poor
daughter has suffered greatly at the hands of that brute. I will
never forgive him for what he did to her. He will forever feel my
wrath.”

“I don’t think he’s concerned about that,” he
replied. “Hades doesn’t let anyone scare him. There’s a reason he
rules the Underworld. No other leader would be able to handle that
kind of misery.”

She frowned at his compliment of Hades. “Just
bring her back.”

He motioned for Hermes to follow him. He
would bring Persephone back, and then Demeter would restore the
pleasant weather and they could enjoy their city again. Hermes wore
his sandals with the wings on them and carried him, so their
journey to the entrance of the Underworld was swift, which was good
since the bitter cold pierced their skin like knives.

Once they were in the cave, Zeus breathed a
sigh of relief. “When Demeter is mad, she doesn’t show any
mercy.”

“Which is why I pressed so hard for a quick
resolution to this problem,” Hermes said. “The stairs will lead us
into the depths of the Underworld. Cerebus guards the gate down
there. It is there the old man will take us to Hades’ mansion.”

“Cerebus? I had forgotten about him. He’s the
dog we first cloned, but he mutated and grew three heads instead of
one, which is why he was sent down here.”

“He’s very loyal to Hades, and I think Hades
is fond of him, too.”

“Hades would like a monstrosity like that.”
He shivered at the thought of having to see the mutant again.

They flew through the corridor, saving time
on their journey. When they reached Cerebus, they were shocked to
see that Cerebus was eating a large juicy steak.

“Is it possible the monster is actually
happy?” Zeus whispered, awed by the possibility.

“When I came through here earlier, he was
greatly disturbed. His mood has indeed improved,” Hermes told
him.

“That is odd. I wonder what the change could
be due to.”

They landed on the ground and walked over to
the dog that angrily barked at them.

Zeus jumped back, startled. Was it possible
the dog knew the reason for their arrival? He knew that if Hades
wanted Persephone there, then the monstrosity would defend Hades’
wish, even if it had to fight. Although Zeus would not die in such
an encounter, he didn’t relish the pain he would have to endure in
such a fight.

“Let them pass,” the old man interrupted
Cerebus. “It will work out.”

Cerebus looked at the old man then obeyed
him.

Zeus wondered why the old man was reassuring
the dog. What did the old man know that Zeus didn’t?

“Come, Zeus and Hermes,” the old man said,
waving them forward.

“He’s happier, too,” Hermes whispered to
Zeus. “It is very odd. It’s as if this world became a different
place in a single instant.”

They silently followed the old man to the
boat.

Zeus heard laughter and cheers in the
distance. He was confused. Wasn’t this supposed to be a miserable
place?

Hermes shrugged, just as baffled as he
was.

He sat back in the boat and waited to meet
Hades. Perhaps once he did, he would understand the source of the
joy he heard echoing through the cave.

***

Thousands of years in the past

Atlantis

Gaius, Octavia, and Julius landed their
spaceship on one of the buildings in Atlantis. They cloaked it so
that it appeared invisible to anyone who might look at it. It was
strange to be in the past where their ancestors were born.

This was where their roots were, and though
they had an exact duplicate of the city on their own planet, it was
a new experience to actually walk through the streets, their coats
and gloves protecting them from the sub-zero temperature and
blizzard that surrounded them.

“Remember, we must do everything at the right
time,” Gaius reminded his friends. “Right now Zeus is in the
process of bringing Persephone back to her mother. Once she is
back, Demeter will take this storm away. Then we can rid ourselves
of these heavy coats.”

“When will we meet up with the Infer?”
Octavia asked, pulling the hood closer around her head.

“When the compromise between Hades and
Demeter is made. We must not change that. It is crucial to the fate
of the Underworld people that we allow that to occur. Besides, the
Infer won’t seek his target until this storm passes.”

“I hope he will listen to us,” Julius
said.

“We have proof if he needs it. He has the
small mirror with him, so he can verify our words.” He paused
before continuing. “We must also allow the Infer to spend more time
with Queen Amanda. Her words are beginning to win him over. She
will help him see what Atlantis was really like.”

She would have a greater influence on him
than that, but Gaius withheld that revelation. The best way to
preserve future events was to leave most of it a mystery.

“For now, we bide our time,” he finally said.
“Soon we will meet with him.”

Chapter Sixteen

Thousands of years in the past

Atlantis

Katherine and Jake sat with the people who
lived in the Underworld to witness the wedding of Hades and
Persephone. It was a joyous occasion, and since Persephone’s
changes were placed into effect, they were not only happy to have
her officially announced as their new queen, but they were relieved
that her presence brought light and love to the place.

Katherine thought Persephone made the most
beautiful bride she had ever seen. Her black dress and black
flowers didn’t detract from her appeal. She lit up the room without
even trying. Persephone would be a blessing in this place, and
Katherine was thrilled she got to witness the transformation of the
Underworld.