Chapter 5
HADES
From the window of the Inquisition office I saw everything, the lights of all the cities that darted the skyline until it disappeared into the mountains. My kingdom, all of it. The world I spent the past twenty years building up and it was all coming to a head now.
At the door, there was a knock. I smiled and eye the glass of ambrosia wine, noticing it was low. I grabbed the bottle of golden liquid and pour another glass before the knocking occurred a second time, “Come in.” I sat the glass down on the long oak desk as the door opened.
“Sir. The witness you requested.” Officer Chris’s eyes flashed black before returning to a golden brown, the demon inside recognized his leader. Behind him, a cuffed blonde stood quietly.
“Leave us.” I ordered, dismissing the guard. With a quick curtsy Chris exited the room on command. I liked that, having servants who didn’t question. Chris was one of the best. Even better than the son I’d been raising to take my lead. The woman, Lil and I eyed each other, taking each other in.
“The Dark King.” Lil gave me a lazily smile before taking to the large, velvet red chair in front of my desk without permission. I pretended not to notice.
“Some would call you the white queen.” I picked up the glass of ambrosia wine and returned to my own seat behind the office. Her cat-like ears twitched, and I imagined ripping them off like a flies wings.
“Isn’t that why you dragged me here?” She asked, giving me that innocent smile of hers. It sickened me. They all did.
“We both know that you are no queen.” I took a long sip of the wine and she still smiled.
“I am no white queen.” Lil agreed.
“You are just an annoying maggot to be squashed.” The words slipped out like nasty, dark talons that scraped through the air.
“There are many, many more maggots where I come from. You cannot squash us all.” Lil said, not phased. “To the Goddess of the Dark Moon the people cry, and She hears their weeping. She will redeem her people and her people will reign again.”
I laughed, amused by her ignorance. “Your goddess has forsaken you. She has let thousands of your siblings die and suffer in punishment that isn’t yours.”
“A punishment inflected by a child throwing a temper tantrum.” Lil’s voice soured for the first time since she entered my office. Before I could stop, my hand shot forward, gripping her throat.
“Tantrum? My wife was murdered!” I felt the slight tremor in my hand. I pulled back, attempting to regain what little control I had whenever she was mentioned. I grabbed my glass of ambrosia wine and take a long, quenching sip.
“What happened to Persephone was a direct consequence of your unforgiving selfishness.” There was a light tremor to Lil’s voice. She was afraid.
“My selfishness? It was your goddess, your mother that killed her own sister without care for the consequences. Now because she is too cowardly to come out and pay for her sins, her children will suffer.” I smirked, draining the last of the wine from my glass. “You will suffer, little kitten. I truly hate to cut this conversation short, but I do have better places to be.”
“My remaining time here is short; I have no rush.” Lil said, her voice strangely perky.
I laughed. “Well, then I am certain you won’t mind me cutting it a little shorter.”
She didn’t respond, she didn’t have time to. The wine glass was on the floor, empty as my hand wrapped around her neck. My other hand pressed firm against her forehead, despite her insistent struggle.
“Mors appropinquet, et praeceperit tibi hoc pro anima mea. Et summone Melinoe te. Melinoe revertetur ad me.”
The office of the Inquisition exploded into brilliant blue light, blinding even for a god of death. I clung to Lil’s body, now convulsing as her spirit fled to the depths of hell. As quickly as it began, it was over, and the light was gone. Nothing was changed as though nothing happened, but when I looked up, I saw the change. Lil’s eyes were no longer golden brown. They were electric blue, the color of lightening in the middle of a storm. Her once blonde hair is highlighted the same blue at the ends. When she smiled, it is sadistic and twisted.
“Hello father.” A wave of something close to love burst through me.
“My child. Come, we have much work to be done. Together we shall avenge your mother.”
The woman rose from the chair. Her hands snapped apart the handcuffs that held her back. “Soon my siblings will be made to join us. But I understand there is work to be done before the war begins. What would you have me do, father.”
I turned back to the window, gazing out over the city. Once a living ode to Apollo and Zeus alike, where music and art danced freely in the sun. I’d turned it into my own version of hell on earth. Soon I’d bring darkness with me.
I grinned. “The spirit of the Dark Goddess hides among the people. I’m aware of her growing strength. Despite them being weakened in the battle. She and her sisters still dwell among us. I want you to find them and kill them.”
My daughter stood to move beside me, gazing out at the city. “There are many places a goddess can hide, but I will not let you down, father. I will murder the people who murdered my mother and dance in their blood. Their spirits will burn in the very pits of our home where they belong.”
I laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. “That’s my girl. My brave daughter. Whatever you need from me, all of my resources are at your disposal. Just make sure they suffer.”
She nodded. “Yes, father.”