**Gina's POV**
***Trigger warning potentially disturbing content, including graphic content or child abuse.***
A horrific silence fell on all of us that were gathered there. It was as though someone had poured cold water on our bodies because we were now shivering in fear.
What did this strange man mean when he said we could not die because we were living among the dead already? His words sent chills down my spine. Would I ever reconnect with my twins? And even if I did, how was I to escape this dreary place? How could one find their way? I had been running away all my life, but I realised now that I could run no more. If I ran any farther I would be running towards my utter ruin.
“You will be serving Aegan, the son of the princess of the Darkest Sea and one of the contenders for the throne. His brothers are all contending for the throne. However, his greatest rival is Lucian, son of the Fae queen. Everything that you do must reflect well on Prince Aegan. If you assist his rivals in any way, he will have you for dinner and I mean that literally. You are to obey him at all times and in every situation. You are not to question or challenge any decisions he makes. He will do as he sees fit. Do you understand?” the man said, staring into our eyes one at a time.
“Yes, sir.”
“My name is Derek. You will address me as Sir Derek, understood?” he barked at us, and we responded in the affirmative.
“Follow me,” he said, and like zombies with no mind of our own, we followed him through long corridors and several rooms. As we walked past the rooms, I saw some rather disturbing things. I saw people drinking blood from the heads of other people; I saw people getting intimate in the open; the things I saw repulsed me greatly, but I had a feeling that I had only glimpsed this place. This was the underworld. After all, there was no moral inclination like that which existed in the world.
We soon reached a room that can be described more as a large bath.
“Take off your clothes and proceed to wash yourselves. Aegan does not tolerate filth,” instructed Sir Derek.
We did as he said, and after we had scrubbed our bodies, he presented us with uniforms to wear. We put them on and then followed him to another room.
“This is where you will rest your souls after your work,” it was a very large room with rows upon rows of beds. The fact that I had to share a room with at least a hundred people did not bother me but the fact that Sir Derek had chosen to say ‘rest your souls’ instead of sleep.
“Now we shall proceed to Prince Aegan's quarters, where I shall present you all. He will weed some of you out, after which the rest of you will resume your duties at once,” said Sir Derek.
He escorted us through more corridors until we finally reached a huge gate. Once we entered, it was like we were in a whole different world. Everything around the place, although black, seemed to radiate like gold. It was a luxurious sort of black. There was no light in this part of the palace, but I could see myself very clearly. I could also see the man who sat on the throne. I sensed at once that he must be Prince Aegan and not the ruler of Hades himself.
“Darkest Prince, the maids have arrived,” Sir Derek bowed his head before the man on the throne.
“The maids you say,” a woman entered the place just then. It was my guess that she was the mother of Aegan as they looked alike.
“I need to send Lucian's mother a gift. I hope I can find something useless among your haul,” said the strange-looking woman.
“Whichever you choose, mother. If you are so sure that Lucian will refuse father's words to be with her,” Aegan's voice sounded rather dull.
“You have presented a very intriguing haul, Derek. Let's see how they behave, and I will choose the unfortunate girl that will be the centre of Hades’ wrath,” there was an evil grin on her face when she said this.
“Bring her closer,” Aegan said, pointing at the lady in front of me.
Sir Derek moved closer and for a brief second I thought he was going to grab my hand, but he took the hand of the lady in my front and dragged her towards Aegan. No one knew what Aegan wanted to do to her, but we all felt immense pity for her. The lady herself had begun to beg for her life to be spared.
When she was within reachable distance of Aegan, the prince said, “Did you not tell her, Derek? She is among the dead, begging for her life is redundant.”
“I have told them,” returned Derek.
This exchange did not stop the plea of the lady being dragged to the throne, it only intensified her cries.
Once Derek was close enough to Aegan, he placed the girl in Aegan's lap. Aegan then patted her hair fondly before sinking his fangs into her neck. He sucked her until all that was left was her skin hanging steadfastly into her bones. I had to look away; that could have been me.
“Who would like to please me next?” inquired Aegan as he dumped the limp body to the ground.
The entire room was silent; no one moved or said a thing.
“Why? Do you not wish to serve as maids in the underworld again?” he asked with a sardonic smile on his face.
“What are you so scared of? She has not stopped existing, look,” he said, pointing to the body that lay on the ground. True enough, the pile of skin and bones lifted itself upright and skulked back to its former position in my front.
“See? She cannot die. She is already living among the dead.”