Page 4 of Love and Death (Tempting the Fates #4)

HAZEL

T he darkness is all-consuming.

The shadows cling to me, stealing my very breath away and miring my feet within them. If I did not already know I was moving through them, I would think I’d been lost to time and space.

My racing thoughts are overtaken by the suffocating stillness that is the darkness now surrounding me. Here, within the overwhelming crush of oblivion, I know nothing.

Feel nothing.

Am nothing .

My mind spins, and my steps falter. The darkness wraps around me, drawing ever tighter as it pulls me further and further into its cold embrace.

And then a voice echoes through the emptiness, calling out from an unfathomable distance. I cannot make out the word, nor whom the voice belongs to, but it does not matter.

The still, small sound is sweeter than the most honied music to my starving ears, and I cannot help but turn toward it. But even as I do, I find myself jerked backward.

All at once, the nothingness abruptly gives way to blinding light and a rush of noise. I gasp, a long shuddering breath filling my lungs as I struggle to reorient myself.

Confusion still wrapped around the corners of my mind, I barely manage to regain my footing before Cerberus continues onward, dragging me along a half-step behind him.

Blinking away the pain from the edges of my vision, I look around as understanding slowly returns to me.

We’re no longer on the arena floor but in a hallway leading out toward the main city.

Hades is not far ahead, flanked by several of his men as he barks orders to them that I can’t quite make out, let alone comprehend.

Glancing over my shoulder, a seemingly impenetrable wall of pitch-black blocks the way back, and yet, I have the strangest urge to turn and run straight into it … if only in an attempt to hear the sound of that voice once more.

But I don’t, not that I could with Cerberus still holding my arm so firmly in his grasp.

This thought catches me off-guard. As tight as his grip on me is now, I’d barely felt his presence amidst the shadows. Though, I suppose, he was the only thing truly keeping me from losing myself among them.

Did he hear the voice then, too?

Making our way out onto the streets, I find the city in a state of chaos as armed guards press in from all sides, ordering residents to return to their homes immediately …

an d until further notice. Hades’ men only seem to grow in number with each step we take, marching past us as they patrol the streets with calculated expertise.

The more I see of them, the more I get the impression that they’ve been preparing for this exact moment for quite some time, and fear roots its way even deeper into my chest.

As the shadows slip from the recesses of my mind, it slowly dawns on me that everything that has happened—everything that has led up to this moment—was never about me.

This, Death’s sacrifice, is what Hades wanted all along, and I allowed him to play me for the fool that I am, a mortal trying to outwit the gods themselves. I walked right into his trap, and I took everyone I loved down with me … or at least I will, if I can’t find a way out of this, and fast.

“You don’t have to do this,” I plead with the hellhound in a hushed whisper as the distance between us and Hades begins to close. “You don’t have to listen to him. I thought you wanted to protect me.”

But my pleas fall on deaf ears.

Cerberus’ eyes remain trained forward, his face expressionless, as we continue following the king through the winding streets.

What happened to him during the trial? This version of him is nothing like the protective, chatty Cerberus that I knew before.

My heart sinks as we continue on in silence. The promise I made to Hades echoes louder and louder in my mind, like a curse, the closer we get to the sapphire palace, and I know that soon I will have no means of escape.

Soon, I will be entirely at the king’s mercy.

I struggle to free myself from the hellhound’s grip, but his fingers only tighten around my arm, making me wince in pain.

“Please,” I say, sucking air in through gritted teeth, “you’re hurting me.”

Much to my surprise, though his expression remains unchanged, and he doesn’t so much as glance my way, his grip seems to loosen slightly at this. What little relief I get from this is short-lived, however, as Hades suddenly stops and turns to look back at us.

My stomach twists sickeningly beneath his gaze, though it shifts almost instantly to Cerberus.

“Continue on to the palace,” Hades commands. “Until my return, I am hereby reinstating you as the girl’s personal bodyguard. However , everything else remains unchanged about your current orders.”

My eyes widen at this. I didn’t know he’d been removed from the position. Could that be why his demeanor toward me has been so strange?

“You honor me, my lord,” Cerberus answers, straightening to his full height and nodding once. “But may I enquire as to where you are going?”

“It would appear I have business to deal with outside the city, but I shall return to see to Death and the girl before too long.”

“Outside the city? Should I not accompany you then?”

“No, this I must do alone,” the king says, absentmindedly tracing the deep V of his neckline. The dark silks briefly part to reveal a long silver chain, glinting in the morning light … on the end of which hangs a strange key.

I have to stop myself from gasping at the sight. Could that be it … The key that we’ve been so desperate to find all this time?

My fingers itch to reach out and grab it, but of course, I do no such thing.

“Very well.”

“See to it that the mortal is dealt with properly in my absence,” Hades starts to turn away, but stops to add, “ No man is to enter her room, aside from yourself, is that understood?”

“Yes, my king.”

The God of the Underworld eyes him for a moment before he waves one hand in the air, signaling for his men to make way, and sets off toward the city gates.

I can’t help but stare after him, a mixture of shock, disgust, and relief swirling within me. After everything that’s just happened. After everything that he’s done to me— taken from me—he chooses this moment to pawn me off on his lap dog so that he can deal with other business?

Of course, this only confirms my suspicions that all of this was never really about me. I know that I should be grateful to be rid of him, however temporary that may be, but still, it’s rage that now burns brightest within me.

Cerberus drags me stumbling backward even as I continue to glare at Hades’ retreating figure in disbelief, my mind struggling to accept how someone could be so cruel, despite everything I’ve experienced at the king’s own hands .

It is only once we step into one of the narrow lanes that knit the sprawling city together, and my line of sight is broken, that I am finally able to accept the small gift of time that I’ve just been granted.

This may be my only chance to come up with a plan ... though what sort of plan that might be, I do not yet know.

Unfortunately, as of this moment, escape is not an option.

Even if the city wasn’t literally crawling with the king’s men, and Hades was not the keeper of the key, Cerberus is far too strong and far too fast for me to escape him.

No, as much as I may want to, I cannot act. Not before I have a means of escape, and even then, not until I find out what has become of my father’s soul and ensure his safety … not to mention that of Death’s body, and Eros.

Eros .

I blink; my racing mind briefly stunned into silence.

How have I not spared more than a fleeting thought for him since last I saw him?

Shame burns my cheeks as I recall the way Hades had threatened to inflict greater punishment upon Eros for Anteros’ continued disobedience. It’s only now that I realize just how perfectly cruel his threat was.

Of course, it only makes sense to threaten the God of Love with not his own torture, but the torture of one he holds most dear.

And yet, Anteros had not backed down.

Frowning, my imagination springs to life as I realize there may be more to their interaction than meets the eye. Could it be possible that Eros escaped, thus rendering Hades’ threats empty?

That would certainly explain Anteros’ blatant disregard for them.

I cannot help the way my heart leaps within my chest at the thought.

Perhaps, there is still hope to be found. Though, what exactly that hope might be, I do not know.

Even if Eros managed to escape, and isn’t confined to the very bowels of the king’s palace, what can he do? Without Death, how can I possibly expect him to save me from Hades’ clutches, never mind the Underworld, alone?

Unless …

Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t have to … if I can convince Cerberus to help us. Despite everything that’s happened since, he did come to me before the trial started to seek forgiveness for not protecting me better.

Could it be possible that he still feels the same way?

Death trusted him once; maybe we can do so again, given the right circumstances.

Unless it was all a ruse in the first place, though, to what end, I cannot say.

Cautiously, I steal a glance up at my captor. His jaw remains hard, and his gaze trained ever-forward, refusing to be drawn toward my own.

I cannot make heads nor tails of him, let alone what his true intentions may be. One moment, he is clawing at doors and begging for my forgiveness, and the next … he seems hell-bent on obeying the king’s orders .

Orders that included delivering my father’s soul to the very man who would use it against me.

How can I possibly be expected to trust this man, let alone forgive him?

I am instantly struck to my core by the bitterness in this thought, my mother’s dying wish sending a pang of anguish through my chest.

Is this the kind of person I have become? One who doesn’t allow for error or explanations? Have I truly grown so cold and unforgiving in such a short time?

No, I refuse to be like that.

I made that mistake once already, when I chose not to listen. When I turned my back on Death ... When I decided it was easier to believe in his betrayal than the possibility that he ever loved me.

I chose to harden my heart against what should have been my better judgment. Now, look where that's gotten me, and worse, what it's cost the one being who loved me more than life itself.

Guilt settles weightily in the pit of my stomach, shame burning hot within me as I recall just how quickly I turned on Death … and, in truth, on love.

I will not, cannot, allow myself to be shaped into such an ugly creature of bitterness again. I must hold true to the example my parents set for me long ago, despite the pain life wrought upon us.

I must remember to listen, to be slow to anger, and to be quick to forgive. To once again try to find the good in those around me, and act in kindness.

If I could spend so many years enduring Amadeus and my stepmother and still remain soft to the world, then I can find it in my heart to do so again.

I will try my best to honor my mother and Death in this way, come what may … starting with Cerberus.

If forgiveness is what he wants, then I must give him a chance to make amends. Though, admittedly, I do not yet know how.

Maybe, if I can get a moment alone with him, Cerberus might be persuaded—

Before I can finish this thought, my toe catches on the edge of a stone, sending me lurching forward with a startled cry. I close my eyes, instinctively reaching out with a free hand to protect my fall as I brace for the inevitable crack of my knees against the ground.

But it never comes.

Instead, I feel the world spin around me before coming to an abrupt halt.

Cautiously, I open my eyes to find myself held fast, braced against Cerberus’ body—the hellhound’s powerful arms cradling me gently to him—as if he’s just dipped me in a dance rather than saved me from absentminded clumsiness.

I risk a furtive glance up at him and am taken aback by the concern that worries his brow, only to blink and find his expression even stonier than before. Cerberus looks away as he quickly rights me, and I frown up at him, wondering if I imagined his concern out of sheer desperation.

No, I refuse to believe that. At least, not until I’ve given him a chance to prove otherwise. I have to remain hopeful for now, as foolish as that may seem .

I open my mouth to question him once again, only to be silenced by the loud clearing of his throat as he glances down at me. Before I have a chance to feel offended, his eyes flicker over to a nearby alley just as a guard steps into view, quietly reminding me that we are far from alone here.

The questions will have to wait, for now.

Biting my tongue, we quickly make our way past the guard and continue onward in silence.

It isn’t until we’ve turned another corner that I suddenly realize his hand has slipped lower to catch my own.

My heart skips a beat in my chest as hope springs up once again, and I smile softly to myself as I hurry to keep up.

Staring down at Cerberus’ hand, now clasped around mine, my mind races. The small adjustments, the concerned looks, the subtle warnings ... I hardly dare to believe it, but Hades may have unwittingly given me an even greater gift than I thought possible.

If I’m not mistaken, the king has handed me over to one of the only beings left who might actually be able and willing to help me defy him.