It had been a few days since Hades had taken Adreanna, and William was getting concerned. Why couldn't she see how good of a ruler Hades was? She barely spoke to him, save for cold greetings.
He had tried asking Styx, but the cat slinked off every time he tried.
Finally, he lost his patience and asked what had been on the tip of his tongue for ages.
"What's up with you? You seem annoyed at me."
One second. Two. Three. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.
"You're joking, right?"
He stayed silent.
"I mourned you, you bitch. I cried for you. And while I've been fighting to survive, you've been getting cozy with the things that ruined our entire lives! Of course I'm annoyed!"
Where'd she learn to swear? He wondered. He'd ask later.
He barely noticed her fist aiming straight for his face. While it wasn't the most good-looking he'd known, he was fairly partial to it, and so was thankful when it connected with the wall of magic that guarded him.
She glared.
He tried not to shiver. "You didn't think Hades would hand me over without protection, did you? I control the keys to this entire kingdom. I can loosen the binds if you wish."
She glared.
"Do it."
"Say please."
"I'll break your arm off."
"That doesn't sound like please to me."
"William, if you do not-ugh, fine. Please."
"That wasn't so hard, was it?" He smirked before pulling out a few maps and handing them to her. How else would she navigate the confusing landscape of the underworld?
"You said you'd loosen the binds."
He arched an eyebrow. "Did I? That's funny. All I recall is asking you to say please."
He ducked instinctively as a book flew for his head.
So it went for the first few days, and with each day, she began warming up to him more and more. She seemed more and more like the Adreanna he knew, the Adreanna he'd been friends with, and most of all, the Adreanna he'd loved.
He'd loved her ever since they'd turned thirteen, friendship growing into something more.
But he knew what her parents would say. He was an orphan, taken in by them, and he owed them a lot. There was no future for their relationship.
But her parents were gone, weren't they?
He liked to dwell on thoughts like these.
Today was no exception. Adreanna was gone, no doubt plotting ways of murdering the poor soul that had bumped into her. Patience was a virtue she lacked in droves.
He ignored the disapproval of Cerberus as he thought of her.
Cerberus. The hound of Hades lived inside him, giving him access to power unlike anything he'd known on Earth. Though he'd never tell her, he had tried to escape once. It had been costly, and Hades had decided that William was a liability he could not afford. Cerberus was an old being, aged and losing his strength.
He was no longer the agile guard-dog Hades needed. So he bound them together, forcing their souls into each other, combining them into a servant that would carry out any command with deadly precision, nearly unlimited power, and unstoppable loyalty.
William was the perfect vessel, fit and healthy. Smart too. Mix that with Cerberus' strength...
Of course, it had its drawbacks. William got the hound's emotions, feeling them so vividly they were indistinguishable from his own. And this time, it was annoyed.
He couldn't care less. Ever since Adreanna had arrived, his dreams, once nightmarish and filled with agony, had become brighter. Visions and hopes of a better world filled his mind.
There is no such thing.
But it was still nice to dream, he supposed. It kept away the monotony and terror of his work. He remembered the times he spent with her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her and hold her close, never wanting to let her go.
And as he lay down to rest, the memory returned. A memory he treasured more than anything else.
The grass was green all around them in that forest. The sunlight filtered through the vast canopy of trees above, melding their shadows with the light of the sun. In the distance, the river sang its burbling song.
They had come out to gather ingredients. Adreanna's parents were away, and they were getting ingredients for a potion-making competition as part of a bet. It was peaceful, serene. Nothing could disturb them.
It was not until they were finally done, each with their own set, that, filled with newfound energy, he found the courage to do what he did. Something stirred within him as their lips met, each of them relishing the touch of the other. She gasped, reaching for the thin fabric of his shirt.
She wanted this. So did he.
He groaned as her lips pressed his, hurrying to his neck, all the way to his chest. She tugged on his shirt, removing them from his shoulders before moving on to his trousers, unbuckling them as he moaned.
Each whisper of her mouth was filled with an emotion unlike anything he'd felt before.
Was it love? Perhaps it was. But by then, it was done.
She ceased her efforts, fleeing past the woods back into the cottage.
They never spoke of it again. Every conversation was deflected, each of them avoiding the consequences of what they'd done.
It was annoying.
It was sad.
And it still hurt.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
