My effort may all be for naught, but perhaps if I can prove to him that I am the woman he seeks, Hades may allow the others to leave. Though I am starting to worry it’ll take more than a comb and a bit of soap to convince him.
Pushing away from the mirror, I leave the bathroom and cross to a small wardrobe I noticed earlier. Throwing it open, I hold my breath as I peer inside. Thankfully, there are several clean garments hung inside.
All of a sapphire blue so deep, it’s nearly black.
Pulling one of the dresses out, I frown at the dark lengths of silk before laying it across the bed to figure out later. It’ll have to do, at least I’ll have something clean to wear after I bathe.
Returning to the bathroom to draw myself a bath, I’m surprised to find one has already been drawn for me.
Frowning, I glance nervously around the room before stepping closer, only to quickly realize my mistake.
A gentle stream of steaming water flows down one side of the wall into a large basin carved out of the same deep sapphire stone. The water neither overflowing nor draining too quickly to be of use.
As I peel what’s left of the ruined dress from my body, I can’t help but stare at the tattered and stained rag it’s become. Now, it is nothing more than a painful memory of the night before, and the consequences of my own actions.
Hurriedly crumpling the tattered remains, I toss them into the far corner of the room before climbing into the bath. The water is just hot enough not to burn, and a sigh escapes me as I sink deeper into the warmth, letting it lap at my skin as it softens dirt and grime still staining my skin from my night spent in the forest.
Part of me wants to wash the filth off as quickly as I can and slip into bed ... But the rest of me wants nothing more than to linger in the hot water, allowing myself to momentarily drift away from the rest of my problems.
So, that’s exactly what I do.
Fully submerging my body in the warm water, I lean back against the edge of the tub. As I close my eyes, I let my mind wander to my father and everything that’s happened.
My heart hurts knowing that despite everything I’ve done, he’s dead. I will never again be wrapped safely in his arms or sit by his side while he works, his kind voice offering gentle praise while I practice my own art.
Unless Death can fix this.
As much as my heart aches for my father, it still longs for me to be wrong about Death. For him to prove that this hasn’t all just been some great big lie to steal both our souls.
That he truly loves me.
He means more to me than I want to admit, and I worry that my feelings have blinded me to the truth. Perhaps I never should have trusted him in the first place, he is, after all,literallydeath.
Perhaps I should have realized it was all too good to be true.
Thathewas too good to be true.
Allowing Death to be the keeper of my father’s soul, as well as my own, was a foolish mistake.
And yet, I truly thought he would be able to save us from our fates.
Apparently, I was wrong.
Tears sting the backs of my eyes as I continue to soak, the water never cooling. It hurts to think that my feelings for Death have been built on a lie. And yet, my heart refuses to let go. Refuses to be convinced of Death’s betrayal as it continues to long for him.
Unable to help myself, I let the tears stream down over my cheeks as I quietly mourn the loss of both my father and Death.
After a few minutes, I open my eyes and wipe away the tears.
That’s more than enough self-pity for one day. It’s my fault that I’m here, and crying over a broken heart isn’t going to fix anything.
Regardless of whether or not Death finds a way to save my father, right now, I need to come up with a plan of my own. A way to save my father’s soul, if not my own as well.
Letting a hand drift through the wafting steam that curls up over the water, I try to think of some way out of this.
But it all seems so hopeless.
Aside from the stories I’ve read, I don’t know the first thing about the Underworld or the beings that call this place home ... Let alone the rules they live by.
