I swing my legs over the side of my throne limply, my hair blowing around from the servant’s fanning. On a scorching day like this, there is nothing to do. Well, nothing I want to do. From my peripheral vision, I watch as a man’s silhouette comes stumbling into the room.
“You’re late.” I snap, biting my cheeks to keep from smiling. I have to stop my excitement from bubbling over. I have to be the ruler. The stuck-up, egotistical, rotten ruler. I can’t let my cover be blown.
He smiles his million-watt smile, looking from me to the servant’s fanning. “I’m terribly sorry! I didn’t realize you’d be this busy!”
I shoo the peasants away, glaring at the man. Hastily jumping down from my throne, I stomp over to him. “How dareyou--” The servants make their way out, shutting the door. No longer able to push down my emotions, I jump into his arms, giggling wildly.
“Nice acting skills.” He says, motioning to the door the servants hadjust exited from.
“Its easy knowing they’re just vultures Hades sent.” I’m not usually so rude to people, but I’d never consider them to be people.
“Percy, you can’t keep living like this.” I mentally smile at his nickname for me. He lifts my chin up so I’m looking into his now sad eyes. “You don’t even love him.”
I pull out of his arms, turning away from his piercing gaze. He’s right, though. I couldn’t love that monster after he kidnapped and tricked me into becoming his wife. “I know.” I whisper. After hundreds of years trapped in the underworld, I had gone to Earth only to make the flowers bloom. My mother had made a deal with Hades to let me stay on Earth for the majority of the year, and go back down every autumn.
The man behind me groans in frustration. “Can’t you, I don’t know… just leave? Please? We can run away. You don’t have to stay here locked up! Persephone, are you even listeni--”
“Yes!” I spin abruptly. “But I can’t! You know he’ll find me! How could he not, he’s the lord of the underworld!”
“I have a friend. She said she found something. Something that could make you invisible to anyGod!”
My eyes widen with hope. “Really?”
He takes my hands in his, kissing the tip of my nose. “Please.Come with me.” His pleading is interrupted by the sound of a door knob twisting. I push myself out of his arms. He’s standing so close. Before I can think of anything else, I slap him across the cheek, hoping it would look as if he came onto me and I was defending myself.
“Get off me, you nasty pig!” I spit, turning towards whoever had come through the door. The head housekeeper stands in the doorway, not daring to step any further into the room. “What do you want?”
The woman bows her head before answering, “My lady, a letter has arrived for you.”
“I’ll come in a minute. Alert the guards and get this pig out of my castle!” I say, pointing towards the man behind me.
“Yes, my lady. Right away.” The maid ducks out of the room. I turn back around and step towards him. Standing on my toes, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. I pull away after a few seconds. “I’ll sneak away tonight. Wait for me.” I say, my words breathy. He smiles, pulls my arms down, and steps towards the door. A second later, the guards burst in and roughly push him towards the door. I stare as he disappears down the hall, leaving nothing but the slight scent of--
My vision is interrupted by a hand waving irritatingly close to my eyes, snapping me out of my haze. I look around and find Lukas still standing there.
“Oh. Hi, Luke.”
He raises an eyebrow, looking incredibly confused. “Seriously? What was that?”
I blink innocently. I know he’s referring to the flashback-staring, but I can’t give away anything. Not yet.“What was what?”
He groans, obviously annoyed. “What was with the staring?”
I look back at the guard thoughtfully, a flutter spreading through my stomach seeing him. Then I remember Luke and look back at him.“Uh… I- I don’t know… I guess he just looks…” I stop for a second, choosing my next words carefully, “familiar.”
YOU ARE READING
The Labyrinth
FantasíaThere once was a maze in a kingdom, holding a wretched beast. Eight are chosen to go inside, and said to be deceased. You probably know this tale quite well, but this one has a twist. The monster in this giant maze may very well be missed. But I wo...
