Hades Titans {BOOK 2}

XXXVI. Venture

Evelyn's P.O.V.

Gold. Shimmering, reflecting, mesmerising thing. It blinds you. Most of the gods surrounded themselves with it. Nearly half of the things in Harley's house were made of gold. I'd never noticed how many of them had the glowing light of the gold inside of their eyes.

I'd come to check on Harley after she had left our house almost lifeless. But she was back to her gracious self. She always welcomed me with open arms and didn't hesitate to host as if I were the fanciest of her guests.

We sat comfortably – or as comfortable as I could possibly feel with her in front of me. She had made some tea and some hand sandwiches for us. I didn't dare to take one first, just holding my tea cup in my hands. I couldn't help but glance from wall to wall, reminding myself how beautiful her home was. It was only fit for a Queen. Beautiful paintings and so many artefacts and things made of gold. Only royalty could live that way.

Hayden lived a much more minimalistic life. He would buy properties here and there, but they were never filled with personal things or show off pieces, because he knew he wouldn't be there forever. He enjoyed moving around and changing his surroundings. The complete opposite of his brother.

"I hope Hayden is doing well after what happened." Harley spoke with a bitter taste in her mouth. She turned her neck a little as if recalling the pain she had felt once she healed him. How must it feel to truly feel somebody else's pain.

"He's doing okay physically. He returned to work today, hence Dax is with me." I tilted my head towards Dax who was sitting behind the arch which lead into their extended front room. "But mentally, I think he's disappointed in himself. I've noticed him hovering around me, I suppose in some kind of attempt at apologising to me for putting me in danger. But I don't see it that way and would never judge him for what happened. I was unharmed because of him. It's always he who is hurt trying to protect me. Protect us." I placed my hand on my tummy, which directed Harley' attention to it once again. She had been glancing at it as if lusting after it herself. I wasn't sure if there was a limit on how many children she could have or if she felt strongly about having a child – why wouldn't she have one.

"He's always too hard on himself." Harley shook her head with a smirk. It wasn't exactly the response I hoped for, considering she had felt his pain.

"You look well." I said with a meek smile, unsure of how I could ever thank her for healing Hayden. For torturing herself for the sake of saving him.

"I am well. Very well. You needn't worry about me." She smiled, bending over towards the table and placing a couple of sandwiches onto a plate, before handing it to me. "Eat. You must be famished." I was. I bowed as I took the plate into my hands and took a small bite from one of the sandwiches. My stomach was begging for me to swallow the thing whole, but I composed myself and tried to act somewhat lady like. It was intimidating to watch her take a sandwich into her hand and take a bit out of it. Everything she did was so graceful and effortless. I felt like a feral cat beside her.

"You look well also. Your baby bump looks bigger and bigger every time I see you. I bet you can't wait to see him and hold him." I felt a lightning bolt shoot through my chest. The chances of me being alive when my baby is born we're slim to none – but I nodded along with a small smile as if agreeing. The words were wrapped inside the knot that was stuck in my throat. And suddenly I watched her grace scrape the floor.

"I am so sorry, that was so inconsiderate of me. Please forgive me Evelyn." She got up from her seat and approached mine, sitting down beside me.

"That's okay, I actually wanted to give you this." I handed her a small box. She took it into her shaky hands staring at it for a split second.

"It's for Hayden, it will help him..." I inhaled a deep breath to stop my eyes from watering. "Give it to him once... once I'm gone. He will need help. I trust he will have you all to help him. To help them both." My voice was slowly croaking and I couldn't keep speaking.

"Evelyn, we'll find something. There will be something..."

"There won't. We both know that. Don't we?" I looked up at her glossy eyes, confirming that there was no chance for me to meet my baby. To raise my son and have a family. I'd realised I still held a fraction of hope, which now was lost. If anyone knew how this was going to end, it was her.

It was silly of me to hold any kind of hope. Miracles only happen once and I used mine to make a miracle baby and that's okay with me. That's one hell of a miracle. Besides, I would always live on through my son. My blood might not be cruising through his veins if Hayden follows my instructions, but he will come from me and he will always be my son, even if I won't be there to be his mother.

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning outside the window and a gust of wind brushed our hair from our faces as somebody slammed the door, storming inside like the wind. My stomach dropped lower than the ground as I watched Rory aggressively approach me. Harley had risen from her seat, already extending her arms in front of her to reach for her husband.

"What's happened? Why are you so angry?" She questioned him as he tried to avoid her and head right for me. My whole body trembled at the sight of his rage.

"What is she doing here?!" He screamed, trying to move his wife away from his face, enough to be able to have a look at me at least, so I could see his rage clearly. But I didn't need to see it, I could hear it and feel it echoing in the walls of my chest.

"What? What do you mean?" Harley seemed perplexed as was I, but I was in no position to question him. I was afraid that if Harley didn't stand in between us, he'd rip me to shreds.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb your peace. I'll leave." I hurried to get myself off the couch and out of their home. I looked towards Dax, but he seemed to be in a daze of some kind, standing completely still and staring off into the distance. Rory's command had more power than just the words themselves. Dax was literally compelled.

"Disturb my peace?!" He scoffed. "You nearly killed my wife and half of the Olympus for that matter. Because of you hundreds of innocents died. Because of you, we're at a war with the Titans. A war that hadn't been woken in centuries, that wouldn't be woken if not for you!" I could only do so much to stop my lip from whimpering and my tears flowing like an ocean. "A polluted mortal! A puny red blood. You!" He screamed louder and louder, until the barricade of his wife's hands no longer held him and he stormed for me like I was Teo himself. I'd seen that rage before, I'd seen that face before, only on my own fiancé's face before he killed me.

My eyelashes tied together tighter than ever before, as I was unable to predict what the next few seconds held. I waited for that pain, for the sweep of the wind that would brush all of my hair from my shoulders as he shoved me against the wall, breaking my bones.