The deal with the god (Hades x OC)

Chapter 14

Opal's POV
"FIRE!" I shout in the entrance of the palace. "FIRE OUTSIDE!"
The two guards that stayed at the main door rushed outside.
There was, indeed, a fire. I started it myself, thank you very much for noticing.
One of the guards told the other to open the gate while he went to fetch water.
Unusually, it was all going according to plan. That had never happened before. But then, this was the first time I was escaping a guarded palace.
But how did I start the fire outside the gate if I couldn't open it?
Very simple, actually.
I left through the kitchen staff's door and when I was outside, I threw the clothes over the gate with alcohol in them, on purpose. I keep one of the dresses in my side of the gate and use Steve's lighter to set it on fire. While the fire spread and I could still hold the dress, I threw it over the gate and watched as the flames spread. Then, I left through the same door and shouted for «help».
Now, while they distracted themselves with the fire, which was spreading quickly since the grass was very dry, I ran away as fast as I could.
***
If I thought that what I saw through the windows of the palace was bad, this was much worse. There was fog everywhere, I couldn't see what was thirty feet ahead of me. And I couldn't hear a single thing. The silence was unbearable and it seemed that at any second something, or someone, was going to come out from the fog and kill me right there.
I managed to keep going, not feeling as confident as before. This really was the land of the dead, I just hoped that I wasn't going to become a permanent resident.
I could see Cerberus. He wasn't as big as I was expecting. But he was still larger than a big dog. Oh, and he had three heads as well. If he only had one, I wouldn't need the amount of meat that I had stolen. I knew that I was never going to be able to sneak my way past Cerberus without it noticing. So, while it was still facing the other way, I threw the food.
And I ran, again. Not knowing where I was headed, only thinking about the fact that I had to get the fuck out of there.
What I wasn't expecting was how fast each head would devour the meat. And what I forgot? Never run in front of a dog. Especially one with three heads. It will follow you, and it is much faster than you.
Especially if you had asthma and never took your medication, as I did.
I ran as fast as I could and as fast as my lungs allowed.
It didn't take long for me to be gasping for breath, my throat hurting from the effort. And I thought that if I didn't die because of Cerberus, I would die there, unable to breathe for much longer.
All that I could hear was my breathing and Cerberus growling.
The sound of death.
But I just kept running and running, until one of the heads bit me.
I looked down to find my clothes ruined with the blood
Everything burned.
Everything stinged.
My lungs and throat. And now, the wound in my back and chest.
I could already see Charon's boat. He would take me to the other side of the river, I only needed to pay.
Only a bit more, I could do this. I had to.
Cerberus was already slowing down, we were going down one hill.
And I knew that I could not run. So I threw myself on the ground and rolled away, like a wine barrel. Cerberus paused for a second, confused, but it continued to follow me after. He was getting tired which meant that he was starting to slow down.
Struggling, I drag myself to Charon. I practically threw myself to the boat. Clutching the wound with my right hand, I take a bill out of my bag and give it to him. I don't even see how much.
Cerberus knows that he cannot cross the river, so he barks. As a guard dog usually does. Except that now it was three times louder.
Charon begins to paddle, I beg him to go faster, otherwise I would breathe to death. He acted as though he hadn't heard me. I do not reach the other side.
Suddenly, Cerberus stops and sits obediently. And I see a group of 4 guards. Two of them which I recognized, Steve and John, the other two I didn't know.
And I want to cry, and I want to scream. And I want to tell Charon to continue to paddle. I want to tell him that I can give him more money, all he needs to do is take me to the other side. I want to throw myself into the river.
But I cannot.
I am bleeding out.
I can't even breathe.
I regretted not taking my medication, but my asthma wasn't even that severe. The only problem I had with it was in P.E, and then, I was glad to have an excuse to skip class.
And now, I'm panting, trying to stop the bleeding.
Trying to stay alive.
I manage to tell Charon to keep paddling. And he does, I begin to feel hopeful, maybe he'll take me home. But all my hope is destroyed when I realize that he's taking me to the wrong side of the river.
When we arrive I still try to run, but it is worthless.
Steve holds me down by the arms and John lifts my legs. One of the soldiers puts something around the wound. A makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding.
They're taking me back.
I can't go back.
I try to kick John and elbow Steve.
Every time I do, it is as if someone is stabbing me on the wound. As if Cerberus was biting me again.
But being defeated hurt even more.
I am a prideful creature.
I wanted the knives but I dropped them during my poor attempts at throwing them to Cerberus.
I stood no chance.
I am weak.
I am hurt.
They are strong.
I feel worthless.
I feel humiliated.
I feel powerless.
"You owe me 40 bucks." Steve says to John. "I told you so. Did you really think that she wouldn't be able to do it?"
"Look at her, she wouldn't resist much longer."
"If we hadn't stopped Charon she would already be in the mortal world with a doctor."
"She really needs to stop kicking me." John says. "Just give her the potion or whatever it was. It should keep her calm for a few minutes."
And that is the last thing I hear before going unconscious.
And I hated what I was hearing.
Did they just bet how far I would go?
They knew.
Hades knew what I was doing.
***
When I woke up, we were almost reaching the palace. I didn't know how long it had passed since I passed out.
I didn't even try to kick them, it was useless.
The main door of the castle was open and Hades was waiting there.
I didn't want him to see me. I didn't want him to see that I failed and he succeeded.
And when we get closer to him, he takes a look at me. He sees the wound, he watches my bloody hands and I can see him beginning to get worried.
I lean on him, hurting too much to worry about the pride. "Get out." He says to everyone who was watching, but it's nothing but a whisper that only I could hear. "GET THE FUCK OUT." And everyone rushes away. His tone changes when he addresses me. "You're going to be alright, love." I didn't know who he was trying to convince, me or him. "Can you walk?" He asks but doesn't even let me answer because he's already picking me up.
He actually cared about me.
He takes me to his room and puts me down on an armchair. He gives me one of his sweaters. It was very big on me, I was drowning in the black material. I hated that it smelled like him. Hated even more how much I liked it.
He leaves and rushes to the bathroom. I did not even consider trying to escape, it hurt so much I wouldn't even be able to stand up. I could hear the sounds of him looking frantically through cabinets and drawers in the bathroom. Eventually he gives up and leaves the room. I hear him shouting for someone to bring him a first aid kit. He comes back with a first aid kit. He brings a chair and sits in front of me.
He does not speak as he takes care of the wound. The only sound I make is swearing under my breath. Muttering random curses, while he disinfects it. I can also feel my heart beating faster until I am sure that it is going to explode. I can see his hands working, he's bandaging the wound, but instead of focusing on the pain, the only thing I can think about is how his hands look. They seemed so strong, capable of destroying me with just a simple touch. But yet, he was being so gentle. His eyes are fixed on the wound, occasionally, he looks at me only for a few seconds. I can feel him breathing against my stomach, and I notice that his breathing is almost at the same speed as mine.
He bandaged the wound. And put the kit back in its place.
He moves much calmer now, it seems that he got over the initial rage.
"Do you understand why I don't want you out on your own there?" He says, towering over me.
I do not answer, my eyes fixed on the floor.
"I said, do you understand?"
I continue to not answer
He grabs my chin and lifts it, so that he's looking me in the eye. He does not need to ask again.
"I do." I say, defeated.
He smiles. "Glad we're on the same page, love."
"I need to tell you something." I say
"I'm all ears."
"I need you to help me stand first." He held my arms and lifted me up. I put my arms around him, he probably thought that I was head over heels for him, otherwise I would never do that. I was, but, actually, I was getting something to hold on to for what I was going to do next "Thank you."
"My pleasure." He says
I lifted my knee and hit him in the groin. "That is all, there's no need to thank me, it was my pleasure."
Unfortunately, he did not seem to be hurt. Maybe gods didn't work that way, but it was the thought that counted. And the fact that he was strong as fuck probably didn't help to.
"You should rest. During dinner we will discuss your brilliant attempt at escaping the underworld on your own." He says. When he leaves he spares me a worried look.