Hope for the Underworld

8

Cora woke with a thumping headache. She groaned with self-pity and remained motionless, trying to avoid any sudden movements. But eventually, she gritted her teeth and forced herself up; she knew she needed lots of water and something to eat to metabolise the alcohol.

To her dismay, she discovered she was completely naked, so she wrapped herself in the bed covers and, with her eyes closed, shuffled out of the bedroom.

Hades was sprawled in a big chair in the middle of her sitting room. Seeing her, he rose, and only his raised eyebrow indicated that he wasn't pleased. Under his scrutiny she felt like a naughty child.

'What happened?' she managed weakly, wrapping herself tighter in the covers.

'You both got wasted!'

She winced with pain at the sound of his voice. 'Why am I naked?' she asked, even if she wasn't completely sure she really wanted to know.

'Last night,' he explained dispassionately, 'professing that you needed something called a rebound, you dropped your clothes and proceeded to try to disrobe me as well.' His startling eyes appraised her mercilessly and she thought she had never been so ashamed of herself in all her life. 'I was, however, reasonably certain you would have regretted it the next day and finally managed to put you to bed... Alone!'

'God...' She sank into a chair and hid her face in her hands.

'Rest assured the servants have been suitably chastised for their negligence.'

'Negligence?' She didn't understand.

'For letting you drink pure alcohol.' His tone softened and he sat opposite her. 'The wine here is much stronger than you are used to. They should have mixed it with water. But they just tried to please you. For that oversight I apologise.'

'And why have you been sitting here?' She forced herself to look at him.

'In your drunken state, you might have wandered into Hermes' bedroom, and I am certain he wouldn't have shown as much restraint as I did.'

Blood rushed to her cheeks and the shame of it burned really deep.

'I trust you will be now fine on your own.' He picked up his jacket. 'Have some more sleep. I need to check up on our guest.' Without looking at her again, he left.

Still burning with shame, she chewed on some bread and gulped a cup of water, then returned to bed. There was no other way than to sleep it off.

*

Not showing any concern for his inevitable hangover, Hades shook Hermes by the arm for as long as it took for the younger god to open his eyes.

'What's happened?' Hermes groaned and rubbed his face in a tired gesture.

'A human girl drank you under the table! That's what happened!' his uncle snapped, dropping into a chair.

'Ahh... And how is lovely Cora?' Hermes' smile seemed to Hades entirely inappropriate.

'Sleeping off her headache. Are you able to talk?'

'Yes... Just don't shout so much.' The insolent grin was back.

'What have you learned?'

'Nothing that would please you, uncle, I'm afraid. But I think she is exceptional.'

'I'm not interested in your fantasies!' Hades' tone was sharp.

'Would it surprise you that my mind does not always reside in a gutter?!' Hermes snapped back, but then his tone softened. 'She is so sharp and quickto see the truth. I quite like her'.