God of My Dreams (Greek Heroes #1) ✅ Completed

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Lord of the Underworld

Lord of the Underworld

 

Hades, Lord of the Underworld, entered his dining hall with long, purposeful strides. The room was quite large, even by his godly standards. It was one of the few rooms he’d seen to himself, making sure it was created with special care given to the finer details.  An expansive room, it could entertain several hundred bodies comfortably – though he could only guess at an approximate number since he’d never once entertained more than a handful at any given time. The floors were a black Grecian marble so rare, he did not know of its existence other than in this very room. A large rectangular table made by Hephaestus himself sat under a large chandelier cut from the purest diamonds and inlaid in gold from Mount Olympus, while the walls were embossed from the rare silver mined from the heart of the Underworld. The dining hall was a testament to his status as the Lord of the Underworld, and yet he rarely noticed its grandeur most days.

Almost hidden, there was a small, round table set at the far side of the room alongside the farthest set of French doors. It was a private table perfect for two, though it was one he almost always used alone. The only other soul who’d ever shared it was Persephone but that had been an age ago, not to mention an utter and complete fiasco – one Hades did not dwell upon if he could help it.

His latest ‘guest’ was standing by the open French doors at the center of the far wall, looking out upon the Elysian Fields. It was a view the god himself often admired; majestic and peaceful at once. It was a sight that brought a brief stillness to the turmoil of his mind. His few moments of solace were a welcome reprieve from the chaos that governed his entire existence.

He was not a god that knew true peace in any of its forms.

Gwen turned at the sound of his steps, which he purposefully did not silence in order to keep her from becoming startled. She sucked in a quick breath at the sight of him though she seemed unaware of doing so. Hades was pleased by her reaction to him and lifted the side of his mouth in a small smile as he approached.

As he closed the distance between them, Hades admired the beautiful mortal; tall and dark haired, she was a woman who carried herself with a sense of self he found attractive in the opposite sex. It was as clear to him as the light of her soul. Her eyes were a natural golden brown with hints of green. Now that she was no longer alive, all manner of ailments, infirmities, and disease were gone, leaving behind nothing but the unmarred beauty of her natural state.

Hades bowed from the waist slightly, “Hello, Gwen. I am pleased to find you looking well rested and recovered from your journey. I trust my household has seen to your needs?”

“Yes, Lord Hades,” she smiled prettily, “Your staff has been most wonderful. To be honest, I feel…amazing.”  

Hades was not surprised by her admission. Gwen no longer had the weight of her previous existence weighing her down - her soul was free from all burdens. He often felt envious of those mortals who could shed such trappings.

“I am most pleased to hear that,” he replied as his eyes travelled down the length of her figure. Hades felt a momentary pang of regret knowing Gwen was not a woman whose soul was relegated to his realm. She was only a visitor and therefore not one of his true subjects, yet she was also a soul important enough to warrant not one but two of the Oneiroi risking much in their search for her. 

And Hades wanted to know why.

He turned and raised a hand to indicate the large dining table behind them. “Are you hungry, Gwen? Dinner shall be served shortly and I would be honored if you accompanied me this evening,” his dark eyes gleamed in the light of the room as he waited for her answer.