Lies [Sequel to Secrets]

Part Twenty-Eight:

Part Twenty-Eight:

Zoe and Charlie were escorted out of the corridor and towards the main heart of the palace; Hades' throne room. Zoe gripped Charlie's hand in hers and gave him a strained smile.

Charlie swung his backpack off one shoulder and pulled out a snap-lock bag of ambrosia. "Eat this." He said, handing it to her.

"Thanks." Zoe replied, though she looked paler than she did before. Charlie couldn't help wondering why she had the massive cuts on her back. Did Hades torture her? Or was it something else? He would have to wait, because just then they arrived at the grand entrance.

Hades' throne room was huge, with a high ceiling and walls carved from obsidian and bronze. Two regal thrones sat in the centre of a dais along the far wall. One was made of bones, the other what looked like flowers. The throne with the flowers was empty, while the other one was occupied with the God of the Underworld himself; Hades.

Hades was tall and had a muscly figure. He would've been extremely handsome if not for his oily shoulder-length black hair, dark eyes and pale skin. His face was passive, but a hint of a smirk tugged at his lips. When Zoe and Charlie walked into the room, he clapped as if applauding them.

Standing off to the side was Michael, Alex and Sammy. Michael and Alex looked like they were about to yell out, but Sammy silenced them with a look.

"I see you have succeeded." Hades smirked, finally letting it take over his mouth.

"And your problem is?" Zoe challenged, raising an eyebrow to make a point.

"Oh, I have no problem with you being rescued, spawn of the sea. But your friends here seemed to think that they could just walk in here and get a free trip to Tartarus."

"And we would've succeeded if-" Alex snapped, but Charlie cut her off.

"My mother told me that this is a trial. Is that true or are you just messing with us, like how gods usually do?"

Hades' dark eyes narrowed. He leaned forwards on his throne. "Boy, are you saying that the gods are messing with your life?"

Charlie seemed to shrink a little, but then stood taller. "Yes, I am."

Hades seemed surprised. "So, you offend your own kind, do you?"

"What do you mean by that?" Charlie asked.

"You don't know?" Hades chuckled. "Has Chiron not told you five?" He gestured around at the heroes.

"Chiron not told us what?" Michael questioned.

"Oh please, I won't tell you." Hades leaned back on his throne casually, as if surveying an amusing scene. "I'm not the right person to give that information out." He said. Then he fixed his eyes on Alex. "Besides you, Alexandra. I'm surprised even your mother hasn't told you."

"Okay, enough with the suspense. What has no one told us?" Zoe demanded.

"Only a select few people know, most of which are gods. Your parents are in on it, but I'm afraid that none of you will figure it out until you reach the Underworld when you die.

"But, I can't tell you so lets get back to business. I support your quest, and I'll grant you access to a special stairwell down to Tartarus. But first, I believe that Zoe is a little, uh, hurt."

"Hurt?" Zoe asked. "I'm dying over here!"

"Sorry about that." Hades grimaced. "I couldn't just have a child of the sea come into my domain and not harm them."

"What?!" Zoe and Charlie yelled at the same time.

"Anyway, Charlie, do your thing." Hades lazily gestured to Charlie.

"I - I don't think I can-" Charlie glanced from Hades to Zoe, watching as Zoe seemed to look more tired by the second, and how Hades' eyes were like shining black pearls.

Charlie let go of Zoe's hand and made her turn around. He traced the cuts on her back with his fingers. They had started to heal after the ambrosia, but still looked bad. Zoe winced as if in pain, and Charlie didn't hesitate. His fingers moved down the cuts and he shut his eyes. Light seeped out of his fingers and into the cuts. There was a gasp and a sigh of relief from Zoe but more gasps from Michael, Alex and Sammy. When Charlie opened his eyes again, the cuts were only faded scars. The only problem was that he felt incredibly drained.

Charlie swayed on his feet, and Zoe quickly pulled a bottle of nectar out of his backpack and handed it to him. Strength returned easily after that.

Hades clapped his hands together. "Now that that's sorted, you five need to get to Tartarus. The entrance is over there." He waved his hand and a door appeared on the wall beside his throne.

"Thank you, Lord Hades." Sammy sunk into a bow, then followed Michael and Alex to the door.

Zoe looked at Charlie. "I didn't know you could heal." She said, her voice full of approving admiration.

"There are a few things you don't know about me." Charlie replied with a smirk. Then they followed the others through the door and down the gloomy stairwell.