Hades {BOOK 1}

IX.

Tantalus

I walked into Hayden's office as he was about to leave for the meeting.

'How are you feeling Miss Lockwood?' He laughed as we both walked over to the meeting room.

'Fine sir.' I replied tense and continued to walk in silence. We got to the half empty office and I took a seat between three empty chairs. Following us, Pheonix and Gus sat down beside me, leaving a chair empty on my right. I moved as further away from Gus as I could, but it was too late for me to change seats as the meeting began.

'First I would like to introduce our 2 new mortal starters Miss Lockwood and Mr Dolan. Miss Lockwood will be working under me and Mr Dolan under Pheonix.' Hayden began his meeting. He spoke about the workload, which needed to be completed by the end of the week. He spoke firmly, calmly. He looked strong and professional. You could see the others respected him. Looking around the room, I realised Penelope wasn't here. I could see Hayden look over to an empty seat beside me and then the clock on the wall, also wondering where she was. Within both our thoughts Penelope ran into the room, out of breath.

'So-sorry to interrupt, but there is something that needs your immediate attention.' Hayden nodded his head agreeing. Penelope quickly signalled me to come with and I collected my things, leaving the meeting room.

'Pheonix, could you finish the meeting please.' Hayden said leaving the meeting room and followed Penelope to the Olympus office.

'We have a problem.' Penelope said, turning the laptop which was sitting on the table and on its screen, we saw a still image of Zeus! My heart dropped to my stomach and the image began to move and I realised we were on video call with the most powerful God in the world.

'Rory. To what do I owe the pleasure?' Hayden asked pulling up a seat by the table and offering me one.

'I have a matter that I need you to deal with. It's Tatum.' Rory spoke firmly. I was pretty sure that Tatum was one of his children.

'What happened?' Hayden asked. Rory didn't seem to have even noticed that I was also sitting in the frame of the screen.

'Tatum invited some of the Gods for dinner. Myself, Dhara, a couple others. Once we got there, we realised he had murdered his son Panos by cutting him into pieces and cooking him with the rest of the food.' I covered my mouth with my hand, feeling slightly sick. Hayden looked down on me but tried not to steer from the conversation.

'Where is he?' Hayden asked determined to punish him.

'He should be in your dungeons any minute now.'

'What do you want me to do?' He asked cryptically.

'Hold a hearing to soothe his kids and family.' Rory replied slowly and Hayden took a deep breath.

'Then?'

'Keep him for eternity for all I care. Make him suffer, it's your job.' He replied angry and hung up the call without a goodbye. I felt truly human in that moment. I had no idea how things like these worked.

'He will never forgive him.' Penelope spoke up from the corner of the room.

'He shouldn't have to.' Hayden spoke firmly, before walking out of the office and walking into his own. 'We should get down to the dungeons and meet him there when he arrives.' He collected files that were on his table. 'Have you called in his family?' He asked Penelope, while I just stood beside them completely useless.

'Yes. They should all be at the court now.' She replied, collecting some keys and papers as well. 'Perhaps Miss Lockwood should stay behind. This is more of a family matter.' She avoided looking at me. In a way I agreed. I wasn't sure I wanted to look at somebody who had cut up and cooked their own son.

'He's no longer family Penelope. If Miss Lockwood wants this job permanently, she needs to get used to seeing things like this.' They both looked up at me waiting for me to choose.

'Okay.' I bit down on my lip and followed as they exited without even a thought. We got into the elevator and began to descend to the dungeons. With every floor I felt the pressure of the air and I began to prepare myself for the thin air. The doors opened and it felt like I was in a desert, with no water or air to breathe, but sand in my lungs.

'Once we walk into the court the air will become easier.' Hayden reassured me as my breathing changed rapidly.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be disrespectful in Hayden's office. I'm just not sure how much of this you will want to hear.' Penelope apologised walking beside me.

'It-it's alright.' My breathing got heavier and heavier as we finally approached some guards. They told us that Tatum was in a cage in the court and that the court was ready for us. We walked in and I could finally breathe a thousand times better. The court was large and dark. There were a couple people sitting in the seats in front of the cage and there were three separate seats ready for us. The ground beneath me looked like coal and the ceiling looked like the night sky. Dark, but beautiful. I wouldn't want to be here alone. Hayden began the hearing of Tatum, by introducing him and his crime. I leaned closer to Penelope and she leaned towards me.

'Should I be doing something?' I asked, feeling useless.

'Just observe. Try and observe Tatum's behaviour and see if anything in his behaviour suggests why he did it. We need to give some closure to Panos siblings.' I nodded agreeing and observing Hayden in his full authority. Crying didn't seem to be a thing in the Underworld. Though everyone looked upset, crying didn't seem to be something used for grief.

'Do you have any defence why you killed your son Panos?' Hayden asked Tatum and I looked over to Tatum who's look was fixed on me. He looked deranged. Crazy. He seemed to be smiling, but the room was dark, and he was sitting in the dark corner of his cage.

'What would you like me to say?' He spoke for the first time and his voice was deep. He leaned into the light and his brown hair hung over his face. For a second I couldn't believe that somebody so attractive could commit such a crime, let alone have children of his own, looking so young. He continued to stare at me, and Hayden looked over at me, following his stare.

'I want you to defend yourself or confess to your crime.' Hayden walked over standing in front of me to stop him from gawking, but that didn't work, only making him move through his cage where he could see me.

'Panos had a plan against the Olympus. Really, I did you all a favour.' He smiled winking at me.

'How would you have known if Panos had any plans against the Olympus?' Hayden continued.

'I'm very perceptive.' Tatum smiled, looking me up and down. I couldn't keep my eyes off him, it felt like his stare was drawing me in. Like he was using his aura to call out to me.

'Panos was your youngest son. I doubt he would have any plans, other than to start his first job at the Olympus.' Tatum rolled his eyes taking one small glance at Hayden, before looking back to me.

'Demigod of Love. Did you bring her here to tempt me?' Tatum raised his eyebrow, standing up and leaning against the cage bars. Is he talking about me? I'm no Demigod. Penelope pulled her chair forward, making him glance at her for a second.

'She's human. I guess you're not as perceptive as you think.' Hayden replied pleased. Suddenly Tatums stare drifted to Hayden.He didn't seem that interested in me anymore. I knew he had a plan. He wasn't just going to surrender and allow Hayden to punish him for an eternity.