Hades Rewound (Hades Series #2)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

"What did he..." I trail off, unable to find the right words. "What did he do?"

"Earthquake." Hades replies quietly. "And because that assumingly was not enough, he followed it up with a tsunami."

"Oh my god." I repeat, covering my mouth in horror. "Are there any survivors?"

"I am not sure you want me to answer that question." He says, and my breath catches in my throat. "We will not know for several days the full impact of his actions; there may well be people still stuck in the rubble right this moment, for all we know."

"Oh my god." I repeat for the third time in five minutes, hesitantly walking forward slowly. My foot kicks something, and when I glance down I'm horrified to see it's a small patchwork doll. I bend down slowly and pick it up, trying not to let myself think about the little girl that doll probably belongs too. "It's like a modern-day Atlantis. Poseidon tried to create a modern-day Atlantis."

Hades stares at me, and I blush slightly. Okay, now that I've had time to process that line of thought, I realise it might not have been the best thing to say in the current circumstances. "This is not the time for jokes Evie."

"I'm sorry." I grimace, shrugging awkwardly. "I have a cynical side that I'm normally able to hide, but when I'm worried or scared, I can't control it and it just comes out."

"Why are you worried or scared?" He asks, and I notice out of the corner of my eye the way his forehead crinkles slightly in confusion. I still, clutching the dusty doll tightly, and swallow hard.

"Because this is my fault." I whisper, unable to look away from the destruction in front of me. I'd seen documentaries on tv when I was younger about earthquakes or tsunamis that completely destroyed cities - my parents, for some extremely odd reason, absolutely loved those kinds of documentaries, so I practically grew up on them - but I never realised how desolate it was when you're up close, how terrifyingly hopeless it seems when you're standing in the middle of a drowned city that used to be teeming with life.

And it's all my fault.

"Why do you think that?" Hades inquires, and when I finally manage to tear my gaze away from the city to look at him, he's got a slight frown on his face. If I didn't know any better, I would almost say he looks concerned. "You did not cause this."

"I did. I taunted Poseidon, and stupidly thought he wouldn't rise to it."

"What?" His frown deepens. "What do you mean?"

"I had a dream last night." I start, and his eyes widen a fraction. "I've only had one other dream like it, but I have... strong suspicions that it might have actually happened."

"What happened?" He asks, his expression more serious than I've ever seen it.

"He taunted me, I tried not to dream-punch him, which trust me, was one of the hardest things I've ever had to-"

"Evie."

"Sorry. I also ramble when I'm worried." I let out a long breath, biting my lip. "He asked me for the key to Tartarus, and when I said no he said I would, and I quote, 'watch the world drown'. And I challenged him to. I actually said game on. Who does that? Why the hell would I say that to a crazy person?! They actually listen to you, and them bam!" I swing my arm out in a violent gesture. "Thousands of dead people and modern day Atlantis!" I look up at him wildly. "I killed all these people Hades, because I thought I was invincible! Who does that?"

"Evie. This isn't your fault." Hades reassures, in a tone so gentle that it causes me to do a double take. "How are you so sure it was not just a dream?"