Hades Legacy (Hades Series #3)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

"So. You finally managed to convince them."

I pause in my packing and turn around, still holding clothes in both hands. Dorian's standing in my bedroom doorway, his arms folded over his chest and a neutral expression etched into his features.

"Hey." I bundle up the clothes and throw them onto my bed, aiming in the general direction of the bag I've almost completely packed. Only then do I face him head on, pulling the sleeves of my dark maroon knit jersey down over my fingers. He watches me silently, his expression betraying nothing. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you since yesterday afternoon."

If he notices my obvious aversion to his question, then he doesn't point it out. "I've been busy doing stuff."

"What stuff?" I frown. "Has my mother been sending you on errands again? She hasn't done that in months."

"No, she hasn't. There's only so much being the Queen of Hell's personal gopher a man's ego can take."

"Then what?" I question, crossing my arms. "Because it feels like you were avoiding me."

"I was avoiding you." He replies bluntly.

"Why?" I ask softly. "What's going on with you; are you still mad about me listening in on my parents' conversation? Because they already told me everything."

"Are you sure?"

"What? Yes, I'm sure. Why wouldn't they tell me everything?" My forehead furrows in confusion as I study him. "What's with you, Dori? You never act this... moody."

He cocks an eyebrow at me. "Moody?"

"Yes, moody! You always have this permanent, cocky smirk on your face, not a despondent scowl. It's weirding me out; I'm supposed to be the moody person in this friendship."

"'Despondent scowl'?" He snickers. "Do you ever use normal words in a conversation, princess?"

"Yes. Normal words. See? I use them." I walk over to him, peering up at him suspiciously. "You're abstaining from answering my question, Dorian."

He rolls his eyes. "Your attentiveness to detail is borderline annoying, has anyone ever told you that?"

"Yes. You do. Constantly." I tell him wryly. "But my parents have always praised me for it. Now, stop deviating. Spill."

Dorian sighs. "Going up to the surface... it's not a good idea, El."

"What?" I tilt my head to the side, frowning at him. "Still? You've been on board with me convincing my parents to let me go from day one, so what exactly did they say to you that changed your mind so drastically?"

He hesitates, running a hand through his hair roughly. "They told me the same thing they told you. I just still think it's a bad idea."

"Why? Even my father came round to the idea, and he hardly ever changes his mind once it's made up."

"Your father, as all-knowing as he likes to think he is, has no idea what the surface is like." He holds his hand up when I open my mouth, silencing me before I can even get a word out. "And your mother doesn't either. She only lived up there for nineteen years, and she didn't even know the supernatural world existed until she made a deal with Satan. Neither of them have any idea what the super sphere is really like."

"What makes you think I'll experience the 'super sphere'?" I ask, making air quotes with my fingers.

He snorts. "Princess, you're a goddess, who's going to be living under the roof of Dionysus and his dryad-wife. Trust me, you'll experience the super sphere."