Heiress of the Sea

Chapter 36

ATTENTION: PLEASE STICK AROUND FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTE.  (PSST--Q&A RELATED INFO).  IF YOU DON'T I WILL CYBER-SLAP YOU.  JUST KIDDING THAT WOULD BE MEAN.  PLEASE AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.  -LK

Hades seemed truly intimidated.

"Sh—she is right here," he said, pointing to me. My arms were still secured around Soren's bare chest, as his back and arm guzzled blood. I had to keep reminding myself that these injuries were barely scrapes for a God. However, every time I looked at the blood trickling down his skin, I felt a tiny piece of me crumbling away like dust.

"Ah. I see my prophecy has come into play beautifully," Poseidon noted. His face seemed to hide pain as he limped over to me, and extended his hand. "Let me see you in the light, child."

Slowly, I let go of Soren. I turned towards Poseidon, in awe of his Godly beauty, even if it was hidden under a glossy layer of sweat that flickered in the candlelight. It was obvious, even to someone who had never seen Poseidon healthy, that he was dying.

I soon recalled the sea nymph's words, from all those months ago. He would be dead soon.

"Ah," Poseidon breathed, his voice quiet and his gaze evaluating as I stepped forward. He took my hand, and studied me for a few moments. "You're so exceptionally beautiful. The dark hair, pearly skin, green eyes, and so tiny....you're exactly how I imagined you. Exactly how I wanted you to be for Soren. She is perfect, Son of Zeus, is she not?"

"Perfect does not begin to suffice," Soren breathed.

I felt my insides fluttering.

"I don't understand," I whispered, turning towards Poseidon, trying to focus on my confusion. "Why am I your Heiress? I am not related to you. If I were, I would surely be more powerful than I am."

"Ah, but aren't you?" he said, raising a quizzical brow. "I assume, Heir of Zeus, that you have had the chance to explain everything. You are my Heiress, dear Ailith, because I have made you my Heiress. Out of choice."

"I explained the prophecy," Soren responded through his teeth. "I have yet to tell her the rest."

I turned to Soren, and raised a brow. "The rest? There is more to the prophecy that I don't already know?"

Poseidon took a long, deep breath. "Really, Soren, you exhaust me. Come, Hades, let us leave these two in private so that they may speak alone. And clear these peasants out, for the sake of the Gods and Goddesses, and deliver them back to their kingdom, you fool. We have real business to discuss, and no time for these mindless shenanigans. I don't even want to know what in the universe you were doing in here before I walked in."

Hades's eyes widened with what appeared to be genuine fear. "Yes, my Lord."

Poseidon held up a finger. "Don't call me that, Hades. You are my brother, even if we haven't seen each other in three million years."

I blinked.

"And," Poseidon added, "this will probably be the last you'll ever see of me. So, please. Savor this time."

"I will, brother," Hades responded quietly.

"Finally, someone here to supervise the running of the underworld. Must I always do everything? I have waited for this for years. It really does disappoint me to see you continuously acting out, Hades. It creates a lot of trouble for me, and for Zeus. Speaking of Zeus—where is the bastard? He always seems to find himself between a woman's legs rather than wherever he is supposed to be enforcing rule. It's easy to forget that we all once shared a crib as babes."