The Underworld Crown (Series)

Chapter 9

The dining room was how I imagined it would be: big, luxurious and dark. Aergia sat alone at the end of the long dining table. Upon seeing me, she waved a hand invitingly towards the chair next to her.

"Please, join me."

Although her power wasn't seeping its way through me, I could feel the instruction in her tone, making it clear she wasn't extending an invitation. Sitting down, I watched her carefully. She was unfazed by my stare, swirling her red wine in one hand.

At once, a servant appeared beside me with a dinner plate similar to the one Aergia had half-eaten, placing it before me. Looking down at the perfectly cooked food, I felt my stomach rumble for the first time since I'd arrived. I'd been so distracted with everything around me that I'd completely forgotten about food. Instinctively, I went to reach for my fork, but then I noticed Aergia staring at me, her gaze intense. I folded my hands in my lap.

"I trust your stay is going well," she said.

"You're acting like I'm on a holiday," I spoke before thinking.

Aergia raised an eyebrow. "Compared to what's outside the boundaries of Sloth City? Serena, you are on a holiday."

"But what is outside the city? This building, even?"

She looked at me from the corner of her eyes as she played with her food, chuckling darkly. Her sinister laugh bounced off the walls, making me lose my appetite.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

Her chuckle reminded me that she was no friend of mine. In fact, I had no idea who Aergia was to me. It was clear that she was willing to abide by Hades' orders – but to what extent, I had no idea. I tried to discreetly distance myself as far away from her as possible within the constraints of my seat.

Slowly, Aergia raised her glass up to her mouth, letting the wine slink downwards to her thick lips. Over her glass, she looked at me as though she could sense what I was thinking.

"It's not me you have to worry about Serena," she patronised. "In fact, if I were you, I'd stop being so curious about what's outside these walls and be more focused about trying to stay in them."

"Is Hades going to kill me?" I blurted, unable to control my thoughts in my own panic.

Aergia took a sip of her wine.

"Hades is a complicated man. It's almost impossible to predict what he's thinking, but no, I'm fairly certain he will not."

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift off me. If a Goddess like Aergia believed Hades didn't have it in for me, that had to count for something.

"But..."

Spoke too soon.

"He certainly has an interest in you," she drawled, looking me over. "And since he demanded that you be taken care of, well, there's always the possibly he wants for you to be one of his...escorts."

My body froze. "An escort? Like...I just have to follow him places?"

For the first time, Aergia burst out in loud laughter – so loud I flinched. "You humans are so naïve. Hades has specific standards. And his standards are young, beautiful and..." she trailed off, fleetingly glancing at my bust, "surely you understand by now. So, no, you will not just 'follow him places'".