The Curse of Hades *MATURE*

Chapter 4; all you had to do was ask

Hello, my lovelies :) I hope you have had a wonderful day, wherever you are. This update is a wee bit late because I've been working six days a week this month so I didn't have much time to spare. Still, I hope you enjoy this!

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The ceiling was covered in what looked like sparkling fairy lights, except it couldn't be because they were moving, dancing in front of her eyes. Harper groaned at the flurry of movements, nausea rolling through her stomach.

It took her several seconds to remember where she was; the underworld, Hades' domain. The memory of how she got here was murky at best, though she remembered the pain, since it still wrecked havoc on her body.

"The princess is up, I see."

Harper stilled at the unfamiliar voice and the malice that laced the owners words. Her eyes sought the source, barely acknowledging the lush colours of the room, before they landed upon a tall but thin man with striking blue hair and dark violet eyes. Black eyelashes framed his eyes, his lips were plump, almost fake looking, and his skin was as pale as the moon. Yet it was the way he looked at her that took her breath away; pure and undeniable hatred.

She swallowed the sudden nerves that threatened to send panic through her. She licked her lips, wincing at how dry her throat felt.

"Who are you? Where's Hades?" Her voice came out embarrassingly croaky.

The mans lips curled up in a sneer, his eyes weighing her as if she were something dangerous. In most ways she was, being a wolf and all. But this was the underworld and Harper had no idea what she was up against. If anything, she was the prey.

"Lord Hades is bed bound, your highness. Thanks to your little...setback in the mortal realm."

Harper felt a twinge of anger at his suggestion. "Thanks to my little...?" She bit her tongue, reciting the rules that had been drilled into her since she was young. It was unbecoming of a lady to show her anger. She released a breath. "I don't understand. I thought Hades could travel where ever he pleased."

"He's a Lord to you, you wretched girl," the man snapped, his eyes blazing infernos, "show some respect. And under normal circumstances he can go wherever he pleases, as he should, being the God of the underworld. But you played the rules of fate, you silly girl, bargaining for your last moments of goodbye. All it took was one second for the fury to descend upon you, Lord Hades worst of all."

Harper sputtered, "but we left on midnight, how could_"

"One second past midnight," he snarled. "The binding magic back fired. You're lucky to even be here, alive and without a scratch. Of course he had to take the brunt of the curse and is currently sick in bed." The last sentence came out in a grumble.

She pursed her lips, willing for the instinctual and animalistic part of her to settle down. The rules were different here, she knew, and she no longer held the protection of her parents victories during the war. The only way she would survive was if she played them correctly.

"Im sorry," Harper finally said. "I didn't know that one second would make such a difference."

He narrowed his eyes, distaste clear on his face. 

"I'm Harper, by the way, no longer a princess," her lip twitched as his eyes travelled over her body, his frown deepening. 

"I'm to address you as a royal."

She arched an eyebrow, biting her tongue to halt any questions. Asking too many questions would not win her favours. 

"And what am I to call you?"