The King Of Death | Hades + Fae

Chapter Seven

Tallulah

Sandalwood and smoke. It is more intoxicating than the fae wine vinum, and it emits in strong waves from the large man on his knees before me.

But that isn't what had my heart stuttering in my chest, not the only thing anyway. Ilias has yet to squeeze my shoulder when the man called Hades speaks, he can not read him. Truth or lie it is now up to the gods to give me their guidance, but the whispers -

Death is here.

Quiet, calming. Do they come from the gods? Are they trying to tell me something?

The caramel skinned man before me pushes himself to his feet, his hands now free from the binding that never kept him captive to begin with. He really had come willingly.

"Tally..." A warning growl, one I'd never heard from Ilias before. He's scared, but for some blasphemous reason I'm not. I lean forward in my throne, crossing my legs over and shaking his tight hold from me just as those icy blue eyes meet mine once more.

Everything is quiet, then a soft burst sounds like a damn being destroyed by a wave of relentless ocean and the whole throne room plunges into darkness.

No no no no no.

Death was here, the gods had said so - but why did they say it with such assurance and comfort if this is what they intended? Screams erupt around the room from the nobles, shouts from the guards. I reach behind me but Ilias isn't there. I just allowed an assassin into my home, among my people. I am not fit to rule.

Light blinds me so quickly that I have to lift my arm and cover my eyes, the screams dull and the shouts cease but my mind continues to race. Useless queen. Too trusting. Too soft. Words that have been spoken in whispers around me, words that now seemed to be true. I don't want to open my eyes for fear of carnage, but I am the queen and these are my people.

Without a second thought I stand so quickly a blink and you'd miss it, flames dance over the left half of my body, vicious and unyielding while my right becomes ice cold, frost coating every surface.

It takes me a second to realise no one is harmed, besides a few nobles who'd run head first into walls and pillars to try and escape - but I do not pull back my power. I stand as tall as my body allows, feeling my pink hair rise and flow behind me as I stare down at Hades. His lips are curling into a smirk which only angers me further.

"You dare come in here and threaten my people?!" My voice bellows through the room louder than I'd ever heard it, strong and angry. My golden guards move off to the side allowing me full view of the giant. He wore silk, how had I not noticed it before? A black silk shirt tucked into a pair of black leather pants, fastened with a belt of bone. No human or fae dressed like that.

"I mean your people no harm-"

I don't allow him to finish his sentence before a stream of almost frozen water shoots toward him from my outstretched palm. He dodges and lifts his own hand, shadow flames erupt and meet my ice water head on. My muscles recoil at the force of our combined power but I hold strong, pulling my other hand forward to throw a stream of flame.

"Queen Tallulah-"

His footing stutters, only an inch but it is enough for me to take advantage. I throw my shoulders forward and shove sending Hades flying backwards and onto the cobblestone floors. His shadows float away into mist as my own magic swirls around him, keeping him contained.

I move swiftly and quickly down the stairs and my feet glide along the floors until I am hovering over him, my magic waning to allow him full view of the fire within my eyes. I would not allow anyone to harm my people, my peace, not again.

The man below me does not cower, he does not beg for his life. Instead he looks up at me with wide blue irises that look alive, while I swore they were once pale and grey, they now bore up at me the colour of a raging ocean, moving with the currents crashing against cliffs. Fascination, that was what swirled in those enchanting eyes.

"I meant no harm, my lady." Grison growls at the wrong title, but I hold a hand up to silence him.

"If you meant no harm, why would you come in here and rob us of our sight?" The giant moves to prop himself up on his elbows, laying his palms face down against the stone floors as a sign of submission, but I could see it, I could feel it. Power radiated from him much stronger than I'd ever come across before. He stays silent for a few moments, his eyes searching mine for something that he finds after two breaths.

"Peace is here." He breathes out, so quiet that no one around us can hear even with heightened fae hearing. My muscles freeze and the magic that still surrounds him wavers.

Death is here. Peace is here.

The whispers, they curl around me once more moving between the two. Peace and death. Slowly my flames dwindle down to leave nothing but scorch marks, and my ice water drops into puddles filling the gold grout.

"My Queen?" Ilias appears beside me without a sound and Hades' eyes darken, the blue now almost black. How strange.

"Take him to the Rose chambers. He shall remain there until I've had time to think." Until I've had time to decipher if I truely was insane, or actually hearing the voices of the gods. I can feel Ilias' need to argue, but I also know he won't do it in front of my court. Everyone remained silent as Grison and Florian step forward, moving to either side of the raven haired man.

...

"Are you insane?! The Rose chambers are right next to yours, Tally!" Ilias could barely contain his anger our whole walk back to my chambers, his hands curled into fists and clenched with every breath he took. At least I had time to prepare for his scolding.

"He's right, Tallulah. You saw how powerful he is." Arwyn places his sword atop the dining table before pressing his palms against the cool wooden surface.

"The gods spoke to me." I knew it would sound insane even as I uttered the words.

"The gods? You're hardly religious." Ilias scoffs, pacing around the table with his head down and his shoulders hunched. Ilias and I do have love for each other, but whilst we fucked on regular occurrences I was never able to feel more than fondness toward him. Though I'm not blind, he is a gorgeous man with a strong head on his shoulders and I'd be utterly lost without him. I think he'd hoped a mating bond would snap into place between us, part of me hoped for that too so I could return his affections. It was yet to happen.

"I know how insane it sounds, I do." I sigh, sitting down beside Arwyn who was still standing, attempting to control his breath. Grison and Florian were now standing guard outside the Rose chambers, and I knew I'd have to work out how else to contain the beast of a man. My gold guards needed their rest which is why they guard me in pairs unless necessary, but I also trust no one more than the brothers.

"What did the gods say?" It is Pilos who speaks up, taking the seat across from me. His cheeky nature was nowhere to be seen, his eyes hard and his back ridged. I sigh loudly and avert my eyes to the large windows behind him. The forest had never looked so peaceful, trees swaying in the wind, birds soaring carelessly in the sky.

"Death is coming." I keep my eyes firmly locked on the forest as the room erupts into chaos around me. Ilias roars, throwing my favourite wooden chair at a wall. Arwyn groans and whines as his hands slam down on the table to my left. It is Pilos, though, who remains still and quiet.

"You would not allow a man who the gods warn brings death dwell in the castle." At least he maintained his common sense when the other men did not.

"No, I would not." I respond, keeping my gaze ahead and my back straight.

"The gods, how did they warn you?" Agian, calm and composed. Pilos, the youngest of his brothers, was never known for his levelheadedness, rather his short fuse and playful demeanour. Now, however, the change was welcoming.

"In whispers, comforting whispers that promised me safety, peace. It was not a warning, it was a welcoming."