Hades

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The next week passes in a blur, a collage made up of disjointed, cut up memories. What I could remember from those seven days were moments doused in fog, as if I could never really tell whether I was awake or asleep. I remember feeling hot and cold all at the same time, feeling like someone was sawing me in half from my stomach, while simultaneously wanting to puke my guts out.

I can remember having several bedside visitors too. Calla was a constant one, as was Kezia, when she wasn't berating Calla for not doing exactly what she ordered the more softly-spoken woman to do. Selene and Axel visited a few times, as did Minnie. I have faint memories of Selene apologising to me, gripping my hand tightly and asking me to come back. I can't remember what she said after that though, because that was when the fog clouded the memory.

Spencer came, only once, but I remember that conversation extremely well.

Like all my other memories, the edges were tinged with uncertainty; I still wasn't even sure it was a memory, or just an incredibly realistic dream. Spencer had come into my room quietly, a grim look on his face, and shut the door softly behind him. Without taking his eyes off me, he walked all around my bed to sit down on the chair at the head of my bed. As soon as he sat down, his whole demeanour collapsed; his shoulders tightened, his head fell into his hands and his slender fingers tugged his blonde hair erratically.

"What the hell have we done?" He groaned, his words muffled by his hands. "We've messed up so badly, E, god."

Spencer then looked up, and I can remember how red and stormy his usually bright blue eyes were.

"Just wake up, Evie, please. We'll explain everything to you, I promise, just please, please wake up. Don't let this thing kill you. Please. You don't know how much you mean to everyone."

"No, she does not." A low voice suddenly said, startling Spencer. He looked up just as an extremely morose Hades appeared at the foot of my bed.

Spencer leapt to his feet. Pure rage thundered in his gaze. "What the hell have you done to her, Hades? What were you thinking, giving her an aphrodisiac? You know how deadly those things are to humans when they're that undiluted. She could have died; she's dying right now! What were you thinking was going to happen? She was—"

"I did not give it to her."

"What?" Spencer spat, still mid-tirade.

"The aphrodisiac." Hades said, his voice strained. "I did not give it to her, nor did I force her to take it. Do you really think that I would be that blind-sighted? You and I both know the consequences of that course of action."

"Well then..." Spencer trailed off. He cast his gaze away and fell back onto the chair heavily. He rubbed his face tiredly. "Who would be so stupid as to do this to her? Why would they do this?"

"I do not know." Was Hades' quiet reply. He glanced down at me and let out a frustrated sigh.

Spencer looked up at him, confusion etched on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Are you really asking that question Dionysus?" Hades asked sharply. Spencer winced a little at Hades' tone. "You are quite aware of the prophecy underpinning this all. My one chance to see it through has been jeopardised, and I do not even know who by. And Evie..." Hades cut himself off, looking away.

Spencer let out a long breath and stood up. He placed a firm hand on Hades' shoulder and waited until the older god looked him in the eye.

"You don't know that, Hades. Now, you and I both know that we haven't exactly seen eye to eye in the past, but I care about Evie. And if I'm being completely honest, I haven't seen her happier than she is right now, and I know that's not because she has a fetish for hanging out with the otherwise deceased. She was clearly in her element that night, and I've never seen her look at anybody the way she looks at you. As much as it pains me to say this, she obviously cares for you more than anybody, maybe even Evie, realises, and I know how you feel about her. So stop looking at your glass half empty for once and hope for the best. Zeus might be more understanding than you think."