The Underworld Crown (Series)

Chapter 7

She gave me a light squeeze and a small smile.

Now would have been a good time to broach the topic of the forest, but I was afraid that if I brought it up in conversation, she would have to report it and then any magic surrounding its mystery would disappear. No, I would give myself some more time to explore and use it as a hideaway, before bursting that bubble.

With preparations for guests arriving tomorrow in full swing, Erica bid her farewell and wished me luck for breakfast. I allowed myself one moment to take a deep breath and gather my skirt, before I was following Erica from my bedroom. At the end of the hallway, we had to go different directions. My heart sunk deeper in my chest as I watched her retreating figure. Finally, I took a deep breath and headed towards the Dining Hall.

I locked down on my emotions as I moved through the corridors. I would need a steel-like barricade around my mind if I was going to be spending breakfast with Hades and Persephone. To see both of them individually was an effort, but to see them together...

Well, I certainly wasn't going to let Hades see the sorrow written quite plainly on my face as Persephone doted on him. It had strained my heart enough to see Persephone sitting beside him in the Throne Room, content despite Hades' superiority.

A nudge against my hand sent my heart hammering. Cerberus had silently snuck up beside me and I shot him an exasperated look as I rounded the corner to the Dining Hall.

A long, polished table filled most of the space. It was long enough to easily fit fifty or more people, but only two seats at the very end were currently occupied. Hades, with a book in one hand and a spoon in the other, sat casually at the head of the table with his feet, dressed in polished black boots, resting on its surface. He flicked through the pages of his book with a vague disinterest, as though this is what he did every day.

I rubbed my eyes. I'd never considered the Ruler of the Underworld to appear so...normal. The confidence and ease with which he sat at the table easily reminded me of my dad when he used to leaf through the newspaper at breakfast, also hurriedly shoving down some toast in order to not be late for work. The only difference between the two, however, was that Hades could kill me without a moment's notice.

My wrist tingled as I entered the room, as if I needed a reminder of the damage Hades had done there. Persephone looked up from her position on Hades' righthand side, failing to hide the relief on her face at my appearance. I ignored her gaze and instead focused on the food before them. The table was decked with so much food that my mouth started to water. Fresh fruit gleamed besides baked goods, which were so fresh that tendrils of stream wafted upwards. My gaze latched onto the various juices and cups of coffee. The breakfast in my bedroom had already been lavish, but down here it was divine decadence.

I then noticed a third table setting had been arranged on Persephone's other side.

"Serena," she welcomed. "Please come join us."

At the sound of my name, Hades shot me a cursory glance before bookmarking his page and placing the novel beside him, facing upward. I wondered what book Hades could possibly be reading which demanded his attention even at the breakfast table.

Probably a romance novel, I thought. Then snickered. But the writing on the front cover was unreadable, and in an entirely unknown language.

Hades' gaze zeroed in on me as I slid into the third chair, staring at my empty plate.

"How did you sleep?" Persephone asked, and I straightened. Either her question was merely coincidental, or she knew exactly where I had been last night. I prayed it was the former.

"Let's skip the part where you pretend to care," I retorted, helping myself to the food. The sooner I ate and got out of here, the better. "I'm only eating here because I was forced to do so. I'm not looking for any more mother-daughter time."