ONYX

Chapter Thirty-One

Behind him he heard the soft click of Alessandra's door as Winnie closed it. Now that he was alone, he could finally breathe. Alessandra was okay, that's all that matter, but now he wanted answers. How did a soul escape? It was unheard of and it most certainly couldn't happen unless someone living physically plucked them from the water. But only a God could do that, even then a God couldn't be exposed to the water for long. Their presence might attract the rest of the souls hungry for the chance to live again.

So, who would want to bring someone from the dead back to life? And not just anybody, it was Alessandra's father.

"Gemma! Hypnos!"

Hypnos appeared on his command, bobbing his head once. "Hades, is Alessandra all right?"

Hades felt himself rise, a bad part himself that he tried to desperately suppress. He could already see darkness emerging from the corners of his home.

His home that was a safe haven from the dangers that lurked beneath the foundation, he wanted it to be safe for Alessandra. He took a deep breath to draw the darkness away, but his anger still raged. "Yes, but I want to know how the fuck did this even happen? I'm gone for over three hours, Hypnos, you were supposed to look after her!"

"I am sorry, Hades, I-"

"Where were you? I allowed you to travel freely as you wish, but you take advantage of that. I bet you take me for a fool, don't you?" Hades couldn't stop. Everything he felt in that moment was coming to surface. He almost lost her just like before-like Persephone. It almost happened again right under his nose. "Answer me Hypnos!"

"No, I do not." Hypnos replied calmly. He feared to admit that on the night that he was supposed to be watching over Alessandra, he had a visitor. If he told Hades, who knows what he would do. He dropped to his knees. "Forgive me, Hades. I should've performed my duties as her guardian better. I have failed you. Do with me what you see fit."

He could've done it. Hades could've killed him in a second or hurt him, but that was his anger talking. He needed to calm down. Taking a deep breath, he blew it out slowly. "I need to find out what happened. Where's Gemma?"

"Here, boy. You need to cool down." Gemma walked into the foyer from the back of the house. He couldn't tell what room she'd come from, but there was a small book in her hand.

"I need to know what happened." He said.

"I've said all that I know." Gemma replied. "I do not like repeating myself."

"Gemma, you do not want to go there with me right now. Give me a recount of that night." Leave it to Gemma to trigger his anger again. She didn't care about the way it made him; she didn't fear him. Sometimes Hades wished she did. But for someone that's raised him all of his life, it was hard for her to see him as ruler of the dead.

"Fine, boy." She rolled her eyes. "I saw her father's ghost lure her into the Underworld and followed. By the time I caught up with her I was too late. She fell, I reached in to get her, but I already saw those rotten souls try to claim my body so I had to be quick."

Hades smoothed his hand over his hair. "Useless,"

Gemma seethed at her grandson. The ungrateful God that invited a human into his realm that already caused problems in the short time that "Mind your words, boy. I saved your little human when I could've let her die!"

"I have had enough, Gemma! You will tolerate Alessandra because she will soon be your Queen. If you do not accept this then you will leave!" He had enough of her bigotry towards Alessandra.

Hypnos watched the exchanged between both of them in silence in order to keep them from directing their spat towards him. He'd seen them fight before and compared to those arguments this one would become explosive real fast if they continued to talk about Hades' beloved Alessandra.

"Perhaps we should go down under, Hades. We have to make sure the souls are still intact." Hypnos suggested, dousing the tension by stepping in.

Hypnos had a point. Since he's been back, Hades hadn't had enough time to go to Sea of Souls to make sure there were no other souls trying to escape. The least he could do was try to figure out who had been responsible for this even happening. There would have to be a clue left behind. "I will go. Stay here."

He didn't wait for Hypnos or Gemma to stop him or Hypnos to volunteer to join him. The way to the true Underworld wasn't long. After taking this path for years, it'd gotten easier to walk the way.

Cerberus became alert at the sound of someone approaching, but the three-headed dog rushed to the entrance where Hades appeared. He was overjoyed to see his owner and greeted him with a wet tongue to the face. "Down, Cerberus. I'm here to investigate what happened to Alessandra. Do you remember?"

Cerberus turned his giant head towards the air and barked once. It was a strong sound that echoed in the room until it became quiet. Together they walked to the sea.

All was quiet except for the softly whining souls beneath them. Each of them was tormented by their own desires as they swam in the translucent shores. Hades looked at every crevice of the bridge and spotted the faces of the souls in the sea, and it was impossible for him to find her father amongst them. There was no place for him to hide either. The place where the sea was located was flat and endless. There were far too many souls inside for him to detect James.

"Damn," He cursed. Cerberus came up beside him, lowering his head so that Hades could place his hand on it. He missed his master and Hades knew it. "I am sorry for my frequent absences, Cerberus. I must find out what happened and see to it that it doesn't happen anymore."

Cerberus bobbled his head up and down in agreement. Hades couldn't understand how a God could get into his realm without his knowledge and how that God could've gotten passed Cerberus.

Answers wouldn't be found in the Underworld.

He had to go back to Olympus.