Forever Yours

Chapter Twenty-One

"Why?" Quinn frowned as he took in his surroundings. The strong wind blew dirt and debris by as it picked up in speed. The landscape hadn't changed much in the few days they'd been gone. He knew they were coming back; Ian had even said as much, but couldn't he just drop them off inside the palace?

"Why what?" Ian asked as he walked through the arched doorway. The wind blew forward, ruffling his dark hair as Kaethe followed behind him. They left Quinn standing outside, the wind pushing him back. "I told you where we were going, Quinnton. Okay? I didn't lie about that." He turned around, walking backwards at he took in the young man. "Now c'mon... They're expecting us."

"Yeah... No, that's not... sigh..." Quinn looked up at the rough ceiling of the deep cavern they were in. "Why me, God? Why?" he asked the dripping pillars before he followed behind them, jogging a little to catch up.

As they passed through another arched doorway, Ian turned his head to grin back at him. "God doesn't love you, but we do."

Quinn stuck his tongue out at him. "Oh ha-ha... Nice to know that the God of Death has a sense of humor."

"It's from spending all that time in the mortal realm, my dear fellow," Ian retorted back as they stepped into the front parlor.

Kaethe smiled when she picked up on something Ian wasn't saying. "How much time did you spend in our realm?" she asked as they continued on their way to the throne room. Long hallways and dark shadows reminded her of where they were and who they were with. Kaethe always knew something was off about the popular people at her school, even knew something wasn't quite right with Makaria's grandparents. She didn't say anything, chalking it up to her overactive imagination. It was nice to know she wasn't losing her mind or that her imagination was running wild with her.

Ian didn't slow down, just continued walking as quickly as possible. "Out of all the other gods, I'm the one who has spent the most time in the mortal realm. Mainly to do my job, however for the last three hundred years I've lived up there. It allowed me to do my job more efficiently while also staying out of the drama that are the Olympian gods," he responded as he pushed open the large onyx doors. "History has nothing on what kind of drama the others have caused."

They entered the massive throne room, bare except for the two throne chairs sitting at the front. Large dark columns encircled the room, blocking out bits and pieces of light that flited through the grand stain glass windows that sat behind. Dark marble floors stretched the distance of the room, making echoes of footsteps sounding at every move.

Persephone sat in her throne, the gold and silver embracing her in their clutches. She had her head back, leaning against the large ornate arch. The sapphires and rubies in the chair surrounded her head, making it look as if she was wearing a crown in her dark hair. Flowers of every kind bloomed beneath her feet as the soft petals acted as cushion. Hades was next to her, pacing within the small area in front of their thrones. His footfalls were silent, as if he knew exactly where to step to not make a sound.

When the doors flew open, Persephone's head came forward as her eyes opened up. "You're back!" she cried out as she sat up in her throne. When her eyes landed on just the three of them, minus her daughter she frowned. "Where's Makaria?"

Ian stopped, his head hanging down as he thought of how to break the news to his queen. Sighing and knowing that it couldn't wait a moment longer, not if Makaria was in some sort of danger; he took a step forward and opened his mouth to speak. He never got the words out as Kaethe stepped forward.

"I'm sorry to say she's not here," Kaethe explained as she walked over to where the goddess sat. She stopped a few inches from the thrones not wanting to be in the war path of an angry goddess.