Part of the "responsibilities" of being Persephone's daughter and Hades' worst nightmare was having to welcome all of the tournament participants and city rulers to the castle. That was how I managed to find myself standing on Hades' left-hand side, my mother on his mirror image right, at the entrance of the castle the following morning. The wind softly caressed me, pushing my hair behind my shoulders. It was an ominous reminder of what was to come.
I didn't like the idea of being showcased to the new arrivals, but when the alternative was to risk breaking the oath, well...I didn't have much choice in the matter.
Hades had instructed the cities to arrive in a certain order: Greed, Sloth, Lust, Gluttony, Wrath, Envy and finally, Pride. My stomach tingled at the first and last cities. My intention to ignore any Alek-related feelings was quickly becoming an idiotic plan, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to be civil around Cleo, either.
The first carriage to arrive, pulled by a group of six horses, took an agonising long time to pull up. Black curtains hung in the windows but were pulled back far enough to provide a hint of a red leather interior.
The God of Greed, who I recalled as Plutus, was the first to step out of the carriage. I blinked as I took him in–he was pretty much a copy and paste version of Jackal, however, was thinner and had slightly hunched shoulders. He wore a pressed black suit that seemed to soak in the darkness around him. After his greetings with Hades and Persephone, he was unable to tear his eyes from me.
"So, you must be the lady who helped rid our city of the Aplista," he said with a smile, shaking my hand.
"Believe me, I didn't do much."
"Well, it's certainly no coincidence that within the small time frame that you were there, that Jackal was able to surmise their location." His tone dipped. "Although I would have appreciated it more if he'd informed me of your presence."
Jackal appeared from behind him, appearing considerably more pensive and hesitant than when I'd last seen him. "Surely you can understand that I was trying to act covertly and in the interests of the city." Turning his attention to the welcoming party, he said, "Your Highness, Your Majesty, it is an honour to meet you again..." his eyes met mine "...Serena, I would like to formally apologise for my sister's actions. I only recently learnt about the tournament and understand that your presence would have been required here whether or not you'd chosen to participate willingly, however the manner in which Cleo carried out her actions was abhorrent. I hope you understand that I had no involvement in your capture."
I cleared my throat. That was unexpected, but not completely uncharacteristic of Jackal. "Thank you for your apology," I replied. All too aware of Hades' eyes focused on me.
And behind him, Cleo looked exactly as I remembered her: short hair cut as sharp as a blade, framing a thin face and deep almond-shaped eyes. The only difference was the smug smile plastered on her face. She wore a body-hugging red dress that I knew most men would drool over. Many women would sell their souls to fill it out the way she did. I hated that.
After Jackal's apology, everyone's attention turned to Cleo. For the first time since I'd met her, she looked slightly uneasy in Hades' presence. She played with the material of her dress by her sides. "My brother wants me to apologise, but I don't regret what I did. If I hadn't handed you over, someone else would've. At least this way I got the reward."
Silence.
Then, Hades burst out in laughter, slicing the tension in half. "Ah, Cleo. You will certainly be one to watch this tournament. I look forward to whatever entertainment you shall provide."
I narrowed my eyes at the smirk gracing Cleo's lips.
She nodded in return and the three of them were escorted inside to their rooms.
"The entertainment she wants to provide will be my death," I muttered.
Hades was silent, but from the glint in his eyes, I knew he was imagining Cleo succeeding in her mission.
It wasn't long before the second city arrived. Unlike the representatives from Greed, the goddess and demigods from Sloth City presented a less-than-unified front. Each person seemed to have their own carriage, making the precession line a long one. The Goddess Aergia led the precession, but she was followed immediately by her first-hand servant, Raven. The person I'd betrayed in escaping from Aergia's castle.
A conversation I'd had with Raven brushed my mind.
"Why isn't Aergia on good terms with her children?" I asked lightly, playing with the material of the bed sheets while watching Raven out of the corner of my eyes.
"They had a difference of opinion on how to rule the city," she answered. "Artemis led the so-called rebellion – she wanted to succeed Aergia as ruler of Sloth City. But as soon as she suggested the idea, all of her siblings demanded the same thing for themselves."
"So, she just ostracised all of them from the castle?"
Raven nodded in reply.
I stood tall as they approached, my anxiety and guilt tugging at me.
Aergia didn't bother hiding her distaste as she caught my gaze and scowled. The dark set of her eyes told me she wasn't too excited about being here, or potentially having to undergo a family reunion. Behind her, Raven dipped her head demurely as if something on the ground had caught her attention, but I could see the tight set of her lips. She was on edge too, possibly wondering if Aergia was about to do or say something out of line. But as Aergia approached, I realised she was hardly saying anything at all. Her lips were pursed as she strode up the stairs, each step making the slit in her floor-length gown part to reveal her legs. Aergia paused for a brief introduction to Hades and Persephone, hardly even glancing my way.
"Allow me to present my children–Artemis, Amar, Anthony and Ariane," she said, rushing over the introductions.
One by one, they each exited their carriages and came to stand before us, keeping a safe distance from Aergia. I couldn't take my gaze off Artemis as she trailed up the stairs, looking considerably more like a kicked puppy than the last time I'd seen her. In her club empire in Sloth City, Artemis had been the picture of intimidation with her sharp features and broad gait. Now, her eyes flickered back and forth between Hades and Aergia, very much aware of her mother's higher standing. Finally, her calculated gaze landed on me, and she gave me a nod in greeting. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded back. If I played my cards right, perhaps I wouldn't make an enemy out of everyone.
Unlike Artemis' slick, straight hair, her siblings appeared to inherit their mother's curls.
Ariane, appearing to be the shortest and youngest of the group, tucked a long curl behind her shoulder. Her heart-shaped face framed a large set of doe eyes and small lips, giving her the appearance of a child. When she directed her gaze at me, however, she shot me a look so cold and calculating that I knew she was anything but.
Behind her, a man with wild and untamed curls, giving his hair a full, bushy shape, introduced himself as Amar. From the way he acted, Amar appeared to the most vivacious out of them all. He stood the tallest but also made the point of bowing the deepest of the four. When we made eye contact, his dark eyes sent a coolness running through my body. A strange calm took over me. It was only then I realised I had been fisting my hands and loosed them at my sides.
Finally, the last demigod who I presumed to be Anthony, had a more closed off approach and preferred to stand at the outer edge of the introductions. His hair was shorter and pushed back into a ponytail only long enough to graze his neck. Unlike the others, however, he refused to look at me and instead focused his unseeing gaze on the floor between us.
Most surprising was the fact that each of them–including Aergia–wore the deep blue cloak with the Sloth family crest. Considering the family strife, I wondered if each of the demigods had willingly worn them or not. I had once worn the cloak Artemis wore when I escaped from Aergia's castle into Sloth City, and Artemis had made it very clear that the cloak was to belong to her hands only. I couldn't understand why she had wanted the cloak, or why she wore it now, but didn't have much time to ponder that thought.
After they were led inside, the representatives from Lust City arrived. I'd expected to see a horde of demigods and goddesses arriving at Hades' castle, so was surprised to see only one man climbing the steps before us, and another retrieving something from the carriage. The first of the two, and clearly the God of Lust, had full lips framed with a heavy beard. He wore a vest and long-sleeved shirt. The collar was open, and the top few buttons undone. He rolled his sleeves up as he moved towards us, revealing firm muscle and bronze forearms despite likely having seen no sun. He ran a hand through his shoulder-length locks, and each strand seemed to settle in perfect formation. I hadn't even met him yet, but he radiated such beauty that I involuntarily took a step towards him and had to force myself back into position.
I'd expected another formal greeting. What I didn't expect, however, was for a huge smile to break across his face and for him to pick Persephone off the ground and twirl her around.
My jaw dropped to the floor.
My mother laughed as a red tinge appeared across her cheeks. Her arms were pinned to her sides, but her dress swirled around her, making her appear even more angelic than usual.
I almost rolled my eyes, but had to take the opportunity to look at the jealously that was surely written on Hades' face–
Nope.
The God of Lust's warmth was infectious.
Hades' eyes sparkled mischievously, and the sides of his lips quirked up into a smile.
"Eros, my friend. Even a few weeks without seeing you is far too long," Hades greeted.
Eros placed Persephone back down on her feet, making sure she was steady before stepping away. "And a year is much too long to go without seeing your beautiful wife, Hades. Why have you hidden her from me for so long?"
"I think you know why I must," he replied dryly.
Eros and Persephone kissed each other on the cheek.
"It is fantastic to see you too, Eros," Persephone said. "I have to say the tournament will be in dire need of your charm these coming weeks."
"You have enough charm yourself, Perse. As I remind you every time we meet."
"And as I remember every time we meet," Hades quipped, but still unable to keep the smile from his lips. "You are lucky my patience is strong with you."
Eros laughed, emphasising the smile lines around his eyes and mouth. It was a deep and full sound; a laugh that sounded genuine.
Then, his eyes flickered to me. The warmth and openness in them astounded me. "And you must be the Princess. It is an honour to meet you."
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words seemed to come out. All that came out was a strange choking noise. For at that moment, the contender for Lust City, Eros' son, appeared by his side.
Eros tracked my line of sight and, with a knowing smile, took a step back. "Serena, allow me to introduce you to my son, Himeros."
Like his father, Himeros had a strong jawline and straight nose. He looked to be a couple years older than me but knowing that demigods aged at slower speeds didn't make me entirely sure. His hair, while black, mysteriously glistened against the non-existent sunlight, making it look like it had streaks of silver in it. Dressed in an all-black dress shirt and pants, he sort of melted into the darkness but exuded light at the same time. And he was staring intently at me. It was the kind of stare you gave to someone you liked. And I mean really liked.
I stared back, mesmerised, as he tilted his head towards me and pulled out a small black box from behind his back.
"Serena, making your acquaintance will surely be my greatest joy of the tournament," he purred, holding the gift out to me.
I blushed. Then I wanted to kick myself for reacting in the same manner that Persephone had reacted to Eros. Except even Persephone had been able to form words. The others were staring at us, so I took the box from Himeros' hand. A smirk graced his lips and the base of my neck tingled. Heat seeped into me–
"Serena?"
I blinked. I teared my eyes away from Himeros' gaze. "Huh?"
Persephone quirked an eyebrow. "Are you going to open up the present?"
Swallowing my embarrassment, I untied the bow decorating the box and let it fall aside as I lifted the lid. A white gold bracelet sparkled within, reminding me of the intriguing silver streaks of Himeros' hair.
"It's beautiful. Thank you," I managed to get out.
"You will have to wear it to the banquet tonight," Persephone added, to my surprise. That was news to me. I hadn't been aware there would be a banquet. My stomach churned.
Himeros smiled mischievously, revealing perfect, pearly white teeth. "I'll look forward to getting to know you more, Serena. I'm sure your story is an interesting one."
Before I could form a reply, Himeros had my hand in his own and languidly leaned down to brush a kiss along the top of my hand. The moment his lips grazed my skin, little electric shocks ran between us, making their way up my entire arm. I drew in a shocked breath, unable to look away. The only thought in my mind was how I never wanted Himeros to drop my hand or remove his lips. I wanted–no, needed–Himeros.
This feeling of warmth and elation settled as Himeros withdrew, turning into more of a hum than a roaring car engine. It was with great effort that I forced myself to stay still and not reach for him. From the corner of my gaze, I noticed the others watching me in entertainment. Trying to push away those feelings of desire, I cleared my throat.
"Thank you," I responded lamely.
Himeros' lip twitched, and he shot me one last look before Eros placed his hand on his son's shoulder and they were beckoned inside.
As soon as there was a wall and a set of doors between us, it was like a bucket of ice had been thrown over my head. Those fuzzy feelings of desire were zapped from my body and my thoughts came into clarity.
"Son of a bitch!" I exclaimed, storming towards the door.
A firm hand grasped my arm, applying enough pressure to make me wince.
"You will not go after them," Hades ordered, deep and threatening.
"Like hell I won't! Himeros put some kind of spell on me." Ignoring his hold, I started to march back towards the door, but I was jerked backwards.
"Lust City is one of my strongest allies, I will not let you go and disgrace that relationship within five minutes of meeting them," he snarled.
I gritted my teeth. "If you remember correctly, Himeros literally made the first move. Surely you can't expect me to just weather it."
His grip tightened even further, making me pause.
More softly, he said, "That is exactly what I expect you to do."
I ripped my arm from Hades' grasp, feeling all of my muscles cry out in pain from the training session this morning. Hades' hand had left a red mark.
Even so, I didn't chase after them.
"Himeros was just testing you," Persephone added, looking more concerned at my reaction than entertained. "He wouldn't actually do you any harm. You'll appear all that more powerful if you act unbothered by his advances at the banquet tonight."
Unhappy, I glanced down at the gift in my hand. I hated that it was still as beautiful as ever, reminding me that I had been ready to get onto my hands and knees before Himeros just moments ago.
"I suppose this bracelet is a test, too," I murmured. "What if it's imbued with some kind of lust charm?"
"There's only one way to find out." Unable to hide her curiosity, Persephone's gaze flicked back down to the box.
Sighing, I reached into the box and lifted the bracelet from its casing. I'd expected warmth to go shooting through me at the first point of contact, but was pleasantly surprised when I felt just the same as I had been. I rolled the bracelet between my fingers, letting my anxiety cool when I realised nothing was happening. It was just a bracelet.
Persephone beamed. "Perfect. You can wear it to the banquet tonight."
I was about to shout back that I would do no such thing, but I hesitated. Himeros had invaded my personal space in one of the worst ways possible, but it was clear that he did so only for the attention and to do nothing other than to get a reaction from me. Sure, I could yell at him in the hallway, but then he would get the satisfaction of knowing just how well his charm had worked.
Persephone was right. The best form of revenge would be to act as though nothing had happened at all.