by Eva Brandt
By the time we had a nice bouquet ready, my head had started to spin, Baltasar’s eyes were glowing, and the grass beneath Adrian’s feet had withered away. It had nothing to do with the lamb, but rather, with the magic of the woman he had been trying to protect.
“I can smell her in the flowers,” Baltasar hissed under his breath. “He’s connected to her on some level. This will work.”
“It has to.” Adrian squeezed one of the roses in his hand so tightly the delicate petals almost crumbled. “We won’t abandon her to Fufluns. Isn’t that right, Veggie?”
The lamb didn’t respond, not verbally at least. His leaves twitched and the wall of greenery that had blocked our path vanished once again.
“Thank you, Veggie,” I whispered. “We’ll find her, I promise.”
As we left the planting plot, a perfumed breeze ruffled my hair. The flowers in our hands began to shine, a cool, comforting glow that reminded me a little of moonlight. I knew where it came from, but for the moment, I ignored it.
There was at least one more person who must have known that Fufluns was up to something and had been in a position to act. I had no idea what Eranthe’s mother truly wanted and to what extent she could be trusted, but right then and there, I didn’t find her very reliable.
Eight
The Captive Queen
Eranthe
There was a strange smell in the air. Sharp and sulfurous, it reached out to me, stirring me from my slumber. I wrinkled my nose and covered my face with a pillow, grumbling. Had Luntian sneaked into the palace or was Veggie up to some kind of odd trick again? Honestly, if I didn’t care about them so much, I’d have probably done something regrettable to both of them by now. Cassia would’ve been happy to give me lessons.
Something cold and a little slimy fell on my leg, snapping me out of my thoughts. For the first time, I became aware that the smell wasn’t the only thing that was odd. The magic that I could sense all around me had an entirely unfamiliar feel.
My eyes shot open, and my breath caught when I took in the source of both anomalies. There was a massive, two-headed dog at the foot of my bed.
For a few moments, the two of us just stared at one another. I tried to recall what in the name of the gods could have led me to cross paths with such a beast, but my memories were blurry and my magic weak and unfocused.
The dog had no such issues. He licked his massive snout, making some more drool land in the vicinity of my feet. “Oh, Queen Eiar, you’re awake,” one of his heads said cheerfully. “Wonderful.”
“I hope you had a restful slumber,” the second added, his voice a little more sedate. “We did our best to accommodate you.”
Accommodate me? Accommodate me where?
Where was I? A simple look around told me this couldn’t be The Palace of Eternal Blooms. The wooden, living walls of my home had been replaced by rigid, dark-red bricks that emanated unfamiliar, suffocating magic. The furniture lacked the soft grace and willowy shapes I was familiar with. Even Cassia’s palace was more welcoming, and her abode was made almost entirely out of ice.
However, the dog seemed well-intentioned, and if there was one thing I’d learned throughout the course of my life, it was that often times, magical beasts tended to be far more honest than their owners. Something about their core natures made it less likely for them to lie. Perhaps he could help me find out a little more information. “Thank you for your help,” I said slowly. I shot him my best smile, hoping it didn’t show the apprehension I felt. “I’m afraid I don’t recall anything about my arrival here, though.”
My attempt at nonchalance didn’t really work. The dog padded closer and nudged my shoulder with his snout. “His Majesty did warn us that might be a possibility.” He wagged his tail and puffed out his chest in a stance that conveyed his pride. “But do not fear, Queen Eiar. Orthrus is here to guide and protect you.”
Orthrus. I knew that name. The two-headed dog was the sibling of the more famous Cerberus, and he was one of the more recent guardians of the underworld. I should have recognized him the moment I’d seen him, but I hadn’t brushed up on my studies on creatures from other realms in quite a while.
“Orthrus, is it? So... This is Hades?”
Orthrus nodded, both of his heads moving at the same time. “You are here as a guest of His Majesty, King Hades, on the request of His Majesty, King Fufluns.”
I stared at Orthrus in disbelief. Why would Fufluns of all people come after me? As far as I recalled, he had been thrilled to give up the throne Tou Fthinopórou. Queen Bast of The Realm of Eternal Sunlight had protested my father’s decision to take over Chronikos, but she had been overruled by the other gods. Fufluns had not bothered. Pandora might have even mentioned that he occasionally dropped by to celebrate her Bacchanals.
Unable to fully suppress my concern and frustration, I let out a groan. If even people like Fufluns were taking advantage of our apparent weakness, we were in big trouble.
Orthrus must have misinterpreted the sound I’d made because the more cheerful head licked my hand. “We understand that this must be a big change for you, but we’re here to provide you with anything you might need.”
I ignored the amount of dog slobber on my hand, appreciating the provided comfort despite the form in which it had been expressed. “Thank you again, Orthrus,” I replied, petting the point of contact of the two heads. His fur was soft, and despite his infernal nature, he reminded me a little of Veggie and of Upakaruda. “I apologize for my little outburst. You’re right. This is a little much, but I’m sure we can figure out a solution soon.”
I didn’t feel nearly as optimistic as I was trying to appear, but I did my best to push back the ominous feeling of dread looming at the back of my mind. It might have worked better had Orthrus not chosen this exact moment to dump something else on my shoulders. “Oh, we’re all very happy to have you, Your Majesty,” he said, practically dancing in place. “Just between you and me, Queen Persephone... She doesn’t much care for us. She always just wants to return to the surface. But I think you will absolutely understand, and you will be very happy here.”
I didn’t know what to make of his words, at least not until a distant recollection nudged at the back of my consciousness. “Your true home.” Someone had said that, although I couldn’t quite remember the context.
“Orthrus, why am I really here? Can you tell me?”
Orthrus tilted both of his heads like a curious bicephalous puppy. “To celebrate the wedding between you and His Majesty, King Fufluns, of course.”
“Wedding,” I repeated. “Wedding.”
I didn’t remember ever agreeing to a wedding. I didn’t remember meeting Fufluns, full stop.
Of course, that didn’t mean anything. It wasn’t that unusual for deities to take whatever they wished, regardless of the opinions of the people they took from. In some ways, my father had been the exception, as he had genuinely loved my mother and had never forced his affections onto her.
Apparently, Fufluns was different.
I didn’t think Orthrus would appreciate me pointing that out, though. He seemed genuinely excited about my prospective stay, to the point that I felt a little horrible about the fact that I was already planning to disappoint him.
I must’ve fallen silent, because Orthrus poked my arm with his claws, somehow managing to be gentle despite their sharpness. “Your Majesty? Is everything all right?”
“Yes, of course. I was simply... surprised. King Fufluns didn’t actually court me, you see, so this has come out of nowhere.”
Orthrus’s four eyes widened. “Oh, no. That’s dreadful. We thought he had told you about it and you were prepared. Oh, no. Oh, no. Not again.”
Under my shocked eyes, the two-headed beast started to pace to and fro, his paws leaving scorch marks on the stone floor. “What was he thinking?” he mumbled under his breath. “We warned him. We warned him not to do this.”
Apparently, my new canine friend had a problem with Fuflu
ns’s forceful approach to our supposed wedding. That was excellent news. I refrained from relying on it too much, though. Orthrus was still Hades’s subordinate, and as such, duty-bound to the king of the underworld. It was unlikely that he’d be able to do much to bust me out.
Taking advantage of Orthrus’s distraction, I closed my eyes and focused on my magic. If no one could help me, I would help myself. I might not have the same skills here as I did on Chronikos, but that didn’t mean I was powerless either.
Or so I thought, at least, until I managed to connect with my core and saw the condition I was in. Whatever had happened to me had almost drained me dry. I felt... withered, like a plant left too long without water. Oh, my powers were still there, but they were distant. I wasn’t sure to what extent I could rely on them to bypass Orthrus or any other guard and opponent I might run into.
As if to confirm my fears, the door suddenly opened, and a tall, bearded man walked into the room. I knew without being told that this was Fufluns. Something about his magic reminded me of Pandora and of The Realm of Eternal Bounties.
I didn’t find the similarity in any way comforting. The smile he shot me a few seconds later didn’t change that. “Queen Eiar, I am pleased to see you up and about so quickly. I had feared that the mild shock you received during your transport here might incapacitate you longer than I originally expected.”
“Transport,” I echoed him. I was beginning to sound like an imbecilic parrot, but considering the things I’d heard since I’d woken up, I didn’t think I could be blamed for it. “You do realize I’m not an object to be... transported.”
In the background, I could spot Orthrus fidgeting nervously. He opened his mouth, perhaps wanting to come to my defense. Fufluns barreled over whatever words Orthrus intended to say. “That wasn’t what I meant, dearest Eranthe, but I think you already know that. Of course you are not an object. If you had been, I would not have brought you here at all.
“I don’t have an interest in objects. I like beautiful, living, happy things. You are the most beautiful and alive being I have ever met in all my years. It stands to reason that you are a perfect match for me.”
I didn’t know what I hated more, the fact that he had called me by the private name only my family ever used, or his comment about ‘living things.’ He might claim he didn’t see me as an object, but it was close enough.
Having no desire to be anywhere near a mattress while in Fufluns’s presence, I slid off the bed and stood up. The surface of the stone floor felt scratchy and uncomfortable under my bare feet, so different from the grass I was accustomed to. I ignored it and chose to direct all my anger and frustration at Fufluns. “First of all, I don’t remember meeting you until today. I don’t see when and how you decided we were secretly meant to be. Second, don’t I get a say in this? What if I don’t think you are a perfect match for me?”
He just smiled again, an irritating expression that suggested he was questioning both my independence and my intelligence. “Then you are clearly misguided. But don’t worry. We have time. I will show you exactly what I mean with my words, and you will come to see I am right.”
That was about as likely as Cassia’s dragons suddenly deciding to leave her and return to Terra Dracones. I already despised him so much that I could barely breathe the same air he did. The mere idea that he wanted to touch me made my skin crawl.
“It is never going to happen,” I told him. “I’ll never yield to you.”
“I’m not asking you to yield. I’m not asking anything. I’m merely saying that you will learn to love me once you see that I am correct.”
The patient way he spoke made me feel like a recalcitrant, helpless child, and I hated it. I tried to reach for my magic once again, but I was unsurprised when I could barely connect with it. If I hadn’t managed to do much earlier, I certainly wouldn’t be able to mend the problem while I was in Fufluns’s presence.
Unexpectedly, Orthrus stepped in to defend me. “Your Majesty, if I may... Perhaps it is somewhat unwise to keep Queen Eiar here during your courtship. We were led to believe that she is accustomed to our ways, but since she isn’t, the end result will most definitely be negative.”
His words might have been somewhat hesitant, but I still appreciated them. I also half-expected Fufluns to get angry at Orthrus for questioning him. Despite not being Fufluns’s direct subordinate, he was still only a guardian, and it was inappropriate for him to make that kind of remark, especially in front of me.
Surprisingly, Fufluns took Orthrus’s protests in stride. “Yes, Orthrus, I know. It was not my intention to take this approach. I had planned to court her properly. Unfortunately, my plan was derailed by a group of intruding undead who wanted to steal her from us.”
Orthrus recoiled like he had received a physical blow. He recovered quickly, his dark eyes now flaring with bright infernal flames. “They dared!” he snarled. “Those vile fiends!”
Fufluns nodded, doing a great job of looking sad. “It gets worse, I’m afraid. They attempted to manipulate Queen Eiar into accepting them at her court.”
Orthrus growled, and the sound came out twice as threatening because he was using both his mouths. “Foul beasts. They do not even deserve to be in the presence of Queen Eiar.”
I found the comment surprising since he had no real reason to feel such attachment to me. Fufluns, on the other hand, seemed to revel in it and had no qualms in using it to manipulate the two-headed canine. “Indeed. Their loathsome, cruel ways had to be—”
At that point, I’d had quite enough of the conversation. “Enough! In case you’ve forgotten, I’m still here. No one manipulated me into inviting the envoys from The Voievodat to my palace. They certainly weren’t the ones who attacked me in my own homeland, then kidnapped me and tried to pass it off as doing me a favor. In case I’m not being clear, that was you, Fufluns.” Turning toward the infernal hound, I softened my voice. “I think you mean well, Orthrus, and I am grateful that you want to help me, but you have it all wrong. The vampires were never my enemies.”
In hindsight, I should not have bothered to even try to change Orthrus’s opinion about my undead guests. It only weakened my credibility, since everyone in the underworld had a notorious hatred for all things undead.
As expected, Orthrus did not react well to my comment. The fire in his eyes died, and his massive body drooped, his tail now between his legs. “I would love to believe that, Queen Eiar, but unfortunately, I’ve had too much experience with the undead to not realize that you are being deceived.” He shot Fufluns a contrite look. “You have my apologies, Your Majesty. I shouldn’t have doubted your judgment. It all makes sense now.”
Fufluns nodded magnanimously, waving off Orthrus’s slight. “I will trust you to keep Her Majesty company while I deal with a few more errands I have. I’ll come back by dinner.”
“Of course, King Fufluns. You can count on me. No one will disturb Queen Eiar, not on my watch.”
I understood the message loud and clear. Orthrus might not have said it, but in the end, he was a guard dog, and his role wasn’t to be a pet or a companion. He was keeping an eye on me so that I wouldn’t attempt to escape.
Fufluns reached for my hand as if intending to kiss it. I snatched it out of his reach before he could make contact. “I think not. Maybe you should kiss Orthrus’s paw if you’re such good friends.”
It was a petty reply since, in a way, I could understand Orthrus’s logic. I might have been better off taking a friendlier approach and gaining his trust as I had in the case of the vampires. Unfortunately, this whole episode had shaken me more than I’d have liked to admit. Besides, pretending I was taking this well would’ve probably not been that believable either. Perhaps an in-between stance would be ideal. If they thought I was physically helpless and lashing out verbally due to my inability to fight back in other ways, they might drop their guard.
Fufluns’s shocked expression was actually a little humorous, as was the low, unidentifiabl
e noise Orthrus let out. I embraced my advantage and crossed my arms over my chest. “Now, if you would be so kind, I’d like you to leave. I might be your captive here, but I at least deserve some privacy.”
I didn’t expect them to acquiesce to my request, and unsurprisingly, they didn’t. “I will give you a little time to gather your thoughts, but I will leave Orthrus with you,” Fufluns replied. “The last thing you need right now is to be alone.”
Ironically, I couldn’t argue with that. However, it wasn’t Orthrus’s company that I needed. I liked the two-headed canine well enough, but I missed my friends and loved ones so much it hurt.
Fufluns obviously didn’t care about my opinion. “Oh, and Eranthe, you should probably know that considering the effects of the journey here, I took the liberty of imbuing you with a portion of my magic. If you attempt to leave without permission, your soul might be lost within the depths of Tartarus forever.”
I was tempted to tell him that I would rather abandon my soul to the infernal labyrinth than succumb to his whims. However, I had no desire to do either of the two things, especially since, knowing Fufluns, he’d be able to find me if I attempted an unprepared escape.
And so, I turned away from them and crawled back into the bed, burying my face in my knees so my captors wouldn’t see me smile. If they thought I was harmless, they had another think coming. I was and had always been far more than the queen of The Realm of Eternal Youth. I would not be tamed by anything or anyone. I would make them pay the price for even trying.
By the time Fufluns left the room, I had already started putting together a strategy to use during our next meeting. Escaping would not be easy, and not just because Orthrus was keeping an eye on me. Fufluns could follow me to the surface and kidnap me again if I didn’t make it impossible for him to do so beforehand.
Orthrus was right. I was not Persephone. I would not settle for a mockery of a truly free life, nor would I allow myself to remain trapped here for half of each year. My family, my people, and maybe even my vampires were waiting for me on the outside and I would not let them down.
