She looked around at the small café Henry had her meet him at, and found it high-scale and quaint. It was a place she had never even noticed before, never been to, but a place she knew her parents might have enjoyed on one of their date-lunches they took throughout their work week. The décor was humble but noticeable, gold and crème colors highlighting the interior. There were only thirteen tables–all circular and covered with a soft rose colored table cloth–with a thin, clear vase filled halfway with water and a yellow rose protruding out of the hole. Plates, silverware, cups and glasses were already set up. It was the perfect place to go for a cup of tea, Reese thought to herself, which is probably why Henry liked it so much. Perhaps it reminded him of home.
Henry was already sitting at a table–the fact that he was on time surprised her–sipping a cup of tea. A teapot sat on the surface of the table already, as though he had been here for a few minutes before Reese. His hair still hung to his shoulders, still magical and whispy and dark brown. His eyes were big and dark, his nose still long and pointed. He still wore black, but this time, the skinny tie was purple rather than red, and he selected his shoes so they matched his tie. He looked like the same old young guy she had first met back when she started Onyx High School. He had been the key to everything she knew now, and for some reason, he wanted to talk to Reese. Alone.
“Hello, dearie,” he greeted her, his voice casual and light the way it normally was. She still remember how dark and mysterious it sounded upon finding out that Keirah had captured Piper and used her to get what she wanted from Henry without having to pay his price. “Please, sit.”
“How’s Piper doing?” she asked, noticing a selection of pastries already lining the table, ones that were all somehow her favorite. Henry knew her too well.
Henry’s eyes flickered at the mention of Piper’s name and his entire body tensed, but only for less than a moment. Then he resumed his movement as though nothing had happened. Piper was the chink in his armor, his weakness, and even though he knew it, he still fell into similar patterns that revealed it as such, which was something Henry never did.
“She’s better,” he answered. “Still shaken up, but she’s a tough lass. She’ll manage.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Reese said. She poured herself a cup of the amber liquid, leaving room to douse it with half and half and sugar. She wasn’t a huge fan of tea, but in a setting like this one, she felt it would have been rude if she didn’t at least try it. “She was the first real friend I made here.” She furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand why Keirah… I mean, she was always so quiet, I just didn’t expect…”
“Nobody did.” Henry shrugged. “That was why I wanted to talk to you today, actually. There are things we need to discuss about this war, things that you need to know. And I feel as though I’m the only person who can give you the necessary information without sugar-coating it.”
Reese nodded as she took a sip of her tea. She was prepared to be disgusted by the taste, but found that it was sweeter than she anticipated. She took an extra gulp just to give herself more of it.
“Let’s start with what happened with Miss Shepherd.” Reese immediately noticed that he referred to Keirah by name, and as he did, his teeth clenched and his eyes got dark, like the night sky right before a surprise storm. “Since she was the direct cause of the start of this war, let’s go over her part now: She is currently in Purgatory with the goal of retrieving Noir.”
“Does she want to bring him back to Onyx?” Reese reached out and grabbed a cheese Danish. She took a big bite of it, and almost moaned as the flavor invaded her mouth.
“That is uncertain.” He took his own sip of tea, but made the gesture graceful and cat-like. “Regardless of where she wants to take him back to, the real question you should be asking is if that’s even possible, and what effect that might have on everything if what she sets out to accomplish is actually accomplished.”
“Is it possible?” She had just swallowed her food.
“It all depends on what Hades decides.”
“Hades? You mean, the reason for the First War?”
“Technically, Persephone is the reason for the first war.” He took a small bite of a croissant. “However, if Miss Shepherd makes a case to Hades and Hades finds it fit to release Noir, it is very possible Noir and Keirah could return to Onyx.”
“Would Hades agree?”
Henry shrugged, an elegant gesture. “Who knows?” He took another sip of tea. “The man is a romantic, but masks it quite well. Miss Shepherd is a desperate fool, and he has always been favorable to them. However, he is also fond of punishing them for their foolishness.” He smiled, despite himself. “Hades can be quite a character.” He paused. “Although, if Persephone were to bring Miss Shepherd to Hades, it might sway him to help Miss Shepherd more than anything.”
“Persephone?” Reese asked, surprised. “You mean, she’s in Purgatory? Isn’t it past spring time? Wouldn’t she be back with her mother? Does this mean Hades and Persephone are together or” –
“Will you refrain?” Henry asked in a curt voice. “Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?”
“Constantly,” Reese said with a smile. She shrugged her shoulders. “I apologize. As you were saying.”
Henry gave her a flat look. “Right. As odd as it sounds, Noir was the chaos that held the city together. The five Bosses of Onyx–united by Lucas Burr–worked together to overthrow Noir from being Onyx’s terrorist while simultaneously using him to hide their nefarious deeds.”
“If everyone’s paying attention to Noir, no one would pay attention to the others,” Reese put in, wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin.
“Exactly.” Henry gave her a nod. “Now that Noir is gone, the five Bosses are fighting for the top position. Their underlings are committing petty crime, trying to make a name for themselves while the higher ups are trying to do business with the Onyx PD, the district attorney’s office, any place where corruption is free to run rampant without penalty. Whoever has the power has the control.”
“But doesn’t Burr want the power?” Reese reached for a chocolate croissant. “I mean,” she said as she chewed, “he’s the devil, right? Wouldn’t he be the viable replacement for Noir?”
“Burr has held that position regardless,” Henry said, almost dismissively. “He’s always been the main person in power, though he pretends he isn’t. Burr wants chaos to break out in the city. He wants the Five to fight over it. Fighting for power will cause more crime, more crime for the police–corrupt as corrupt can be–for Black Wing and for you, to save it. With that, people lose faith. When people lose faith, their demons get the best of them, which means Burr gets more sheep added to his flock. They turn from God because they do not believe He will right the wrongs in their lives, and instead, look inside themselves. They turn selfish. They turn to the devil.”
“Which gives Burr more power because, in essence, he’s collecting new souls.”
“Precisely.”
Reese furrowed her brow. “Henry, you basically said there’s no point in me doing my job,” she said. “And by job, I mean, being a Seer. You said that the crime rate in Onyx since Noir’s disappearance has drastically increased to the point where the police–those that haven’t been bought off–Black Wing and I can’t save everyone.”
“Why do you think your job–as you so lovingly put it–requires you to save people? What I mean is, why do you think you’re supposed to save individuals?”
“I was told I’m a savior,” Reese said. She just finished her croissant and took another sip of her tea. “Isn’t saving people in my job description?”
Henry bobbed his head, pouring himself another cup of the amber liquid. Reese noticed he didn’t put cream or sugar in his drink. “Yes and no,” he said finally. “Think about it, dearie: when God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to save His people, did He name names or did He mean the population as a whole?”
“I really don’t f
eel comfortable comparing what I do to what Jesus did,” Reese said, feeling her cheeks turn pink.
“Of course you don’t.” Henry smiled. “I’m not comparing what you’re expected to do, and what God expected His son to do; I’m trying to give you perception. You are not supposed to save individuals, Reese. That is not what you’re here for, not what’s in your job description. It would take too much time, and knowing you, you would get too emotionally invested. You can’t save everyone. But I think you already learned that lesson.”
“The hard way,” Reese murmured, taking her fingertip and caressing the rim of her teacup.
“No, you are not required to save individuals,” Henry said. “What you do is you See the future and use the visions in order to assist you by saving the people of Onyx. You are Ollo’s Seer, and Ollo is stationed here. Onyx is the battleground of this war. Your visions will assist whichever side you choose, whether it’s Burr or Ollo. And, from everything that has happened, you have chosen Ollo.”
“So, what’s my job, then?” Reese asked. “Why would you have me go out on the streets with Black Wing and save individuals if I’m not supposed to save individuals?”
“Because it’s teaching you the lessons necessary for you to progress.” He leaned forward, interlocking his fingers and placing them on the flat surface of the table. “Don’t you see? Clearly, you have learned you cannot focus on individuals; you must focus on the greater good. If you focus on individuals, you could lose your own life in the process and your entire being, your entire role in this war would be for naught. You are supposed to save the people of Onyx, dearie, and by saving them, you give them hope.” He paused, allowing time for his words to sink in. “Not everything is literal.”
Reese pressed her lips together, nodding her head. What Henry said made sense. It was obviously easier said than done, of course, but it made sense. She made sure to avoid Henry’s eyes, only because she started to think about her vision, about how she risked her life in order to save Ollo’s.
30
Keirah wasn’t nervous when Seph led her to Hades. Haye. She didn’t particularly like his nickname–his modern name–so she continued to refer to him as Hades because the name was more significant, had more power, commanded more respect. She kept her dark eyes straight in front of her, rather than gaze around gap-mouthed and foolhardy. She had a confidence in her she hadn’t realized she lost now that Noir was back in her life, and instead of cowering in the presence of the god of the Underworld or standing in awe at what surrounded her, she felt as though she were the prize and how nothing else measured up to having Noir back in her life.
She rolled her shoulders back and arched her back up. Her breasts were small and perky, and she knew exactly how to position them to make them look as supple as bigger ones. Her stride was long and purposeful, her hips jutting out with every step. If there were people here–men, especially–she knew her walk would get attention.
Not that she would have noticed.
Her eyes, along with the rest of her body, her mind, her very soul, belonged to Noir.
“You look… different,” Seph said once the two had emerged from the hallway. “In a good way, of course.”
Keirah’s smile deepened. “Thank you,” she said, knowing exactly what she meant.
“So, are you nervous in any way?” She looked over her shoulder and slid her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “I mean, not that you have a reason to be. Or anything like that. I just, I’ve just never seen anything like this, and I wasn’t sure how Haye was going to respond. I still don’t, by the way. He doesn’t really talk about his whole decision-making process. I think it’s a guy thing. I just wanted to know you’re feeling on the whole thing.”
“I’m not nervous,” Keirah told her, making sure her voice was just as strong as she felt. “I’m ready.”
Seph nodded, her blonde ponytail bouncing with her head. “Interesting. May I ask why?” She stopped suddenly. “I hope I’m not intervening with your personal business. I’ve just never met a breather before. I want to know how you think. How you work. Is it the same as gods? Is it the same as souls? I guess I’m trying to pick your brain.”
“Oh, that’s fine.” Keirah felt herself furrow her brow at Seph’s awkwardness. She was certain that Seph could come off as relatable and endearing, but there were times when she could come off as annoying and distracting. Keirah wanted nothing more than to focus on her task at hand–get out of Purgatory and back to Onyx with Noir in tow–and talking to Seph about why she felt more confident now that she had her man back in her life seemed like a waste of time.
“Can I give you some advice, Seph?” she asked. It was comical – Keirah was giving a goddess advice about self-confidence, but Keirah felt she needed to say it. “I love Noir. When he’s around me, I feel like myself, my true, real self. I don’t have to hide myself. I am who I am, and that’s it. I don’t give a fuck what anyone else says.” She pushed her brows up. “Noir isn’t the right guy. He never will be. But he’s the right guy for me. I don’t care what people think of him or of me or of us. I can feel the way I want to feel, and that’s it. I don’t have to hide my feelings. I’m ashamed of nothing. I have no reason to be.”
Seph blinked once, twice, then looked back at Keirah with a soft smile on her face. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I think I needed that.”
“I kind of figured.”
Five more minutes and through the door, the two were back in the throne room. Hades was already there, dressed in all black, waiting for their arrival. He had his right ankle resting on his left knee and his hands holding onto the arm rests, but not tightly. He looked casual, nonchalant, but still prestigious.
“Thank you for bringing me Keirah, Seph.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Isn’t she supposed to be your queen?” Keirah asked, though she probably shouldn’t have. Perhaps her overzealousness should have been curbed, at least slightly. “Shouldn’t she be above running miniscule errands for you?”
Hades raised his brow, maintaining eye contact with Keirah while keeping silent for a long while. Keirah did not squirm. She did not blink or twitch or move. She did not even breathe. Instead, she met his eye contact and held her own. However, a voice in her head told her to calm herself down, that she shouldn’t press her luck. Not when he might give her something she wanted.
“I requested she get you because I know you’re comfortable with her.” His voice was soft but firm. “I thought I was doing something considerate. I respect her more than anyone I’ve ever met, but that’s none of your business.”
“I… apologize.” Keirah wasn’t sure what else she could say. She felt humbled, and allowed herself to feel that way.
“I’ll just-uh leave you to it, then,” Seph said. Keirah couldn’t tell if she wanted to say more, if she wanted to stay and be privy to Hades’ decision. But there was a hesitation in her voice that was easily detected.
When she left, Hades focused his attention back on Keirah. “Before I tell you my decision, I want to show you around,” he told her, standing up in one fluid motion. He had the grace of a cat, the power of a lion. “I want to explain what Purgatory means because your request, while romantic, completely violates everything that we stand for here. Even asking for it seems selfish.”
Keirah nodded, choosing to remain silent. He hadn’t said no. Just because he didn’t agree with what she was asking for didn’t mean he rejected her request outright. At least not yet.
She followed him through numerous hallways, in a variety of rooms. It reminded Keirah of an upscale hotel, like the Ritz Carlton. There were multiple kitchens, one on every floor, and every bedroom had an attached bathroom complete with a Jacuzzi bathtub, a shower, and a vanity with plenty of storage space. Each room had either a wardrobe or a walk-in closet with clothing that somehow fit its occupant perfectly. There were no windows, no view of any sort, but paintings occupied every wall and rugs littered the floor. The beddings on each queen o
r king-sized bed were bright and rich, which gave color to an otherwise bleak environment.
“Why would people stay here?” Keirah asked after the two exited yet another bedroom that looked like hers.
“Not people, souls.” Hades barely glanced at her as he continued to walk around his home. “They stay here because they are not yet ready to move on. We offer them comfortable lodgings, a place where they can wait for family and friends. But sooner or later, everyone leaves. They get on Henry’s ferry, and they go one way or the other.”
“Do they get to choose?”
“I guess you could say that.” He stopped abruptly in front of a wall and typed a security code into the doorway. Keirah couldn’t even see the numbers, let alone what the code might be. She also had a feeling Hades would know if she tried to spy on him and that clearly wouldn’t work in her favor, so she averted her eyes. “Everyone has freewill.” He stopped and this time gave Keirah his full attention. “What I’m about to show you is the most important place in Purgatory. It would behoove you to pay attention to your surroundings.”
Keirah nodded. Now she could feel her heart hammer in her chest, could hear the pounding ringing in her ears. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she knew it was big.
When the doorway was open, Hades led her inside and beckoned her to follow. She kept her eyes sharp, not caring anymore if she was the gap-mouthed fool, awestruck by the sights Purgatory provided her. It was dark, at first, which wasn’t all that surprising. But after being in the room for a while, her eyes adjusted, and soon, she could make out a circular vortex in the middle of the floor. Keirah nearly backed up just to ensure she didn’t get sucked into it; she couldn’t make out what the silvery liquid was, but she knew if she fell in, it wouldn’t be good.
“That’s probably a good idea,” Hades murmured as he watched her take a step back. “It can get a bit… slippery around here.”
The Dark Paradise Trilogy Box Set Page 82
