“Rest well, Summer,” he said with a smile as he turned and opened the door of the library. Before he disappeared entirely, he murmured, “I have a feeling you might be seeing me in your dreams again, very soon.”
I should have been furious. I should have gone to find Darce and demand that he take me back to my world as soon as possible. His world was too strange and confusing. One manipulative, handsome God was enough, but more than that was too much. I couldn’t handle more than one of them at a time.
But as soon as I slipped back into my own room, I found myself strangely calmer than I was two seconds ago. Turning towards the bed, I found the array of my two suitcases situated on top of the coverlet—with everything I had brought from the apartment. Had Darce brought my things after all?
A flood of relief poured out of me as I picked up the blanket my dad had bought me and pressed it against my face. To my disappointment, it didn’t smell like him, or even the apartment for that matter. I could only smell the slight scent of the clean hotel we had been at. I released the blanket and began to unzip my suitcase, wanting to account for everything in my luggage.
If anything was missing...
But I was pleasantly surprised to find my clothes, my phone and charger and my shoes were all inside. In the other bag my painting supplies were in still in order. Nothing was damaged or gone. I pulled a clean shirt from the suitcase, an extra hair band I found down the side, a pair of socks, and my phone. I zipped it back up carefully. After tugging my hair up into a ponytail, I slid away my dirty shirt and sighed with disappointment when I saw the stains I had accumulated from the journey. I dreaded to know how clothes were washed—if at all. I folded the wrinkly shirt and moved everything to the corner of the room.
After arranging my suitcases, I slid my clean shirt over my head and stared at the pair of socks in my hands. The image of my roommate’s magenta socks on our shared doorknob drew a small smile on my lips. Turning on my heel, I crossed the space to the main door of the room. I carefully opened the door and darted a glance around the long hallway. It was bright, and there was no one to be found. I slipped the sock on the door knob with a laugh. Darce would be the one to get me in the morning. Would he understand the meaning behind it? Would he leave me alone? I closed the door behind me and moved back to my bed, where I sat down. Everything around me was still—too quiet. Finally, I laid back, letting out a sigh and curled myself into the white blanket. I held the power button on my phone until the screen lit up to my home page. I stared at the green text message icon, waiting... hoping that I’d get something from my friends. Anything.
“Do they even know I’m gone?” I asked softly, pressing on the app. Probably not. Everything was dated from days before.
MOM: Headed to the grocery store before we leave for shampoo. Need anything?
DAD: Can’t wait to see you in a few hours! Have a safe flight!
These all had been sent prior to arriving in Greece. None of the few friends I had texted me since leaving campus. Our conversations tended to begin and end in the comment section of our Instagram photos. Just as I was about to press on the familiar icon, my phone chimed. Ding.
A green notification of an email scanned over the top of my screen: UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND: SINGLE - LIVING APPLICATION ACCEPTED.
“A little late,” I muttered to the screen as I brushed the notification away. I cast my gaze to the large room for a moment and sighed. “I have all the single-living space a girl could want. And then some.”
The room felt too large—too empty. Hoping to fill that space, I pressed my music app and slid the phone up against my ear. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tucked the blanket over my head. Perhaps it would be enough to know that I’d see my dad again soon.
If I was lucky... maybe it would even be tomorrow.
The soft voice and gentle melody of Ben Howard played from my phone’s speakers and eased me into relaxation. If I closed my eyes and concentrated enough on nothing but the music, maybe I could convince myself I was home; that mom and dad were in their room. I tried to picture my room back in Rhode Island, with the moon high in the sky—peeking into my room with its soothing silver light.
I yawned as sleep finally settled over me.
Chapter 12
I woke with a start as I heard the door to my room open and shut quickly. And loudly.
“You don’t have to slam the door, Darce,” I groaned as I pushed myself up from the foreign pillows. At some point during the night I had made a nest of them and slept at the center. Definitely wasn’t used to having a king-sized bed to myself, that’s for sure. I tugged my body free from my comforter, wiggling my legs from its cocoon and felt the shock wash over me when I realized it wasn’t Darce at the door.
It was a woman.
“What is this?” She asked, lifting my sock between her forefinger and thumb.
Despite the disgusted look on her face, she was as attractive as her male counterparts. Her hair was a wild, fire red, tied back by a golden strand of ribbon. Some of the strands seemed to ripple over her shoulders like a waterfall, while her soft orange gaze locked onto mine. I had never seen anyone with orange eyes before. She was dressed elegantly in a chiffon gown, with a sash of adorned jewels tied around her waist, and flowy open shoulder sleeves.
She looked exactly as I imagined a Goddess would.
“It’s... a sock,” I managed to say as I slid a hand through my tangled hair. “It goes on your foot.”
“And why, pray tell, was it stuck on your door knob?” She tossed it to the bed. “Is this some strange human tradition?”
It’s definitely not an inhuman tradition. I shrugged and bit my bottom lip, feeling a little foolish suddenly for thinking it was a good idea. She scoffed at my sheepish behavior, totally unfazed by my lack of words. I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure what she would consider inappropriate at this point. Besides, she wasn’t Darce.
“I—”
“You were trying to be funny, weren’t you?” She asked, tilting her head. “It seems you humans just become more and more... concerning over the centuries.”
Concerning? What the heck was that supposed to mean?
“I’m Arae.” Yet another name I didn’t recognize.
“I’m Summer,” I managed. It was only polite to share.
“I know. The human.”
“Why do you all say it like that? Like I’m some... disease,” I asked, crossing my arms against my chest. “I can’t really help what I am.”
A smile flickered over her features and she shrugged.
“Because humans are like diseases. Just when you get rid of one, more and more continue to appear. All of you are diseases that never seem to disappear, no matter how many times we try to destroy you.”
“Right, well I don’t see the gods divining a plague to wipe us all out or anything.” I hoped she recognized the heavy sarcasm I just laid on her.
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t think your egos would have let that pass.” I snorted. “Don’t you need humans around to worship you?”
“Aren’t you the clever one?” She asked as she began to take a turn around the room. I watched as her gaze wandered over to the two suitcases I had left sitting in the corner. “It seems Darce will do anything to have you here.”
I didn’t know how to reply to that. The God of the Underworld had been determined to bring me here—even promising me the chance to see my father again. As she turned, I could feel the weight of her eyes on me.
“Are you just going to stay in that bed all day?”
“I’m not sure what else I’m supposed to do.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a good laugh. It was too throaty, too forced to be genuinely joyful. Weird. She was weird. Hell—everyone here was weird.
“I like you,” she said, biting her bottom lip. “There’s something about you that I quite like, Summer.”
“Thanks?” I could hear my own skepticism.
“Darc
e asked me to bring you to the dining room this morning.”
“What, I can’t just order breakfast in bed?”
“Do I look like a servant?” She asked, tapping her fingers against the mattress of the bed.
“Honestly, I don’t know what anyone is supposed to look like anymore,” I retorted.
She pursed her lips and sighed, almost as if she were giving into something forcefully.
“I’m a spirit of curses,” she began, “I carry the curses the dead wish to bestow upon those who are responsible for their deaths. That is who I am. Now, unless you’d like me to turn one of those curses on you, I suggest you get out of bed.”
Curses from the dead? Was that really a thing? I almost voiced my question aloud when she suddenly lifted her hand and twirled her fingers in the air. The tips of them turned black, and smoke began to rise from them like some sort of twisted Tinker Bell. First there was Darce’s crazy body control, then a God who could make me dream without sleeping; and now another fanatic bent on threatening me just so I would get out of bed. The Brady Bunch of the Underworld was becoming less charming every second I was here.
I pushed my feet against the cold, marble floor and glared at her. “Happy? I’m out of bed.”
“Glorious. Now dress. I’ll be waiting outside.” Arae’s smoke curled back into her fingers. The satisfied look on her face told me she had been hoping to use that on me.
“So much for lovely dreams,” I snarled under my breath.
If she had heard me, she didn’t bother doing anything more to scare me out of the sheets. In fact, I seriously doubt she heard me at all. Arae flounced out of the room, hair bouncing behind her like a waterfall of fire. If they all looked as fresh as she did in the morning, I really didn’t want to get up and face any of them at the breakfast table.
I wanted to resist and slide back underneath my warm covers. I wanted to close my eyes and try to remember my dream from the night before. But everything was blank and black and empty. Then my stomach growled and I knew I was out of options. So, I went to my suitcase and pulled out my favorite outfit. I slipped on a pair of black leggings, a white t-shirt, and my oversized grey sweater. It wasn’t bedazzled gossamer, but it was comfortable.
Finally, I donned a pair of white Keds and started for the door. I didn’t care that my hair looked like a tangled mess. I didn’t want to keep the lady of curses waiting for too long.
As soon as I opened the door, Arae lifted the corner of her lip in disgust. “Is this what humans wear now?”
“I’m dressed. You told me to get dressed and here I am,” I argued. “What did you expect, a glittering gown?”
“No, but something more befitting for the Lady of the Underworld would have been nice,” she said curtly.
“I’m not the Lady of the Underworld. I’m just Summer.”
“Well then, just Summer, tell that to my Lord when you see him,” she hissed violently.
“Believe me, I will.” I crossed my arms.
She rolled her eyes and began to walk ahead of me. Her clicking heels echoed against the marble floors. Heels. Where did these…gods and goddesses...get their clothes? Did they just snap their fingers and boom—Louis Vuitton? Did Amazon deliver to their doorstep, too? Maybe Darce’s hotel provided enough funding to keep them all fabulous looking forever. I smirked at the thought of them out shopping at a mini-mall.
Arae—keeper of dead people’s curses—led me through the familiar looking hallways, all lined with large, tall pillars and marble walls. I was still taken aback by how magnificent everything looked. I had expected dark, cave-like hallways with droplets of water falling from the ceiling—with ghost-like figures coming and going. I had imagined it to be a dark, grotesque place. I had not expected Darce’s home to be so elegant and refined.
“You’ll get used to the space,” Arae interrupted the silence between us as she darted a glance at me.
“Uh...yeah, I guess,” I replied softly.
“Humans used to always delight in telling stories about the Underworld being this...dark, dismal place. But even we, those who rule over this dwelling, have standards too,” she said. “It’s no Mount Olympus, but...it’s home.”
If this wasn’t comparable to Mount Olympus, I was afraid to ask what that looked like. Arae took a turn down another set of hallways, lined with gold-lined mirrors.
“Versailles inspired?” I asked, pausing to touch the edge of a mirror. I took in my reflection, amazed by the dark circles under my eyes. I looked exhausted.
“Or perhaps Versailles was inspired by us,” she quipped. “Morpheus might have influenced the King with a few of his own ideas.”
Morpheus. The Dream God.
“Does he do that a lot...go into people’s dreams?”
“Yes,” she said quickly, “Of course he does. He’s influenced a great many people over the centuries, and he only has to do it in their dreams while they’re tucked safely away in their beds.” Smiling, she winked at me. “When you meet him, you’ll see he’s quite the charmer.”
I already have met him, I thought to myself. Charming wasn’t exactly the best word I’d use to describe him. She paused at an archway, lifting her hand to gesture towards a large, long table where Darce and a guest were waiting. I glanced at her and bit my bottom lip.
“Don’t make me threaten you again,” she hissed from parted lips. Her smile was sickeningly sweet. “My Lord doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
“I doubt he’s ever waited for anything in his life,” I shot back and stomped into the room.
I crossed my arms over my chest and marched towards the long table where the others were gathered. Darce, of course, had his back to me. He was dressed casually. I could make out a white shirt with fashionable suspenders over his shoulders.
At least, that’s what I could make out from behind. He was sitting, pouring something into a goblet when I came to his side. His eyes wandered over my outfit, finally settling his black eyes on my own.
“Join us for our breakfast,” Darce said with a curt smile. “You can meet the rest of my friends.”
Friends. Because he, the Lord of the Underworld had more than just one friend, of course. I returned his forced smile with one of my own before I tugged the chair from the table and sat down. The plate in front of me had a curious arrangement of fresh fruit littered with a few slices of rye bread. I would kill for a chicken-biscuit meal from the nearest drive-thru.
“Erebos, this is Summer,” Darce said softly, tilting his chin in my direction. A few chairs away from me sat a young man with golden, tanned skin. His hair changed from black to dark blue in the light, and his eyes were teal with little specks of gold. They sparkled like stars in the night sky. He too was dressed in a similar fashion to what Thanatos and Morpheus had worn, with silver embellishments included. Only, he reminded me of someone from the Victorian ages.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Summer.” He turned his teal eyes up to me and smiled; his lips were pale, almost blue—like death.
“Summer, this is Erebos. God of Darkness.”
My tongue felt dry as I mouthed a silent ‘Hello’.
Hoping to distract myself from the strange and awkward silence, I turned my attention to the rest of the food on the table. It looked vastly different from what I was used to eating in the real world. Gone were the days of Lucky Charms and cinnamon-sugar toast. Instead, there was a spread of cheeses along with baked bread. On another plate, sliced tomatoes and sunny side up eggs. Olives were laced among the plates, which made the air smell sour. I wrinkled my nose. Lifting one of the glass pitchers from the table, I poured whatever liquid it was into my goblet. It wasn’t until I brought it to my lips that I discovered it was wine. Wine. What did a girl have to do to get some fresh juice?
I stared at the spread and pushed my plate forward slightly.
“Not hungry?” Darce asked, arching a brow.
“Not really,” I muttered with a shrug. My stomach lurched in protest.<
br />
Arae suddenly appeared beside Erebos, taking the seat next to him. She shot me a dark look.
“Choosing to starve yourself is your own doing,” she retorted.
“She won’t starve,” came a voice from the other side of the room. Thanatos. His long black hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, revealing more of his facial features than before. He had high cheekbones, a rounded chin and an elegant nose. Naturally they were all beautiful and ethereal, which meant that I was the only normal-looking one in the Underworld.
“She survived her first night,” Thanatos said with a laugh as he sat down beside me. “What a relief for you, Darce.”
“I had no reason to doubt,” Darce said as he lifted his glass to his lips.
“Well, I’d beg to differ but,” Thanatos paused and motioned towards the spread on the table, “I wager I’ll win the bet if our guest doesn’t eat. So I’d suggest you at least eat a slice or two of our warm rye bread. Perhaps some honey on the side?”
Arae groaned from across the table, but remained silent. I shook my head and leaned back in my chair.
“I suppose you’ll have plenty to share with Cerberus after breakfast,” Thanatos said with a grin, darting his gaze towards Darce. Now there was a name I recognized. And while I envisioned the three-headed dog from Harry Potter at the mention of the famous name, I wondered at it’s existence.
“Do you really have a three-headed dog?” I asked, leaning back against the chair. Erebos coughed as Thanatos began to snicker. Darce glanced at the others around the table, and then looked back to me.
“Would it frighten you if I said yes?”
“No,” I said, shrugging. “Why? Do you want to frighten me?”
Blinding Night Page 11
