Blinding Night

by Chantal Gadoury

  “My role here in the Underworld isn’t solely based on what I can do for the spirits who come here,” she explained with a careful shrug.

  “It isn’t at all,” Arae interjected. Minthe ignored her as she glanced to Darce.

  “And I’ve never heard complaints…”

  “True gentlemen don’t kiss and tell,” Thanatos muttered under his breath. I raised a brow as I turned my attention to him and then slowly back to Darce.

  “At least I do something worthwhile,” Arae continued, ripping off a piece of pita bread onto her plate. “I didn’t take advantage of my Lord while he was in mourning.”

  “Arae,” Darce said sternly, glowering at the two of them. Why wasn’t he putting an end to their cattiness? They were worse than middle school girls.

  “Of course,” Minthe cooed, as if to a temperamental baby. “Delivering curses...how delicious.” Sarcasm dripped from her words. Arae was about to attack in kind, but Thanatos lifted his hand.

  “Ladies,” Thanatos replied carefully, darting his silver gaze between the two of them. “We all carry important tasks for the survival of the Underworld, and for, of course, his Lord. We wouldn’t want to give Summer the impression we all don’t get along.”

  “But we don’t,” Arae hissed.

  “Arae,” Darce warned again. His black eyes moved to hers, as he clenched his jaw. She pursed her lips and grabbed one of the sticks of meat and aggressively tore it apart with her fingers. Minthe slid a hand over her shoulder, flicking a strand of her lavender hair away. Her arrogant action ignited a fire-filled rage within me. I slid my empty plate forward and rose to my feet. Darce quickly followed in my stead. I darted my eyes to his standing form, expectantly. What was he doing?

  “You haven’t eaten anything,” he said, gesturing to my empty plate. “You can’t be done already.”

  “I’ve lost my appetite,” I lied and pushed myself away from the table. Darce’s hand caught my wrist before I could get any further.

  “Summer,” he said in a commanding tone, “Stay.”

  My cheeks burned right down to my chest at his touch. He couldn’t talk to me like that; I wasn’t his subject. If there was anyone who should have his ire, it was Minthe. I slid my gaze over the dinner guests, noting each of their expressions. Arae’s eyes were wide with shock, while Erebos and Thanatos seemed more enthralled by my act of rebellion. Minthe smiled as though she were pleased with herself. I didn’t dare glance at Morpheus; I was too afraid of what I might see.

  So, I yanked my wrist away and stormed out of the room as fast as my Keds would take me.

  Chapter 17

  Who did Minthe think she was?

  And why didn’t Darce say something? How could he just sit there and let her toy with me like that? How could Darce bring himself to sleep with that...foul woman? Why was it that mostly all the good looking men in the world, were tied down by—well, bitches. Darce included. Maybe I was the fool for thinking he was better than the rest.

  Fine, if I’m a fool then it’s better than being a tool. That rhymed. I snorted, laughing at myself and feeling more miserable than before.

  I didn’t want to laugh, I wanted to be angry. Hoping to stew in silence, I stormed down the maze of halls, back to my room. I didn’t care if I had ticked everyone off—or just him. It didn’t seem like it mattered how I felt, or Arae for that matter. I let out a sigh of relief as I pushed against the familiar door, leading to my room.

  “What am I doing here?” I asked aloud as I leaned back against the door. I didn’t understand. And maybe I never would. Maybe I was like Belle in “Beauty and the Beast.” Forced to remain locked up forever, in some enchanted palace, with weird people. I would have preferred the talking teapot and candelabra over Minthe’s impression of “Miranda Priestly.”

  I knew what I needed. A bath. I hadn’t had one since the hotel in Greece. Hot water and soap would help with my sour mood. The only problem was, I didn’t know where to find it. Darce had told me the wing was mine. So I assumed that meant one of the doors would lead to a bathroom. I swung one door open and began to explore the many different rooms, determined.

  I was both relieved and startled to find the bathroom in the middle of my never-ending hallways. I could finally have a bath, and if bathing in the Underworld wasn't enough of a fantasy, then the large bathtub in the center of the marble floor was the hidden treasure in the middle of a winding maze.

  The closer I was to the bath, the more detail I was able to see and though it had a modern faucet, it was regal and ancient. There was a brightly crafted mosaic at the bottom of the bath, a swirling garden of green and pink flowers. It took my breath away. I guess if anyone was going to bathe like a goddess, then it might as well be me. I turned on the water to the highest heated setting and walked away to let the pool fill.

  The room itself, besides the bathtub, was another enormous cavern. Tastefully decorated with gossamer curtains, Grecian furniture, soft Egyptian cotton towels and an opaque vanity loaded down with colorful bottles. Bath salts, sweet-smelling oils, dried herbs and fresh flower petals. How do you choose just one? I picked up an assortment and balanced them as best as I could in both arms. This wasn't going to be any bath—Oh no, no—this was going to be the bath of a lifetime.

  I poured oils and salts and petals into the standing hot water until my sinuses were clear.

  It's hard to say what feeling like a goddess would be, but the bath came pretty darn close to what I imagined. I was quick in washing myself with a small bar of soap I had found in the assortment. I decided I would use the bar of soap to wash my hair as well; I would conserve what I had of my shampoo. After rinsing the foam away, I decided the best thing I could do would be to go to bed and start fresh in the morning.

  My mind reeled with the thoughts of the grove, and the domed structure belonging to Darce and Persephone. And then it turned into Minthe and Darce, intimately tucked away in her new private getaway. My jaw hurt from how hard I clenched my teeth. Minthe. Callous and pretentious. I wished I had said more, done more, but she had me in a corner. She knew exactly what to say to shut me up.

  Enough Summer, it’s over now. I told myself.

  I reached for the plug to release the bath water and stepped out, locating the nearest towel. I wrapped it around my body, suddenly exhausted from everything that had happened. I wanted to slip into my sweater and crawl under my comforter for the next millennia. With a yawn, I headed for my room, but stopped short of getting anywhere. I smacked into Darce like a dummy into a brick wall at the door.

  Darce?! I blinked hard, practically screaming the moment I realized he wasn’t my imagination. Darce raised an amused brow as I clung to the towel around me.

  “What are you doing here?” I shouted, pushing a hand to my forehead. “I think I might have a concussion.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic,” he said with a smirk. “What are you doing out in the hallway in nothing but a towel?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” I muttered under my breath as I tried to push him out of the way.

  He lifted his hands in defense with a teasing smile. “I apologize. I thought you were ignoring me. So I decided to wait.”

  “You thought you’d just wait outside my room?” I asked, raising my brow incredulously. As Darce shrugged, he suddenly reminded me of some high school boy, caught awkwardly waiting for a girl.

  “What do you want?” I asked, doing nothing to hide my annoyance.

  “I wanted to talk about what happened at dinner.”

  He was in for it if that was what he interrupted me for. If he couldn’t tell how irritated I was when I left, then he was either oblivious or stupid.

  “Yeah, well I don’t want to talk about Minthe.” I pushed past him into my bedroom. The last thing I wanted to do was argue with him in a towel.

  I went straight for my suitcase and pulled out another comfy shirt I had packed and a pair of shorts. He was watching my every move, which only annoyed me more.

  “D
o you mind? I could use a little privacy.” He was pretty keen to say something smart, but I hoped my expression was warning enough to shut him up. So, he nodded silently and turned around until I could only see the back of him. I didn’t wait. I pushed the towel away and dressed as quickly as I could into my oversized clothes. As I pulled my hair through the collar of the shirt, I cleared my throat.

  “You can turn back around now,” I said as I grabbed my hair brush and sat down on the corner of the bed. He turned, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. A habit he had in awkward situations, I noticed.

  “Minthe?” I asked again.

  “Yes, Minthe.” He exhaled and took a step towards me. He was beautiful as he stood there, dressed in his grey sweater—which I was almost sure was a designer label. His short, black hair was tousled from the day.

  “Why do you keep her with you, if you don’t... love her?”

  Darce froze in place, keeping his dark gaze latched to mine.

  “Why did you drag me here if you already have someone? What’s the point when you’ve already moved on.”

  “No one said I moved on,” Darce said sadly. I’d never seen him so distraught, not since the apartment.

  “I don’t understand,” I said, shaking my head, “What was the point of bringing me here?”

  Darce remained quiet as he watched me. I chewed at my bottom lip and slid my brush defiantly through my tangled hair.

  “I’ve never been with one of Persephone’s reincarnations longer than a month or two,” he whispered softly, “I wasn’t about to just give you up. Not without trying.”

  “Give me up?” I asked, a little startled by his wording.

  “Your mother carelessly had herself declared dead, along with your human father. I took the only opportunity I knew I’d have. Who knows what Demeter had planned... but I’m sure she hadn’t expected to find that you were already gone from the hospital by the time she got there.”

  “You knew my mother was coming for me?” I asked, pushing myself up to my feet. “You knew, and yet you took me from her?”

  “Summer, your mother is not who you think she is,” he replied, shaking his head.

  “And you think she’s one of you... a goddess.”

  “She is Demeter, Summer,” he said slowly, taking another step towards me. “I wouldn’t lie about this, Summer. Everything you have seen, everyone you have met, is proof enough that you’ve led a veiled life. I couldn’t let you go back without knowing the truth.”

  He wasn’t wrong. There was no denying how much he had proven to be true in the last couple days. He had unraveled a work of fiction and made it real. But that didn’t change the fact of the matter: he had taken me away from my mother. Demeter or not, she was probably worried sick.

  “So now I know the truth now, what does it matter to you if I go back?” I took a step back.

  “Summer, please.” He reached for me.

  “Don’t! Just don’t.” I bit back bubbling tears. “You have Minthe! Why do you need me—Persephone—if you’re just going to keep her around?”

  Darce’s expression fell as he failed to answer the question. I didn’t realize it until then, but I was jealous. Me. Jealous. I didn’t know what I wanted to hear from him, but I could feel my jealousy boiling in my stomach as I asked the words aloud. I tried to swallow the emotion away as I watched him take another step towards me.

  “Can’t you see how much Arae hates her?” I asked.

  “Arae hates a great many things,” he replied. “No one is phased by her disdain for Minthe.”

  “Thanatos and Erebos do a lot to try to keep the peace at your table.”

  “I know,” he said with a nod.

  “Why?” My words were a whisper as I lowered my brush to the bed. Darce paused again. I could see him swallow and hesitate —perhaps looking for the right words to say.

  “I’m sure Demeter has gone to Zeus already. I’m sure she’s begged him to force me to return you to her.”

  “And will you?”

  “Do you wish me to return you to your mother?”

  The question lingered between us, riding on the edge of a dangerous decision. The air suddenly felt stifling and I couldn’t breathe. Darce sucked in a breath and asked again, “Do you wish for me to return you to your mother, Summer?”

  The idea of living with my mother—without my father—stuck in a loop of her hairbrained antics was unappealing. I’d never have a life of my own. Not after this. Dad wouldn’t be there to stand in her way. I wouldn’t have anyone in my corner, no one left to fight for me. I’d have to give up my art...my freedom...my future. But what sort of future would I truly have here, in Darce’s underworld lair?

  “You promised I’d see my father again,” I said, avoiding his question.

  “And you will.”

  “I won’t leave until you hold up your end of the bargain,” I countered.

  A small smile graced Darce’s lips and he nodded.

  “And I won’t allow you to leave until you hold up your end of our bargain.”

  “My end?”

  “Remembering,” he replied softly.

  “I don’t know how,” I countered, shaking my head. “Nothing here seems familiar... Everything is foreign and strange. Even the grove…”

  “I knew you wouldn’t recognize it,” he said with a nod. “But it was worth a try. I wanted you to see it.”

  “But you’re allowing her to...change it?”

  Darce sighed and moved to sit beside me. I didn’t mind his closeness; strangely, in that moment, I craved it. I hadn’t been around him all day. He was the only thing that kept me connected to my own world—to my own reality. He was real, which meant everything before coming to the Underworld had been real too.

  His presence was like a validation that meant I wasn’t crazy or imagining everything.

  “She can make as many changes as she’d like, but nothing she does will wash away the fond memories I have of it.”

  “You’re so whipped.” I rolled my eyes and fell back into the bed, rolling onto my side. He looked down at me, conflicted over something.

  “Summer,” he paused for too long, “Minthe knows.”

  My brain ticked slowly as it processed his confession. Minthe knows? My body felt cold all over and I wished I had stayed in the bath long enough to prune.

  “She knows?” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “About me? That you think I’m Persephone?”

  “Well, she’s skeptical.” He must have noticed my panic, because he leaned back into the bed and propped himself up beside me. Darce was so close, I could smell the sweet tang of wine on his breath. “She’s suspicious of me. It’s not everyday that Hades, Lord of the Underworld, escorts a beautiful human girl to Hell—still breathing.”

  “Oh,” I said. “That makes sense.”

  “You have no need to worry,” he placed one cool hand over mine and squeezed, “My relationship with Minthe is merely an illusion I’ve created for those on Mount Olympus. Zeus will take his time in demanding your return, as long as he thinks I’ve moved on. As long as he believes the bond between Persephone and I is no longer as strong as it once was, he will delay.”

  Wait. An illusion? And Zeus knew, too? I mean, even more unbelievable was the fact that the big boss of Mount Olympus was supposedly my dad. He was just as much responsible for this mess as my mother was, and I hoped they were angry. But none of that mattered, not now anyways. Darce’s explanation only cleared up some of the facts.

  It didn’t change his thing with Minthe. Did it?

  “But you’re sleeping with her,” I accused, wrinkling my nose. “Everyone thinks so. Everyone here too… It’s not true?” Was it really all a ploy to trick the Olympians?

  The corner of Darce’s mouth curled into an amused smile. “Does it bother you to think I’m sleeping with her?”

  “Yes!” I said, my eyes wide with irritation. I didn’t want to tell him, but it felt like I was being cheated on. Deep down inside,
it felt like a knife had been thrust into my stomach knotted down so deeply, it wouldn’t ever budge.

  “I could sleep with you,” Darce countered as his smile grew. “If you’d like.”

  The knife twisted deeper as I sat up, clutching my stomach. “I think there’s more to your relationship with her than your letting on. I don’t believe for a second you’re keeping her by your side for the sake of an illusion. What does she have on you?”

  Darce’s smile slowly disappeared, his body tensing up just as it had at dinner. He moved so fast I barely saw him leave the bed. He leaned against the bedpost and looked down at his feet. If secret had a face, it would be Darce’s.

  “What makes you think there’s more?”

  “You’re all obviously afraid of upsetting her. Why?”

  “I’m not—”

  “Stop lying!” I jumped up from the bed and shoved him, hard.. “Tell me the truth. If you want me to help you, you have to tell me the truth.”

  Darce’s black eyes flashed a shade of golden green again and he smiled.

  “That’s my girl,” he whispered.

  “Tell me,” I urged.

  Darce’s hand moved to cup my cheek. My eyes slid to his lips, which drew closer and closer to mine. An invisible spark popped between us, like a sparkler on the 4th of July. My body was vibrating from the tension. It was the first time I had ever felt tethered to another person; as if an invisible rope secured me to him. Indefinitely.

  If I fell, he would fall too.

  “If she finds out who you are, Summer,” he whispered as he leaned closer, “I’ll lose you forever.”

  His fingers trembled as they drew me closer to him. My hands slid to his shoulders, where my own fingers tangled into the fabric of his shirt. Was I bracing myself for this? Did I want this to happen? It was magnetizing.

  “If Minthe finds out about your true identity, I know she will do anything to destroy the bond we created all those centuries ago by pomegranate seeds. It’ll destroy any chance I have to be with you again.”

  We. Our bond. I liked the way he said it, how he said it; without any hesitation.