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EXTRAVAGANCE
PANDORA
Sol led Pandora up a winding spiral staircase lined with a maroon velvet carpet. She tried to keep her derision to herself as she took note of all the excessive grandeur Apollo had put into this castle, but a scoff escaped her when she noticed the intricate carvings in the mahogany banister.
Sol glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. “Something wrong?”
“Extravagant,” Pandora muttered.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Everything here is overly extravagant,” she said more loudly. “It’s like you all want to flaunt your grand lifestyle to those who aren’t as fortunate.”
“Or maybe we don’t care at all what others think and just want a grand place to live. Others be damned.”
Pandora balled her hands into fists. “It’s exactly that kind of thinking that leads to a division between realms. A division that would prevent you from even knowing the Underworld was destroyed.”
Sol sighed. “What would you have me say, Trivia? That we acknowledge your realm exists but don’t wish to associate with it? This is true. It’s also true that we don’t trouble ourselves too much with your realm because, let’s be frank, it’s rather dismal down there. Aidoneus could have cheered the place up a bit, and maybe more of us would have visited.” He shrugged. “I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore, does it? The realm is gone. So why are you fretting so much about it?”
Fury burned in Pandora’s chest. It was only thanks to her years of deception that she refrained from striking Sol in the back of the head.
He’ll perish, along with the rest of these arrogant assholes, she reminded herself. Just be patient and stick to the plan.
To keep her anger at bay, she changed the subject. “Where is my room located? I’m surprised you’re not taking me to the servants’ quarters.”
“Come now, we can be perfectly civil despite our differences. We’re giving you one of the best rooms in the castle. It overlooks the sea.”
“The fake sea.”
“Of course it’s fake. Would you prefer to be in the wretched mortal realm where it’s real?”
“Have you even been to the mortal realm before?”
A pause. “No.”
Pandora snorted. “Then, how do you know it’s so wretched?”
“Why would I have need to travel there? We have everything here.”
“Yes, you have everything, leaving the rest of us with nothing.”
Sol huffed a laugh as they finally reached the top of the staircase. “I’d forgotten how unpleasant it was to converse with you, Trivia. Thank you for reminding me.”
Pandora offered a simpering grin. “My pleasure. I’d love nothing more than to shit all over your good mood.”
Sol rolled his eyes and faced forward, leading Pandora down a long hallway lined with an onyx rug. Sconces on the walls illuminated several large oil paintings depicting fallen gods and goddesses that had reigned before Apollo. Pandora glanced over them, idly wondering if any of these deities would have done a finer job of ruling than Apollo. Some, perhaps. But others had been much, much worse, according to the tales Pandora had heard as a child.
When Sol reached the end of the hall, he turned and gestured toward a set of double doors with brass handles carved with swirling embellishments. He bowed low with a sardonic smile on his face.
“Your chambers, my lady.”
Pandora had the strongest urge to kick him. Without a word, she turned the handle and stepped into the room.
“Your supper will be brought to you shortly,” Sol said from the hall. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal, so we’ll let you rest.”
“What you’re really saying is, Apollo doesn’t have time to see someone as unimportant as me, so I’m to keep to my rooms like a good little girl.” She wrinkled her nose at him and adorned a false smile.
Sol grinned. “Your words, not mine.”
