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He looked shocked for a moment, before he disappeared over to a bookcase and came back with an encyclopaedia. It was huge and I didn’t want to read that beast of a book, but the look stamped on Malachi’s face couldn’t be argued with.
So for the next hour, until we had to leave he helped me to come to terms with the creatures I would be likely to see that evening. It was hard to get my head around at first and a part of me wanted to go straight into denial, but I fought it. I asked Malachi to prove it and I allowed him to use his gift on me, it had been an incredible rush. Intoxicating pleasure flooded me and he had to restrain me until it wore off, just so I wouldn’t jump him.
I think I would have enjoyed it but he hadn’t thought it to be right. By the time we had to leave, there was way to much information crammed inside my mind.
I knew that all I had to do was make it through the meal and then I could escape back to my room and just let myself relax.
As we were leaving, I saw something shift within the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks and just stared as a shadow seemed to grow larger and larger. It didn’t stop until it had morphed into the shape of a man, features indistinguishable except for light for eyes and a mouth. I went to say something, but before I could it lifted a finger to its mouth and made a shushing motion. I don’t know why I listened to it but I did, not mentioning the strange appearance to Malachi and later I’d come to regret it.
4
Malachi
I despised myself in that moment, not being able to remind Unya of who she was. I didn’t know how many more lies Hades would weave in his favour all I knew was that I could not contradict him, not if I wanted to stick around to keep Unya safe.
I noticed her staring into a corner of her room as we’d been leaving but I’d chosen not to bring it up.
It wasn’t clear what she’d seen but I hadn’t imagined it to be anything good. I had to accept that I couldn’t expect her to trust me straight away, I didn’t think she should at all not while I was stuck under Hades’ thumb.
I hated the situation I’d put myself in, but in the beginning, I believed that it had been a necessary evil. Hades wasted no time in correcting my assumption, while Unya had been catatonic.
The day after Unya’s birthday
“Will you stop moping; she is still alive is she not?” Hades posed it as a question, but I knew that he didn’t expect an answer.
“She hasn’t moved an inch my lord, she won’t eat or drink. How can I not worry, I made a deal with you to bring her back last time, I have nothing to offer if the same fate should befall her again.”
My words brought no reply, except for a deep belly laugh from him. His reaction confused me, I always liked to think of myself as smart and perceptive but in that moment, I had second thoughts.
“You stupid boy, did you think I would not bring her back without your offer. I could not let her remain dead I needed her to release my brethren from their prison. Just like I need her now to finish them for good, it is in her destiny to wipe them from existence.”
“Then why would you accept my offer?”
“Open your eyes Malachi, you are not that dense. You offered me something that I could not refuse. You. After your father died you disappeared on me, you became a shadow of yourself. You ignored your heritage, never once letting yourself feast until your victim was nothing more than a lifeless bundle of flesh and bone. But you offered your services to me, and I intend to enact on that agreement the moment she awakens.
You will agree with every fabrication I weave; you will play whatever part I create for you and you will never disagree with me when she is standing before us. And should she question you in private, then you will be a good little soldier and validate my story. You won’t betray me Malachi, as long as she lives in my realm you will be my slave and you will not lead her back to her world. Do I make myself clear?”
Hades had not been too wise in his orders, if Unya escaped without my aid, then I would be free to reveal every single one of his dirty secrets. Which would include the truth about her, so in response all I did was nod my head, turn around and stride out of the throne room.
Night of the banquet
Unya had tucked her arm within the crook of my elbow and I had led her towards the great hall. The moment we crossed the threshold I could feel every creature present, looking to us or more, her.
Hades orchestrated it perfectly, no one would dare correct her misconceptions of who she had been but that didn’t stop their curiosity. Many of these beings hadn’t had the chance to lay their eyes upon the ebony child and they were not about to waste this opportunity.
Unya’s eyes hadn’t stopped shifting from creature to creature, some looked human-like in appearance, but others made it easy to tell that they were meant for the Underworld.
Hades’ snobbery didn’t allow him to invite every bottom feeder to attend, only those who could offer something significant to the greedy lord. But word would spread, Hades had found the one he’d been seeking, and she was fighting for him.
We approached the table and Hades motioned for us to join him at the head of the table, the honour was significant, but it would have meant nothing to Unya in that moment. Many of the creatures showed a mixture of jealousy, disdain and awe at our special treatment.
I wished to be far from there, but I refused to give her up to the wolves. No as far as I was concerned, Unya was under my protection even if that meant having to pretend that we had been planning to one day wed.
It hadn’t been a repulsive idea. It just made me feel wrong, she’d chosen Lawson over me. The reasons for that remained unclear and I doubted that she could shed any light on it now, but I didn’t want to trick her into being with me.
As far as I was concerned that needed to be her decision, I didn’t have a choice.
I had to pretend, and not do anything that would make her hate me if she ever came back to herself.
