AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Here, he danced with a man with a conical crown. There he sat, listening to a group of bare-headed children. Beside that, he lay horizontal above a man with a giant dick.
I caught Bain's raised eyebrows at the last relief, but he wouldn't look at me when I tried to catch his eye. After a moment, I gave up and turned to look at the multitude of statues scattered around the temple.
Most were simple; Hades with his hand outstretched, either to offer help or, I thought cynically, to ask for payment. Someone had placed coins in his palm, which no doubt the priests and priestesses would collect at the end of the day.
I toyed with the idea of pulling a condom out of my wallet and placing that on the god's hand. Any bastard who thought I should be mated to Max Crane obviously had a sense of humour.
"Careful with that." Bain's words drew my attention away, to the guards who carried the box into the temple.
"Brothers…and sister." A priest with a completely bald head, including eyebrows and lashes approached, palms pressed together. His face was round, as was his belly and his lips were full.
Apparently the temple took good care of its own.
Bain bowed. "Brother—"
"Harold," the priest said down his nose.
"Ah," Bain said as if he knew that already. "Brother Harold. The Keeper has sent a gift to the temple—"
"Gifts don't go to the temple, good sir," Harold interrupted with a sniff. "They go to Hades. We are merely the ones who keep it safe."
A flicker of annoyance crossed Bain's face, but it was gone in a heartbeat, replaced with his usual indifferent demeanour.
"Of course, my apologies. I am just the humble head of the Keeper's bodyguard, sent to deliver this gift on the Keeper's behalf."
I bit back a laugh at the look on the priest's face. He clearly didn't miss that Bain had left out the respectful title of 'brother'. On top of that, the head of the Keeper's bodyguard was no small matter. Unless I missed my guess, Bain's reputation preceded him, regardless of any title.
Harold cleared his throat. "Bring it this way." Shoulders back and with another sniff, he turned and stalked toward a doorway with enormous columns to either side.
"Should you be antagonising him?" I whispered. "If they're plotting to—"
Bain cut me off with the faintest shake of his head. In the same moment he nodded toward a couple of priestesses who stood to one side, pretending as though they weren't watching.
When I looked directly at them, they looked away, but not before they exchanged frowns.
Even here, they obviously knew what I was. I suspected they'd throw me out on my ass if they could. If we weren't facing the other direction, I would flip them both the finger. Maybe two fingers. One each.
"Brother Harold," Bain said loudly. "I have a personal donation to make."
I glanced over at him and gave him a confused look. What the fuck?
I was halfway to assuming I was the gift, when Bain drew out the cloth-wrapped knife and offered it to the priest.
Harold accepted it and drew the cloth aside. Either he was an exceptional actor, or he had never seen the knife before.
"Hades thanks you, brother," the priest said and closed the cloth over the knife. He tucked it into a pocket and waved the men holding the box into a large room.
Bain and I followed, but not before I looked back for the two priestesses. I saw no sign of them. I wasn't sure if that was a good omen or a bad one. Hades knew what they might be planning.
I stayed near the door, my back to the wall, while the guards lowered the box onto a wide table and stepped back.
The room we stood in was simple in comparison to the rest of the temple. It had no windows, but two doors. The one we entered through and one on the opposite side which was fitted with a huge lock. The kind you see in movies about bank heists. The Vault's vault. Or one of them at least. Presumably the Keeper and the Alpha had their own.
The Council had one too, although I was forbidden to step foot inside. Me and everyone else not authorised, which were only the councillors themselves. That hadn't stopped me from peeking in once or twice, before the door was shut in my face.
Max Crane found that hilarious, before I tripped him and he fell on his ass. I was lucky no one else saw. Max's pride kept his mouth shut, or I would have suffered a few blows of his father's cane. He wouldn't have held back anything if he got the chance to belt the shit out of me. I made sure I didn't give him a chance. No way he was getting that kind of satisfaction.
I considered the implications if they were really dead. I wouldn't shed a tear, but I suspected I couldn't hide out here and avoid the fallout. For once, I actually hoped they were alive. I wished for giant boils on their asses, but I didn't want them dead if I got caught up in their shit. Life was too damn short for that.
