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“I have not committed any sins against you.”
“But you have committed sins,” Hades’s voice was even and calm.
Jarvis huffed. “Who are you, God?”
There was a beat of silence. “Quite the contrary.”
“What do you want from me?” Jarvis asked, getting irritated.
“Only one thing for the peace of my mind. I just need to know why.”
“Why what?”
“Why her?”
Jarvis frowned. Who was Hades asking after? Surely not Olivia. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Hades stood still and quiet for a moment. Then he extended his hand. Jarvis took the envelope he held and rotated it in his hand. Inside was an invitation to the Kensington ball. Jarvis frowned. He couldn’t make out the words in the dark, but he recognized the odd, mask-shaped invitation for the ball he’d attended just the night before.
“What is this?”
Hades took a step closer and brought the torch closer to the envelope. He turned it around so Jarvis could read the words.
Come to this ball at midnight.
St. John.
Jarvis stared at the writing for a long moment without comprehension. “If you’re implying that I invited you for a clandestine tryst at the ball and then didn’t meet you there,” he finally said, “then not only are you wrong, but it’s also an odd way of expressing your grievances. Snatching me from the streets, conking me on the head, and keeping me in this dungeon is a bit of an overreaction to an invitation for the biggest masquerade of the year.”
“Do not play the fool. This invitation wasn’t sent to me. It was sent to my sister.”
“You have a sister? How nice. What is her name, Hestia?”
Hades took a menacing step. “You do not get to joke about her,” he growled.
Jarvis took a step back and raised his arms in self-defense.
“She died during that masquerade because of you, whether you killed her or not!”
“Pardon?” Jarvis’s head jerked up to meet Hades’ dark gaze.
Right. The dead woman at the masquerade. It wasn’t a dream. Now Kensington’s words made a bit more sense. How did he know Hades even had a sister?
“No, there will be no pardon.” Hades turned on his heel and walked away.
Jarvis jerked and rushed after him, only to be stopped by the two burly men by the door.
“Hades, you cursed idiot, I had nothing to do with the invitation. Nor your sister! I need out of this place! Hades!”
His voice echoed down a long corridor until the receding steps of Hades’ boots were swallowed up by a sound more chilling than any scream. Silence.
The morning did not make it better. Neither did the next one or the one after. In fact, three days had passed since the night Olivia spent in Jarvis’s arms, and he still hadn’t come for her. She felt wretched, nervous, on edge and nothing seemed to soothe her.
Her parents assured her that everything would be all right and that they would take care of all, yet even they couldn’t find him. He had simply vanished.
And that led to only one logical conclusion in Olivia’s mind.
Something had happened to Jarvis.
