Hades

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"Calla!" I wave my hand around wildly until I hit something. Guilty satisfaction steals through me when she yelps in pain. "Can I please open my eyes now? I've been sitting here like a statue for the last hour, and my nose is really starting to itch!"

"I'm starting to understand why Zola was so adamant about throwing you into the lava lake." Calla grumbles.

"There's a lava lake here?" I find it really hard to convey my shock with my eyes still closed. "What for?"

"Hell." She replies simply, making me laugh. I feel her presence move away, and she clears her throat. "You may open your eyes now."

I open my eyes hesitantly, peeking at my reflection cautiously. A small smile grows on my face.

"What?" Calla fusses with my hair, misinterpreting my stunned silence for disgust. "Is it not what you want? Please don't tell me that you don't like it; I won't have enough time to—"

"Calla!" I interrupt her, grabbing her hands before she works herself up into an even bigger red-faced fluster. "Stop worrying! You've done an incredible job!"

I look back at my reflection again and my smile grows. The outfit she's created for me is absolutely stunning.The skirts of the dress I'm wearing are long and silky, swirling around my feet in pools of dark, fiery red. The bodice of the dress is a light cream, with lace made from the same dark red criss-crossing over top in elegant flower silhouettes. She's styled my hair in light curls so that it spills over my shoulders in strawberry-blonde waves, and she's left my makeup simple, with dark red lipstick and a soft smokey-eye that causes my green eyes to pop. She'd really listened to me when I said I wanted something more modern and I couldn't help but love her for that.

"Really? You truly like it?" Calla sighs when I nod, a look of relief fleeting over her features. "Oh thank the gods. Everyone was expecting me to run out, screaming for murderers to appear like Zola did."

"What?!" My eyes widen in horror. "Oh my god, am I the problem child of the Underworld?"

"What's a problem child?"

"A child that... well... causes problems!" I bury my face in my hands, my cheeks reddening. "Oh god, I'm that one person you all whine and moan about during your breaks, aren't I? You all must hate me."

"We don't all hate you." Calla grabs my wrists and pulls them away from my face. "It's just Zola who's going around calling you names. The rest of us think you're lovely."

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?"

Someone knocks on the door.

I know that knock.

"I'll get it!" Calla squeaks, practically running to the door. My heart skips a beat.

No big deal. It's just a ball. With a cute guy — I mean god. No big deal at all.

I let out a long breath, squeezing my fingers into fists at my sides as I slowly turn around. Hades stands behind me, his tall figure framed by the doorway. My heart stutters again.

"My Lord." Calla bows deeply, before fleeing out the room faster than you can say 'Cerberus'.

"Um." I link my hands behind my back. "Hi. Again. Hi again. Hi."

Smooth, Evie. Real smooth.

"Calla appears to have been much more successful than Zola." Hades replies sagely/. He gives me a minute, but rare, smile. "You look absolutely breathtaking, Evie."

"Thank you." I blush beet-red. "You do as well."

He's dressed in the same things he always is.

Hades laughs, his smile growing. All of a sudden, the realisation hits me like a meteorite.