Loving Hades - Olympus Chronicles One

Chapter Two

"Oh, you here as well, Hades!" My sister walks into my bar and examines us, standing and sitting together. I calm myself down and turn around to her. "Great necklace suits you," Penelope remarks and joins Apollo and me at the bar. She is in an exceptional mood. I didn't see her so relaxed and cheerful in ages. She is too deliriously happy to know the truth about the two gods who are in the room with us. She might even be charmed by Apollo. I will keep a close eye on her.

"Does anyone want to have a drink?" I ask Penelope and Hades, trying to loosen up again.

"No, I don't drink that early." My sister answers the question with the exact same words Apollo used earlier. She has to be bewitched. I wanted to turn back, but Hades chose to be a nuisance and kick down on me. He is the last person I want to make a drink for right now.

"I would like something." He said it indifferently and coldly. I wish I had never met them and had stopped my sister from talking to them. I can hardly look at him. Everything would have been better without them around making problems. Our parents always pointed out how horrible and arrogant the gods are. My mother constantly told us never to address them unless we begged for forgiveness. I didn't really believe in gods until now. I never prayed, I was doing alright myself, and I won't be honouring gods I don't believe in, and my mom told me how horrible they are. How could I honour someone without honour?

"Let me guess, whiskey neat?" I ask, not even attempting to hide my annoyance with him. He only gives back a nod. I get up, walk around the massive dark-wood bar, and fill his glass. "That makes 40." I hold out my hand to him as he took his drink. His gaze darkens. He knows I am making it more expensive just for him. He reaches for his wallet, and I give him a satisfied smile. At least I will gain something from this. So much money that he doesn't even hesitate.

"I will pay for him! You can't ask my new friends for money just for a simple drink." I hold up my hands as she reaches for her wallet.

"You are right. It is on the house." They both stop taking out their money. Hades gave me a victorious smile. I would kick him out instantly. Wouldn't he be a powerful god who could immediately kill me or worse. My sister is playing into his hands so much it is frustrating. I wish she knew. I glare at Hades and hope he feels bad or at least uncomfortable.

"Look what I got you, Penelope." Apollo gets the violin he had created earlier, leaning against his barstool, and hands it to my sister. At least he is doing something decent and not misusing his abilities on poor mortals like me. Just to punish them because your fragile ego got hurt. My sister brightens up even more as she sees the violin closeup.

"The violin is gorgeous!" She examines it thoroughly. "Is there also a bow I can buy to match?" There is a chariot drawn by swans with a young man on it wearing a laurel crown painted on it. If only my sister knew Apollo gave her something with a self-portrait of him. Apollo reaches down again as my sister focuses on the instrument. Apollo throws a stone up and what he catches is the bow. He created another thing for her. He hands her the bow. There is laurel climbing up as if it is ivy.

"It is a unique piece. I waited for someone perfect like you to come into my life so I could hand it to someone worthy." I rolled my eyes and saw Hades doing the same. I turn away again to not meet his gaze. My sister jumps up and starts to play Apotheosis Apollo and the Muses by Igor Stravinsky. I hold back a groan. It is just a coincidence because she recently learned the piece. Still, Apollo is lavishing on her, playing music about him so much that it worsens my mood further. As she finished playing, he stood up and gave her a kiss. Enough is enough.

"You guys keep going, but I will head to bed," I said, heading for the door to get peace and silence again.

"But it is barely 7 p.m. Antonio." My little sister reminds me.