The King Of Death | Hades + Fae

Chapter Eleven

Tallulah

I'm sprawled out on a large red chaise, books upon books piled up around me as I struggle to concentrate on the words written before me. Nothing has the answers I seek, and despite wanting nothing more than to confide in Ilias something inside of me pushed my feet away from my chambers and toward the solace of the royal library.

Nothing offered me answers, though I didn't even know what questions I was asking. Do I want to know what Hades is, if he's not human or fae? Or do I want to know why that one word screamed up at me from the depths of my soul the moment I saw him fighting to get to me. Mate.

I hadn't heard it since and I wanted nothing more than to chalk it down to my erratic mind, and yet I still find myself clutching at a book about our most sacred bonds scouring the pages for any mention of a fae mating to a non-fae. None appear.

I slam the book shut and throw it against the closest wall, but quickly conjure a soft wind underneath it to prevent any damage as the book floats slowly to the floor. I may be mad, but I'm no maniac. Destroying ancient tomes was beyond even my own rage.

"Pilos?" I turn my head lazily towards the door where my guards stand, only to meet Arwyn's heavy gaze.

"He's guarding the prisoner, last I heard they were in the training room." I sit up at that, my hands clutching the sides of the lounge. The corner of Arwyn's lips twitch and my eyes narrow, he knows exactly what he's doing.

"Grison is in the training room." I frown, and Arwyns lips pull up even more to expose his white teeth in a menacing grin. Fuck. I jump up and grab my belt with the two daggers already sheathed in the holsters. Grison is the eldest of my guards and arguably the best fighter in the whole kingdom, and I had no doubt that Pilos had intentionally lead Hades into a trap of his own making. Whether I thought Hades could hold his own or not was beside the point.

"You boys are going to be the death of me." My words come out in a hiss as I storm past Arwyn while tightening my belt around my leather pants, thankful I hadn't removed my leather armour or let my hair down during my mindless reading. Arwyn scrambles to keep up with me but as soon as he reaches my back my palm shoots out and ice coats the floor, causing his feet to slip.

"For Aidoneus' sake, Tally! They're just seeing how much of a threat-" Arwyn slips again just as I feel his fingertips brush my wrist, causing his shoulder to slam into the wall beside us. A few courtiers down the hall look our way but I ignore them and continue on, my feet moving as fast as possible without running. If Grison kills Hades, none of my questions will be answered. I ignore the tugging sensation in my chest at the thought of it and grip one of my daggers in my right hand just as I approach the training room door.

"Tallulah!" Before Arwyn can grab me, I shove the door open and step through. Twenty soldiers stand as still as the stone that surrounds them, all positioned in a half circle at the back of the room, right by the menacing drop. Steel meeting steel rings out around me and a flap of leathery wings has my feet moving on their own accord, now running to the commotion.

"Move!" I shout, shoving past my soldiers until I'm standing only feet away from my most trusted guard and my most valuable prisoner, locked in battle. Beads of sweat cover them both, with only pants covering their skin. I'd seen Grison without a shirt before, but my eyes don't linger on him long. Instead they focus on the mountain of a man who cuts down against Grison's blade with the poise of a seasoned warrior. His skin almost sparkles with the beads of sweat, his muscles rippling with each and every movement of his body. Black ink swirls up his right arm and covers half of his chest, leaving the other side bare and untouched. His dark as night hair is pulled back with a leather band that does little to hold in the locks, pieces sticking to his sweaty face.