Pirate's Curse | Harry Hook

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     "Would you disappoint your father?" Hades asked viciously, his voice burning like venom in the young boy's ears.

     "No." He panted, down on his knees before the ruler of the underworld. His face was discolored from constant tear shed and trembling fear. After enduring his father's tough parenting, and attempts to eliminate his 'weak' mortal qualities, Haden had no other choice but to obey his every demand. Hades wanted his childish son to grow up and learn to behave as a king, rather than a boy.

      Haden was given two options: he could find a princess and be happily married like Hades had hoped, or suffer a lonely eternity alongside his father in the gruesome underworld...

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     "YOU NEVER REALLY TOLD ME HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR POWERS HERE. You're half mortal which means you can't be powerful enough to do so without the barrier being down... unless the barrier is damaged or something."

     "Clever girl." Haden chuckled, grinning at his chest with a mischievously look in his eyes. "Finally, I've met someone with intelligence equal to her beauty." I simply nodded humbly, not quite sure how to respond to his flirtatious compliments. I opened my mouth to speak, but he raised a hand to silence me. Of course he isn't done talking. All he does is talk.

     "I used to live in the Underworld. At first it was nice and quiet, but over time it became depressing. I was so lonely. I mean, when your only company is your father and rampant souls-"

   "I get it." I interrupted, taking a hold of his arm to stop him from walking ahead of me. "I get that you had a rough childhood. I can only imagine what it was like for you. At least you're on the Isle now... where everyone is just like you."

     Haden sighed heavily, his shoulders seeming to droop. He then shook his head and looked away. "The people of the Isle fear me, so I can't exactly make friends. I'm the worst of the worst, Erina." Haden turned back to face me, his eyes low and dark. "But I think even I'm capable of changing how others see me." He nudged my arm with his, and we ventured down a narrow path.

     There were no stars up above; just a dull moon and clouds of smoke above the tree line.

     "Who else can use their powers? Does anyone else know that the barrier's cracked?" My faint voice melted into a whisper. Haden shook his head and his eyes found mine momentarily. I couldn't help but feel drawn to him. The person I should fear the most seemed to be the most misunderstood, or so I believed..

     "Only you and I know about it, and we can keep it that way if you want. If someone like Maleficent were to find out, it'd be game over." He hummed nonchalantly. "We can eliminate all other sources of magic until we're the only powerful ones left. You and I don't need a spell book or wand. We are our own magic." Haden's words were promising. He had a way with words like no other. He knew how to get what he wanted, and he was extremely good at doing so.