ONYX

Chapter Eighteen

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                     Eighteen
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“Hades . . .” She breathed, regaining her balance. He was in front of her and yet she couldn’t believe it, this was too coincidental.  

Surely, she’d seen him around before, but she’d never seen a man of his refinement around the palace. She would’ve remembered a face such as his as he was flawlessly handsome with long dark hair styled half up and half down. He was extremely tall in a way that made his posture a little awkwardly perched against the bordered of the double doors that led to the balcony, he had to tilt his head so that he wouldn’t hit the frame.

Alessandra took her time to drink him in, finding herself enraptured with the man who called himself Hades; he was supposedly the man that’d caused her mother to make a deal when she was born. He’d also been the reason she was cursed.

There was no doubt about the darkness that exuded from him, but Hades hoped that she could see past that exterior. His eyes never left hers even when he caught her surreptitiously admiring him, but their gazes immediately met. She was captivated by the shades of blue which mirrored her own, but his were a tad darker and more sinister.

“You’re Hades?” She asked in disbelief. She’d never imagined him to be real all of this time. It seemed too suspicious that he’d show up right when she’d decided to walk off the balcony and end her miserable life. Maybe this was a trick of some sort. Greer probably sent for a guard or servant to come talk to her.

But that was doubtful.

“Yes, it’s me.” Hades replied. He didn’t want to show it, but he was scared out of his mind. If he hadn’t shown up, she’d be dead and he wouldn’t have been able to stop it.

“You’re not real.” Alessandra said, whipping around to face the landscape. She had to jump; she had to—

“I am real, Alessa. You know it, too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have called for me.”

She peered over her shoulder to meet his gaze once again. “What?”

“That pendant you hold was giving to you on your sixteenth birthday. I had it carved with the rarest sapphires from Olympus to remind you that I was always near, even though you didn’t know who I was. It’d also been your direct line to me and you wore it whenever you wanted to feel safe and I was always with you—even now.” He explained, desperation imminent in his eyes. He’d hoped that he could convince her that it was truly him.

“The pendant . . .” As if on cue, the jewel beamed in her hand, it was blinding and glowing in the gloomy night as the storm continued to grow. Startled, she let go of the pendant and it fell onto the ground below.

Hades cared not for the jewel, he’d kept his eyes on Alessandra as she was momentarily distracted. In that moment, he could’ve rushed forward to get her off of the ledge, but he stopped. He couldn’t interfere with her actions because this was the human realm and Zeus had made certain that they weren’t allowed to tamper with human affairs.

“Please, step down.”

"Why are you here?" She snapped. “Did my cousin put you up to this?”

She’d meant Greer and he knew that her time was coming soon too. It was his gift that allowed him to travel to the people that needed their souls collected. He had a feeling about Greer when he entered the castle and he knew what’d happened.

“No, I am here on my own volition. This is not a good idea.” Hades straightened his posture, careful so as not to alarm her, he took one step forward. “Let me help you.”