ONYX

Chapter Twenty

“This way! This way!”

Skin.

Alessandra marveled at the contact. Winnie’s hand slid into hers and for the first time she knew what another woman’s touch felt like apart from her mother. Winnie had smooth, delicate hands that were so tiny and yet her grip was fierce.

Alessandra was surprised. She practically dragged her down the luxurious halls of the palace because Alessandra was too busy gawking to keep up with her pace. This place was unreal.

Unlike her former home in Evyon, the ceiling was as high as the sky and not even she could see what was at the very top floor. There were large paintings adored on almost every square inch of the wall that depicted battles and angelic creatures. She hadn’t had time to admire them; she only glanced at the golden figurines painted on the canvas.

The staircase was an endless spiral all the way into the foyer where Alessandra continued to survey the grandeur. Portraits of unknown people decorated the halls, which was different from the art on the other levels of the house. These seemed to be tributes to very prominent people that Alessandra hadn’t heard about. As Winnie continued to haul her to their destination, she caught the names laminated underneath the canvas.

Aphrodite?

Athena?

Apollo?

Poseidon?

Hera?

Zeus?

Such funny names, she thought and each of those names had a face painted above it. They were beautiful and there were more down the line, she just didn’t have the chance to look. The interior design had been gothic and dark with very little lighting to accommodate the mysteriousness surrounding this unknown home. It certainly set a tone that unsettled Alessandra.

Her grip tightened around Winnie’s.

Winnie escorted her towards another staircase, but it was shorter and the descent didn’t last long. It led to a larger and more open foyer where the rooms split. To the left of the stairs was a gigantic dining hall, and to the right was a sitting den.

There was a kitchen entrance at the side of the stairs but it was a small entrance meant for the kitchen staff. And the place was oddly vacant for a palace. Back in Evyon there were nothing but servants and nobles running amuck and it honestly made Alessandra uncomfortable, but here there was no one.

Alessandra didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried. “Why aren’t there more people here?”

“Hades doesn’t like to have visitors. He keeps the doors to his realm closed because he hates entertaining guests.” Winnie answered with a crooked grin. Her footsteps slowed, which means they were close to where they needed to be.

A few more steps and then Winnie turned a corner. They were in the oven room where food that needed to be cooked over the fire was. Standing with her back to them was a petite woman with hair the color of obsidian pulled back into a bun. She stabbed at the fire and wiped away sweat with the back of her hand as she tended to the food being cooked in a pot.

“Winfred, what did I tell you about disturbing me while I am preparing supper? I told you that I like to be alone.” The woman snapped, twisting around to look at her, but she froze when she saw Alessandra. She hadn’t expected to see a new face.

“I am sorry, Lady Ryes, but prior to Lord Hades’ request—”

“Say no more,” Lady Ryes interrupted, stopping Winnie in the middle of her sentence with a lifted hand. “I have been informed of whom she is.”