Her Quest

Chapter Twenty seven

Penelope stood in the dining hall, fuming furiously. Her hands were drawn into tight fists and she could feel the flames beginning to form in her hands. She never felt this angry before. Why was Adonis' lack of faith and trust in her making her feel this way? She needed to release all this heat in her body. If she didn't do it now, she might lose control and let it out in front of innocent people. Penelope looked around the huge, extravagant dining hall. There was a fireplace in the corner of the room. Penelope rushed over to it and let out a few fireballs at the barren fireplace. She heaved and held onto the wall for support. Penelope heard someone's footsteps behind her and then a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Mistress, are you feeling ok?". "I'm fine, Erica, I just needed to release some anger". "Anger? What could possibly be making you angry in the house of Hades? Was it the voices of the tormented souls? Do you hear them?". "No, it's not...the voices...What voices are you referring to?" Penelope looked at Erica with her face scrunched up in confusion. "The voices of the tormented souls. I'm glad you don't hear them, once you do, it doesn't stop". "Do you hear them all day?". "No. Those souls are in Hell, they twist and turn and burn and scream and it's just all so awful. The windows to Hell are in the throne room and it's open at the moment, that's why I asked if could hear them, but thank the Gods that you cannot". "And why are the windows open now?". "It's what feeds Master". "What? How does that make any sense?". "Master is trapped here without his soul. He opens the window to Hell every day to feed off the pain and screams of the tormented, hoping he will find his soul". "That's...horrible". "Master has grown accustomed to pain. He relishes in its pleasure. It's the only thing that makes him feel". "I didn't know anything about all of this. I wish I had" Penelope said despondently, mostly to herself. "I am supposed to give you a tour of the castle, master's orders". "Could we go to the throne room first?" Penelope asked but Erica shook her head with wide eyes. "Am I not allowed into the throne room?". "Master would prefer you not to see him in that state. Now, come along".

After hearing what Erica had to say about her master, Penelope actually felt bad for him. He was incomplete. It was her duty to help him, but she wasn't any closer to figuring out how. Penelope barely paid attention to what Erica was saying about the rooms of the castle. She felt uneasy all of a sudden. And her whole being itched to sneak a peek into the throne room. It wasn't like Erica had said that she was banned from the throne room, so of course she would just go there. Penelope looked at Erica who was walking a few steps ahead of her, passionately explaining who had visited the home of Hades and stayed in one or the other many rooms. Penelope stopped following Erica and then turned down a hallway to her right. She was in the west wing and the way she knew it - in most castles - the throne room was always aligned to be in the centre of the castle. She hurried along in the dark, desolate castle.