The Queen Below

Chapter 5

"Good, you're finally awake." I heard when I stirred from my sleep.

My arms felt like lead beside me but, with effort, I raised them to rub the exhaustion from my eyes. I turned on my side with a heavy sigh and found Hades sitting in one of the lounges in my suite, parchment spread around her. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you to wake. You were asleep for several days and I was getting worried, but Hypnos assured me you were fine." She sighed and moved the parchment off her lap, revealing her pale legs that shined in the torchlight.

I looked away as I felt my cheeks warm. "I didn't know it was possible to sleep that long."

"Neither did I, not without a curse, but I forgot how taxing the journey here is for someone unlike us."

"What do you mean?" I risked looking back at her and saw she hadn't fixed her peplos, so I tried to focus on her face. The sight of her long legs would just add more content to my dreams.

"For chthonic deities, it is easy to return to the Underworld. We each have our ways. I have my chariot, for example. That's why I wish I had known you were coming. I would have gladly spared you the harsh journey."

"It's not your fault that I needed to be here so soon." I sat up, the silk sheets falling away from my body, and goosebumps spread across my skin. I ran my hands down my arms in an attempt to brace myself for the cool air. The short chiton I had changed into before sleeping was not proper attire for the Underworld.

"I'll have some warmer clothes made for you, but for now..." Hades stood gracefully, the dark peplos falling to her feet, and removed a torch from the wall. She walked past me to the fireplace I hadn't noticed was there and dipped the torch against the wood, lighting a fire immediately. "This should help. I'm afraid I'm quite used to the temperature. I know it's much cooler here than Olympus."

"It's fine, Hades," I murmured as I watched her eyes quickly glance at my legs as she straightened herself. I pulled one of the sheets off the bed, still warm, and wrapped it around myself securely. My eyes went back to the lounge and the pieces of parchment strewn across it. "What were you working on?"

"Maps of the palace for you. I know this is a very confusing place and I don't want you to get lost should you ever decide to explore without me or any of the others. Speaking of the others, they'll be glad to know you're awake. They've been making plans for you." Hades moved to gather the pieces of parchment.

"Oh?" I chuckled when she dropped a few. Not even goddesses were graceful all the time.

"They want to show you the Underworld and their own part of the realm."

"Sounds fun."

"I wish I could spend more time with you, but I'm afraid I have very many things to do. I help Aeacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus judge specific souls when their placement is uncertain or when they petition for replacement and the judges deem it worthy to actually see them. Sometimes I have to sort out disputes between deities."

"Really?" I had turned back to look at the fire, but as I raised my arms to warm my hands, the sheet fell to the floor.

Hades didn't sound like she noticed. "Yes. Believe me, we are family here. We love each other, but arguments happen between the closest of people. Regardless, it keeps me very busy, so I'm afraid I may not be the best host. All of my servants have been specifically told to treat you with the greatest respect, even Markos."

"Well, I suppose that's good. I don't mean to trouble you, but I'm feeling surprisingly hungry." I turned and saw she was standing behind me, holding the sheet in one hand and the stack of parchment in the other.