it happen, and I had no idea how to get him to do that.
Not to mention, Lucifer had been lingering right outside. He’d leaned right against the door, making it creak.
But if I joined Hades for dinner, maybe I could get him drunk. Maybe I could lower his guard enough and learn more. Because right now, I was powerless. Knowledge was the only power I could get my hands on, and tonight, I was going to try.
It took a few missed turns, but I reached my quarters eventually. The door opened easily, and I slipped inside. Carefully, I stashed the bottle on the desk, then returned to the window.
Stars glittered overhead, thousands of them, bright and beautiful. The ocean below had calmed, and the light glittered on the surface. A black bird swept through the air in the distance, flying low over the water.
How was this dark place so beautiful?
A knock sounded at the door, interrupting my thoughts.
I turned, heart racing. “Yes?”
“A bath, my lady.” The quiet, feminine voice drifted through the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and a woman entered. She was familiar. “I saw you in the hall. You can transport.”
“Not out of this realm, my lady.” Her eyes flashed with worry. “So don’t even think to ask it. I would never betray my master.”
The fear in her voice killed any plan I had to enlist her help. At least, in that way. She’d never do it.
“Of course, I understand.” I tried to make my voice as nice as I could. I needed whatever help I could get.
She curtsied and entered, then hurried to a wall where a large mirror stood. “This is the bath.”
I watched as she pressed on the dark frame around the mirror. It swung open like a door, revealing a small chamber beyond. I followed her into the room, finding a relatively modern bathroom. An enormous copper bathtub sat against a large window that provided a view of the water beyond. It was open, allowing a faint breeze to waft in, carrying the salty scent of the sea.
The woman leaned over the tub, and with a quick wave of her hand, it filled with fragrant, steaming water. Rose petals floated on top. She stood and turned, gesturing to the tap protruding from the wall. “You can fill it the slow way with that.”
“Thank you.”
“Will that be all, miss?” An expectant smile stretched across her face, but her eyes said she wanted to run.
Bathe alone, or try to make a friend?
The friend option felt unnatural, considering the way I’d lived my life up until now. But it was also the smart option.
Anyway, I’d already screwed it up and drawn the devil himself right to my doorstep. At this point, I needed allies more than I needed to stay hidden.
“Um, could you stay and keep me company?”
Her brows rose. “While you’re naked?”
I shrugged. “I’m not shy.”
Lie. Actually, I was pretty shy.
But I was also desperate.
“Please. I insist.” I didn’t know if I had any power here, but I was in the fancy room, and she was wearing the maid uniform, so maybe she had to do what I said.
Just the idea of it made me feel guilty, but I wanted info. Needed info. For Mac.
“All right, then.” She walked toward the other side of the room and sat on the chair that had been pulled up in front of a vanity.
“Thanks.” I stripped out of my clothes and climbed into the tub, sighing at the warm, lovely water. The scent of roses surrounded me, and I could see the glittering ocean through the low window. The same bird swooped closer on a current of air. “I’m Seraphia.”
“Um . . . I am Kerala.”
“You work here?”
“All my life.”
“Are you . . . dead?” Was that the polite way to ask?
From the way her brows shot up, I was going to take that as a no.
“Not that I’m aware of,” she said.
“But is this hades? Is he really Hades?”
“Of course.”
“A god.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Crap. I’d known it was true. I’d felt it. But hearing it was scary as hell. Yet she wasn’t dead, according to her. Hell, maybe she was and didn’t know it. And maybe I was dead.
Nope, nope, nope.
My mind skittered away from that topic like a frightened Chihuahua. I didn’t even want to think that way.
“What’s he like?” I asked. “Likes, dislikes. Hobbies. Does he build miniature train sets, for example?”
“Likes and dislikes?” She looked at me like I was insane, completely ignoring the bit about miniature