For the briefest moment upon waking, I felt like I was in my own bed. Not the library couch, where I’d been driven after Hades had appeared in all his shadowy, ghostly glory, scaring me out of my house—but my own bed.
Within a fraction of a second, however, I was back in Hades’ fortress.
Well, shit.
It was colder here, as if the air had an unnatural chill given off by Hades himself. And the light was dimmer, as if his darkness sought to devour even the faintest bit of candlelight.
A knocking sounded at the door, and I jerked.
That must have been what had woken me.
“Hang on!” I scrambled out of bed and found the same cloak that I’d worn yesterday while exploring. I swung it on over my old sleep shorts and Madonna T-shirt—both of which could stand to be laundered—and hurried to the door.
Please be Kerala.
I felt most comfortable grilling her for info about the mysterious apothecary.
Quickly, I swung the door open to reveal Kerala. “Thanks fates.”
She smiled and held up a tray piled high with breakfast. “That hungry, are you?”
“Um, yes.” I nodded, though there was no way in hell I would be eating that.
It did look good, however.
Breakfast here wasn’t terribly different from breakfast back on Earth. There were eggs and meat, fruit, and bread. Lots of tomatoes though, along with cucumbers, olives, and yogurt. Quite Greek.
I gestured toward a table in the corner. “It can go there.”
She bustled over to the table and I followed, a headache brewing behind my eyes and my stomach feeling off.
Dehydration.
I was going to need to drink soon.
I resisted the carafe on the tray, imagining it was the best coffee in the world.
Kerala turned to me with a smile. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Um, company?” I wanted to woo her to my side, after all.
“I—” She frowned, confused.
“Please. It’s lonely here. All my friends are back on Earth.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Very well, then. I’ll join you while you eat.”
Oh, hell no. “I can’t possibly eat before my bath.” It looked like I was going to be spending a lot of time naked with Kerala. “Come on.”
Before she could say no, I hurried to the bathroom and turned on the bath, filling it with soap. Bubbles would at least give me a little privacy. It filled magically quickly, and I yanked my clothes off and climbed in.
Warmth soaked into me, a spectacular feeling after the coldness of the air. I couldn’t help but sigh. I hadn’t planned on this, but it was nice.
Kerala took a seat at the vanity.
“Tell me about yourself,” I said.
“Myself?”
“Yes. Your life here, etcetera.”
“Well, I’m a maid in the employ of Hades.”
“Did you have a life on Earth before?”
She frowned. “Honestly, I do not remember.”
“Do you like it here?” I couldn’t imagine that she did. Would I need to take her with me when I left? Could I?
I had no idea.
“I’m not sure I understand the question.”
“What don’t you understand about it?”
“Like?”
I frowned. “That’s a word you aren’t familiar with?”
She scoffed. “I know the word. But in context, I don’t see how it applies.”
“It’s in the context of liking your life.” It seemed straight forward to me.
“That’s not what life is. You live it. That’s all it is.” Confusion flickered in her eyes. “How do you like it?”
Hmm. I had no answer for her. “Then what do you like?”
Her pale eyes brightened. “When I get a glass window perfectly clean. That’s quite lovely. And when a meal is perfectly arranged on a tray with ideal proportions. That is also very nice.”
Oh, shit.
What the hell did I say to that?
Kerala’s life was totally screwed up, if that’s the kind of thing she considered to be the joys of life. “Do other people here find similar things likable?”
She shrugged. “I suppose the blacksmith likes when his blades are sharp, and the apothecary likes when her potions are perfect.”
Apothecary.
I set aside Kerala’s issues—but I would return to them eventually—and jumped on the opening. “Apothecary? Is there one nearby?”
“Oh, yes. She’s the best.”
“Where would I find her?”
Suspicion flashed across Kerala’s face. She definitely knew I was a prisoner here, taken against my will. Why else would she be suspicious of me leaving?
I touched my temple. “Bit of a headache.”
“I can bring you a powder for that.”
“Um, no! That’s okay. I’d love to take a little walk.”
She pursed her lips.
Come on.
I could hunt on my own. And I would. But this would be so