The Power of Hades (The Hades Trials, #1)

by Eliza Raine

'You're in Olympus. Virgo, to be precise.' 'Virgo? Like the star sign?' 'Each of the Olympians has their own realm, and yeah, in your world they're star signs. Hades' realm is Virgo.' 'My star sign is Capricorn,' I said. 'Who's realm is that?' 'Artemis. And she and Hades do not get on. Also her realm is forbidden, except if you're a centaur. So unless you're hiding a horse body under those jeans, give up any ideas of visiting.'

'Uhuh. Now, we need to do something about your hair. And eat some cake. You'll feel better.' I thought about refusing, remembering something about not eating food from the underworld, but the cake looked and smelled amazing. This whole place is pretend, I reminded myself, and lifted a slice from the cake. What harm could it possibly do? I took a bite, sensations firing in my mouth as the richest chocolate I'd ever tasted slid over my tongue.

'So I was right? You can't kill me? Or hurt me?' I asked Zeus, willing my confidence to build as my palms began to sweat. Sweat was my body's default reaction to any stress. Stupid body. Zeus looked into my eyes as he waved his hands, and eleven other thrones appeared on the dais, the rose throne vanishing. He sank slowly into his own seat. 'Not during the Trials, no. And anyway, I don't want to hurt you. There are many other things I'd rather do with you...' A stronger wave of heat blew over me, and I thought I saw Hades' chest solidify under the smoke for a second. 'Right,' I said, flexing my fingers. 'Well, in that case, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that you are a colossal prick.'

'Can I see your eyes?' 'No,' he said, but the word was soft. 'Please?' I stepped towards him, staring into his smoky, featureless face. 'Why do you want to see them?' he asked. 'Because... When I saw them yesterday, I knew I wasn't dreaming. I knew this was real,' I said, knowing I was telling him too much, but not able to stop myself. 'They're the only thing I recognize in this world.' Hades' form flashed, and suddenly, there they were. Those intense, beautiful silver eyes. But they were filled with sadness, and pain so evident that my breath caught. In under a second they were gone again, and I let out my breath slowly. The desire to help him, to make him happy, to fix whatever made him so intensely sad was overwhelming me.

'You'll see him soon enough,' Skop said, trotting about in a little circle on the covers, then settling down in a tight ball. 'I doubt that. He just told me never to talk to him again.' 'Which is angry-man-god-speak for: I'd very much like to have sex with you.'

Adorned with a blue feather and lined with white lace This is a magnificent way to hide one's true face