Thousands of years in the past
Atlantis
By the time they arrived at the hallway at the top of the arc, Amanda was exhausted. She was in great shape, but the climb up all those flights of stairs was rough on everyone. Everyone, that is, except for Pallid, who wasn’t even out of breath like she was.
“Aren’t you tired?” she panted, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
“No,” he replied. “Then again, I have the Stone of Immortality. It does more than keep you immortal.”
“Oh, right.” She saw a couple of chairs in the library down the hall. She couldn’t believe she and Katherine were in there two hours ago. “Can we sit down for a few minutes? I need to rest.”
“All I need to do is check the location of a certain person. You can sit there until I come for you. I’ll only be five minutes.”
She frowned. “But I don’t know anyone in there.”
“You can look out the window and check out the city. It is bustling with so much activity you won’t be bored.”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” She lowered her voice in case any of the people passing by might overhear her, “I can’t go in there without you. People will think I’m weird if I don’t have someone to talk to. Friendless people are the saddest ones around.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “You’re worried about what other people are going to think about you?”
“Of course. Doesn’t everyone worry about how others perceive them?”
“I don’t.”
Heat rose to her cheeks. “Fine. I’m not you, and you’re not me. Still, I don’t want to feel awkward in there.”
“I think some awkwardness would do you good.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve been watching the way you treat other people in this city, and you seem to think they’re here to serve you. It’s time you started to look past your own nose.”
“I think of others all the time. I’m the queen of an entire planet.”
“Impressive title, isn’t it? I wonder what you would do without it.”
She clenched her jaw, not liking where this conversation was going. He didn’t even know her. How could he assume such horrible things about her? She couldn’t believe her parents spoke so well of him.
“I am going to check on someone,” he finally stated. “You will sit and rest. I promise you, it won’t kill you to be by yourself in a crowded room.” Without another word, he left.
She reluctantly went to the library, acutely aware that she was the only one there who didn’t have anyone to talk to. It was the loneliest feeling she’d ever experienced. On Raz, she was the center of attention. If she wasn’t laughing with her friends, she was surrounded by men who wanted to marry her. She missed her world. She sat down by the window and stared out of it, trying not to appear as pathetic as she felt. She noticed that the people walking around, going about their business in the city, were with someone else. They seemed so carefree. She couldn’t wait to get back to Raz.
“Excuse me,” someone interrupted her thoughts.
She glanced up in surprise. Before her stood an attractive man. She smiled, relieved that she could attract people on this world after all. “Hi,” she greeted, turning on her full charm.
“Would you please move over a little bit?” he requested. “I want to see if the book I’m looking for is right behind you.”
Startled, she quickly moved aside.
“There it is!” He grinned. “I’ve been waiting for this book for weeks now. Thanks!”
She couldn’t say anything as he walked out of the room. She forced back the tears that welled in her eyes. It was so embarrassing. She’d never felt so humiliated in her entire life.
Suddenly there was a hush of expectation around her. Curious, she glanced around her at the group of people who eagerly looked at the doorway. She watched as a thirty-year-old man, wearing all black, entered the room. He reminded her of an Augur, except he was more attractive than any human male she’d ever seen.
He smiled widely at the people around him who seemed to adore him. “Are there any new books to read today?”
“There are a couple!” a woman exclaimed, delighted at the chance to talk to him. “Over here.”
He followed her up the steps.
People began to murmur around her.
“He is so gorgeous,” a woman next to her said. “It’s too bad he’s unattainable.”
“No one is good enough for Avar,” her friend agreed. “He’s the best of all the leaders’ creations. Perfect in every way.”
“He should be the one writing the books instead of reading them,” a man said. “No one can match him in intellect.”
“The leaders may have trouble on their hands with that one,” his friend acknowledged. “He could easily suppress their authority.”
“And who wouldn’t follow him? He’s the most interesting person who ever lived in this place.”
Amanda was surprised they valued the man named Avar so highly. He seemed to have a spell over all of them.
Avar walked back down the steps, thanking the woman who showed him the books.
“He’s read every book in this place,” the woman next to her whispered in her ear.
Amanda glanced at the woman, shocked someone talked to her.
Avar began to leave the room but turned his head in her direction. He changed his course and went over to her.
Amanda’s cheeks grew hot at the realization he had picked her out of everyone else in the crowd. She cleared her throat self-consciously, acutely aware of the envious gazes of the people in the room. Apparently, it was a great honor for him to talk to her.
“I don’t recall seeing you before,” he smoothly said, a broad smile on his face.
She didn’t know why she suddenly felt so nervous. He was just an Augur. “I…um…” She cleared her throat again. “I’m visiting.”
“From where? Perhaps I’ve been there.”
“No, you haven’t.”
His smile widened. “You aren’t like the others around here. Oddly refreshing. Shall I guess where you’re from while we eat?”
She shook her head, not understanding his meaning.
“You are innocent, aren’t you?” he noted. “I would like to discuss the details of your life over dinner. Don’t worry. I won’t touch you. Not unless you want me to.”
The woman beside her sighed, probably wishing it was her he was making the offer to.
Pallid returned at that moment and hurried over to them. “Avar, just the person I was looking for.”
Avar turned to face Pallid, frowning. “It’s inappropriate to interrupt me when I’m conversing with someone.”
“I don’t care what you deem appropriate or inappropriate,” Pallid replied.
“Infer, what is your number? I’ll have you reported to the head leader.”
“That would be you, if you got your way.”
He narrowed his eyes at him. “I have no such designs on Zeus’ office.”
“As far as others know.” Pallid’s gaze rested on the books in Avar’s hands. “Interesting reading material. Those are war strategies that Ares wrote.”
“They happen to be new books. You know I read everything I can.”
“Hmm…so it would seem.”
“You better watch your step. I can easily crush you. There are plenty more Infers to keep memories around here.”
“But there’s only one who knows what you plan on doing.”
“You don’t want to mess with me. I am not a compassionate enemy,” he warned through gritted teeth.
Amanda didn’t know what to say or do. This exchange meant something, but the details eluded her.
“Come, Amanda,” Pallid stiffly said. “We must be going.”
Avar grinned. “I get it. You don’t want someone else sharing your woman.”
“Hardly.” He rolled his eyes. “Though she does need protection in this place.”
“Amanda, if you ever get tired of being with this…thing, you can find me near the top of the arc. My office is up there,” he told her before he left.
Pallid shook his head. Turning to her, he asked, “Are you feeling rested now?”
She glared at him, her arms crossed.
He rolled his eyes again. “So you’re mad at me. You’ll have to get over it. I don’t have time for female hysterics.”
“You are the most insensitive person I’ve ever met.”
“I’m going to make a purchase. Are you coming with me, or staying here for the next hour?”
She was ready to say she’d wait there, but the thought of spending an entire hour by herself was worse. She stiffly nodded and followed him out of the room. Once she destroyed Atlantis, she would return to Raz and never see him again. It was the only thought that gave her enough strength not to cry or yell at him. And it was the only comfort she had for the moment.
***
In the Underworld, Katherine and Jake took in their surroundings as the man rowed the boat down the river. Despite the torches lining the walls, it was dim, but Katherine figured there was only so much light a person could possibly set up in the depths of a cave.
She winced at the holes carved in the cave’s walls that served as dwellings for the inhabitants. The elderly sat outside their dwellings and watched them, looking as if they had no purpose. Katherine saw a boy in a wheelchair trying to grab an orange from a tree that grew in the middle of a garden.
“How is it that you are able to have trees down here?” she asked the old man.
“The technology allows for them to thrive in this environment, although normally it would not be so,” he replied.
“What foods do people eat here?” Jake asked.
“Oh, the same types of foods you can enjoy above ground,” the man explained. “It doesn’t taste as good though. There’s something in the soil above the ground that makes things taste better.”
She saw that the boy was still having trouble reaching for the orange. “Why doesn’t someone help him?”
“When you are stuck in a constant state of despair, it’s hard to think of anyone but yourself,” the man replied.
“Where are the boy’s parents?”
“They are above ground.”
“They just abandoned him?” Jake asked, his tone indignant.
“I’m sure they tried everything they could to help him walk, but it was impossible to accomplish,” the man replied.
“But they could have come down here to take care of him,” Jake argued.
“The world above ground is too tempting to most people,” the man replied.
“So he was an inconvenience. He didn’t fit into their plans.”
“It is a cold world we live in.”
“Will you stop the boat so I can give him the orange?” she asked.
The man blinked. “Usually, it is not done.”
“Will you make an exception for someone who pleased Cerebus?” she added.
He smiled. “Very well.” He directed the boat to the steps that led to the boy.
She got out of the boat and walked to the boy. “Do you mind if I get the orange for you?”
The sorrow on the boy’s face lifted. “You’re the first person who’s talked to me in a long time,” he told her. “Yes, I would like for you to get the orange from that tree.”
She took it and handed it to him. “How do you usually eat?”
“There are foods that are prepared for us by those who cook. The trays of those meals are left outside my dwelling twice a day. Once in the morning and again in the evening.”
“So between then?”
“If I get hungry, I pick some fruits or vegetables from this garden.”
She eyed the great variety of foods that grew in the garden. “Is there anything else I can get for you while I’m here? I am on my way to meet Hades so I can’t stay long.”
“I would like an apple,” he requested.
“Done.” She fulfilled his wish, said good-bye to him and left. She returned to the boat and sat down. “What a nice boy. But he must be lonely. He said I’m the first person who has talked to him in a long time.”
“People keep to themselves down here,” the old man responded as he pushed the boat away from the shore.
She noticed Jake’s angry expression. Clearly, this world displeased him as much as it displeased her, but she figured it was for different reasons. She decided not to ask him about it. Instead, they spent the rest of their journey to Hades’ home in silence.
The old man docked the boat so they could get off. Hades’ mansion loomed before them. It was made out of a black material that sharply contrasted with the white material the buildings above ground were composed of. The pathway to the house was carved out with black marble. There were six torches lining both sides of the walkway.
Hermes came out of the house, fuming. “He needs to let Persephone go. Demeter will never sit still for this,” he warned the old man. “Put her in the boat and take her out of here immediately.”
“I cannot tell Hades what to do. He is the ruler here. I am merely his servant,” the old man stated. “But I will take you back to the entrance.”
“There’s no time. I must go back right away.” He strapped on his shoes, which enabled him to fly. “Hades cannot go up against Zeus. He’ll have to learn his lesson the hard way.”
Katherine watched in amazement as Hermes flew past them as if it were the most natural thing in the world for someone to wear flying shoes.
The old man groaned. “I hope this won’t have serious repercussions. We have enough to deal with down here as it is.”
She and Jake got out of the boat. She wondered just what the man meant. How could this place get worse than it already was?