Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 316

Hades

The chill entered my bones, making every cell and organ prickle with the cold. Wrapping my arms tighter around myself again, I shivered, waiting in the oppressive darkness that seemed capable of swallowing light.

I tried not to open my eyes, scared I would see the faces of the monsters. Cain always checked under my bed for them but never found them. I understood why now—it was because this was where they really were all along.

I swallowed, but it was painful. My throat was dry, my stomach growled. I let myself wonder about food. My tummy had not stopped rumbling. I wanted pie and pudding. My mouth watered thinking of the big platter of food I would get if I passed this test that Dad gave me.

I would sleep in my soft bed again—the floor was too uncomfortable; it made my bones ache. I would play with Nox again. I hoped someone fed him while I was away.

I turned, folding into myself, hoping the pain would go quickly.

Then footfall—and light—filtered through my eyelids.

I snapped up just as the heavy metal door slammed. My heart jumped into my throat because I knew it was Dad.

It was in the way his footsteps were intentional. Like he counted each step the way I did when I was playing that game with Cain.

I opened my eyes, the light harsh, making them water. "Daddy," I greeted, like I did when I was younger.

He held a lamp in one hand and something else I couldn't see in the other. He looked a little big—but not too big.

"Hades," he finally spoke, but his voice was scary. The hairs on my body rose.

Confusion came first before fear. "Who is Hades?" I asked.

"It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" he replied, in a way that told me it wasn't really a question. It had a nice ring to Dad, so it had to.

My stomach rumbled again as I nodded. "Yes, it does, Dad. It's a nice name."

I couldn't see his face, but I knew Dad was smiling the way he did—only one side of his mouth, which made it a little frightening.

I sat there, waiting, eyes up. But he said nothing, and it was becoming too hard to breathe. "Dad... did I pass the test? Am I strong now?"

Dad didn't say anything. But I knew he was watching.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, ignoring my question.

It hurt when he did that, but at the mention of food, I perked up. "Yes, Dad," I told him, a little too quickly.

"I brought you food," he said.

My head leapt for joy. Maybe that was what he was holding in his other hand—the thing I couldn't see.

"Really?" I asked, trying to get up, but my legs buckled. I was too weak. I had been here for a while.

"Yes," he said, smiling wider now. "It's your favorite."

Dread crawled up my spine. Peach pie was not shaped like the thing in his hand. And I knew the smell of Chef Hildegard's peach pie. It didn't smell like this.

Dad took a step closer.

"Don't you want to see what I brought?"

I hesitated despite my hunger but nodded all the same. "Yes, Dad."

He came closer now, taking all the space between us with his long legs. He crouched down, dropping the thing he was holding. Then he took a step back.

I gasped when I took in the lump on the ground. Fur. Legs. Floppy ears. Sad, tired eyes that made my stomach sink.

My voice was weak, trembling. "Nox?" I whispered his name.

In response, he let out a little bark that didn't sound like him. I moved toward my favorite friend, picked him up, petting him the way he liked. He whimpered in response, snuggling closer to my chest.

Tears filled my eyes.

Then a clank spooked me. My eyes followed the sound only to find a little knife on the ground.

My eyes snapped to my father—something horrible dawning on me.

But the light was already receding. Dad was leaving.

And his parting words chilled me not just to my bones, but straight to my marrow. Words colder than the black room.