Chapter 25

CATALINA

We stood in the middle of an abandoned field, waiting patiently for Kol to teleport us.

“What’s the hold-up?” I snapped.

Lucien laughed. Kol glared at me. “You think the Underworld is an easy place to just pop into? Well, I have news for you, kitten. It’s not.”

“Why not?” Lucien asked before I could.

Now he received Kol’s glare. “Because it’s not fucking Disneyland.”

I groaned. “How long is this going to take?”

“As long as I fucking—got it. We’re good to go.” He grabbed us both before we could ask more questions. One minute we were in a field, the next we were on a bridge. A bridge that had seen better days and looked as if it was close to collapsing.

“Where are we?” Far ahead, I could make out the outline of a castle. It was dark, with monstrous storm clouds around it.

“The closest I could get us, outside your father’s mansion.” I took in my surroundings. It was like we were in a post-apocalypse. No grass, just dirt. The few buildings around us were worn and torn. Good grief.

“Let’s try not to use the F word while we’re here.” Lucien started heading for the castle, and I followed. He was carrying my bag that he insisted I didn’t bring. I smirked at his back in triumph.

“Do we have a plan for when we get there?”

“Ask if he knows anything about the One with Three, and if so, could he point us in the right direction?” I snorted. We were fucked.

Lucien shrugged. “That’s better than nothing.”

We walked in silence for most of the trip. I wasn’t sure what they were thinking about, but my mind was on my mystery mate. Why thorns? What kind of supernatural was he? Would he accept me having more than one mate? If not, would I accept him? I couldn’t imagine giving up all my other mates for just one.

~We’ll communicate like this from this point on. We don’t know who could be listening.~ Kol and I nodded our heads in agreement.

~I can see the front of the castle from here. There are two men standing guard,~ Kol informed us.

~Do they look friendly?~ I was not trying to get killed before the mission barely started. Or at all, really.

“We’re here to speak with Hades,” Lucien said in a very ~duh~ kind of manner. Hopefully, these guards didn’t pick up on that.

The one on the left laughed. “Everyone that comes to his castle wishes to speak with him. What makes you any different?”

“The difference is, she’s my daughter,” a sharp voice answered from behind him. I peeked around Kol to see Hades standing there, a hard glare on his face.

The look on their faces was priceless. They snapped back into position, standing like two statues next to him.

“Sorry, sir, we meant no harm.” Though I could see the confusion on their faces. Clearly, they didn’t know he had a daughter.

“Your lycan is sick?” My eyes snapped to the back of Hades’ head. Lucien stiffened next to me.

“What?”

“He seems to be missing his lycan. Why is that?” Looking over his shoulder, he eyed Lucien with suspicion. “He can’t protect you that way.” With a snap of his finger, Lucien’s body jerked.

I rushed over to grab him as he started heaving. “What are you doing?” Magic tingled at my fingertips. If he was hurting my mate, dad or not, I’d kill him.

Lucien let out a growl next to me. A very lycan growl. I blinked in surprise. “Holy shit!”

Kol laughed from the other side of me. “Lucien?” He had yet to confirm what we were all witnessing.

“How?” He grunted, eyeing Hades.

Hades laughed. “Boy, I’m a god. That’s how.” He resumed walking, but the rest of us were too stunned to move.

Kol stepped next to Lucien, studying him. “Is it the same lycan?”

Lucien nodded. “I don’t know how, but he’s back.” With a smirk, he launched himself away from us, shifting into his oversized wolf. He howled, taking off after Hades.

I looked at Kol, still stunned. He shrugged. “Like he said, kitten, he’s a god.”

Upon entering Hades’ castle, the first thing I thought was, this place is dark.

“Someone didn’t pay their light bill,” Kol joked, pulling me closer to him. Lucien closed in on my other side, still in lycan form.

“This way.” We followed Hades’ silhouette, considering that was pretty much all we could see. Some objects could be made out in the dark. But in the end, it was still hard to see.

~Do you think he’s keeping us in the dark on purpose?~ I asked my mates.

~No doubt,~ Kol responded.

~The gods have always been paranoid. Maybe he’s hoping we can’t find our way out if he plans to trap us here,~ Lucien said, sniffing around the area.

~You think he’ll try to trap us here?~ Slight panic set in. We couldn’t be trapped here.

Before they could answer, we entered a dining area. Finally, some light!

“Have a seat anywhere, lunch will be served soon,” Hades said, grabbing a chair at the head of the table. The three of us found seats directly next to each other.

“While the visit is appreciated, it’s rather unexpected.” He watched me closely. “What brings you here, daughter?”

I looked to Kol for help. ~Answer him straight, do not show weakness,~ Lucien said.

Taking a deep breath, I faced Hades head-on. “We’re looking for something, and we have reason to believe that it’s here in the Underworld.”

“Oh?” He leaned closer, folding his arms on the table. “And what might that be?”

“The One with Three,” I answered, sounding extremely stupid. Really, why couldn’t it be called something else?

He didn’t say anything right away, still watching me. Then he laughed. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” With that reaction? No, I wasn’t.

“Yes.”

“Very well then.” He chuckled some more. “I’ll point you in the right direction after lunch.”

Right on time, servants started to bring food out. I nodded in agreement, my stomach growling. I was eager to eat something, but also eager to know what had Hades in such a giggling mood. Did he take our request as a joke? Did this “three heads as one” thing even exist?