Eva Pohler - The House of Hades

THE HOUSE OF HADES

THE underworld saga, book four

Eva Pohler

Copyright 2013 by Eva Pohler.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

Eva Pohler Books

20011 Park Ranch

San Antonio, Texas 78259

www.evapohler.com

Publishers Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the authors imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Book Layout 2017 BookDesignTemplates.com

Book Cover Design by B Rose Designz

The House of Hades/ Eva Pohler. -- 1st ed.

Paperback ISBN 979-8610705866

For my parents.

Contents

Chapter One

Under Attack

T

herese stood in the doorway, twirling a strand of her red hair round and round her index finger. There was only one bed in the center of Hecates room. That could be a problem, even though Therese only slept about once a week.

Maybe this wasnt such a good idea. Therese took a step back, knocking her quiver and bow against the cold stone wall.

It will be fine. Hecate skipped forward and snatched up Thereses bag. You can unpack your things in my closet. When she spun around toward the back of the room, her black and white hair fanned out around her slim shoulders.

Hecate didnt look like a witch or a hag or the dozens of other descriptions Therese had found on Google while visiting her family and friends in Colorado a month ago. She was an inch taller than Therese, and, in spite of the white streaks in her hair, she looked young, closer to Hermess age, mid-twenties, with a delicate nose and thin lips. Therese knew Hecate was ancientolder than Thanbut one thing shed learned since becoming the goddess of animal companions was that immortal beings aged at different rates from humans and from one another.

You arent what I was expecting, Therese said with a smile.

Mortals get me confused with Thans sister, Melinoe. Thats probably it. Were you expecting someone more terrifying?

Therese pulled her eyebrows together in confusion. Do you mean Megaera?

Hecates face broke into a grin. Those two are nothing alike. Then, in a somber voice, Hecate added, Im not surprised Than never mentioned Melinoe.

Well that makes one of us, Therese said. How could he omit such an important detail? Shed told Than everything about herself and her family. Why wouldnt he have ever mentioned Melinoe? Does she live down here, too?

She used to, until Hades banished her a few centuries ago. Now she lives on the outskirts of the Underworld in a cave on Cape Matapan.

And that is

On the southernmost tip of Greece. Hecate stepped forward. Where are my manners? Meg will scold me later. Please come on inside. Its so nice to have company. I get lonely here when Persie moves in with Hades. Hecate slipped Thereses bag behind a wooden door, as though she wished to give Therese no opportunity to change her mind. In the springs and summers on Mount Olympus, Persie and I share rooms with Demeter. Down here, I have a lot of time to myself.

Therese looked around the chamber for the first time, its dome ceiling high and covered with dancing shadows, cast by the light of the Phlegethon, the river of fire. A stream ran from an upper crevice down a series of rocks and pooled in a six-foot-wide basin before thinning and disappearing behind another smooth boulder.

Thats where I wash, Hecate explained. The spring is fresh and good enough to drink.

Beside the basin and curled on a pillow was a small animal, a cute brown fur ball Therese had never seen. Whos this?

Galin, my polecat. This is the time when she likes to sleep.

I wont disturb her, then.

My dog is awake and around here somewhere. Hecate glanced about the room. Cubie? Where are you?

A black Doberman pinscher with tall ears and a long tail crawled out from beneath the one big bed.

There she is. Hecate reached over and patted the dog on the head. Were you spying on us?

Absolutely, the dog answered.

Hecate laughed. Cubie, this is Therese.

Pleasure, the dog said.

Likewise. Therese stroked Cubies back, wishing Clifford had taken her seriously when shed announced that she was moving out of Thans rooms. Instead, hed given her an unconcerned stare as she had said goodbye and I mean it this time . I have a dog, too. Maybe you would like to meet him.

Is he intelligent? Cubie asked.

Hes pretty smart. As the goddess of animal companions, Therese had met quite a lot of dogs, and she felt positive that Clifford was as smart as any of them.

But probably not as smart as Cubie, Hecate said. She was once the Queen of Troy.

Before Therese could ask why a former Queen of Troy was now a dog, the floor trembled beneath their feet, followed by a loud boom .

Therese clutched the wall as Hecate fell back on the bed and shouted, Ahhh!

What was that? Therese asked when the floor stabilized.

I dont know. Hecates voice was frantic. I cant get a prayer through to Hades or to Persie.

Therese tried, too, but sensed no response. Blood pounded in her head as the ground began to quake again. She clutched the locket at her throat and prayed to Athena but got no answer.

Will these walls hold? She glanced up at the ceiling, a host of scenarios playing through her mind. If the walls of the Underworld were to crumble, what would happen to its billions of inhabitants, including the souls of her mom and dad?

Where are theyHades and Persephone? Therese asked.

Hecate winced as another boom sounded throughout the chamber. Mount Olympus.

Just then, a crack ran across the ground, up the wall, and through the dome ceiling.

Its going to collapse! Therese shouted.

Small chunks of the ceiling fell on the bed, on the golden table by the hearth, and in the water basin, causing Galin to leap from her pillow and into Hecates arms.

Clifford and Jewels! Therese cried. Theyre in Thans rooms. Her stomach balled into a knot when she imagined them harmed.

Ill go with you. Hecate set Galin down on the bed and spoke to the shivering weasel. You and Cubie go to Demeters winter cabin and wait for me there. Okay?

More rocks crumbled down the walls as a series of booms sounded throughout the chamber. The stream, which once ran gently down the wall, shot out, spraying in all directions.

Im not leaving you! Galin returned to her mistresss arms.

Nor I! Cubie declared.

Soaked and trembling, the four of them rushed down the winding path along the Phlegethon, dodging the falling rocks. Cracks chased them all across the walls, and loud booms shuddered through the air. Therese was afraid to pray to Than, worried hed god travel straight into danger. Even in her limited experience, she knew that if you arrived at a point occupied by solid mass, such as a large boulder, your body composition would momentarily meld with it. Shed discovered this problem when she once arrived in a brick wall. It had taken over an hour to recover, and the pain had been excruciating.

She found Clifford barking nervously by the hearth. Come on, boy! Weve got to get Stormy!