HUNTED-Chapter 322: Imprisonment (2)

Through the slate palace of dark hues, one would expect the outer appearance of rough rock to be its interior. Instead, it was cut to a pristine finish of black, navy and golden furnishings. Along the high walls were golden engravings of narcissus flowers. His mother’s favourite flower that she grew along the walls.

With the chandeliers above and sconces on the sides brought colour and life, making the palace more homely than any would expect of the king of the underworld. But for Gabriel and Cassius, this was the home they had grown up in before they were thrust upon the earth for their father’s deeds. The one Gabriel forgot about, and Cassius tried to pull off.

This made trepidation ripple through Gabriel. He did not know if their father was going to punish Cassius or him. He hoped it was the former, that was why they were there, and if not, then he would have to find somewhere else more appropriate for him. If Hades were in his right mind, though, Cassius would not be allowed to roam freely for at least fifty years.

That was short in the human realm, but here, it was much longer. Time was different. They may have only been there ten minutes, but on earth, it might have already been a day or a week. Gabriel did not know. He never needed to figure it out before.

Now that Gabriel had Esme waiting for him, he wanted to drop Cassius off and leave quickly. He never wanted to be parted from her, and being a world away almost made him break out in a sweat. He did not know. He was, however, both pained to be there due to eius amor so far away and a warmth of nostalgia returning to him, wanting to see his mother.

Though there were also dark memories of his time in the underworld before Cassius aided him, and they ended up on earth. Gabriel looked at his brother from the corner of his eye as their steps echoed through the large corridors to the great hall. There was still some goodness in him. It may have been thousands of years ago, but it was there.

He knew it. It wasn’t him trying to clutch onto every last string of hope. He could feel it.

Cassius could have killed his mate. But he didn’t. He may say it was because of her father, but Gabriel knew deep down it was nothing like that. Gabriel killed Amelia, a woman who got between them, but she was nothing to either of them compared to one’s soul mate. Deep in his brother’s twisted heart, Cassius knew that.

Gabriel pitied him as well. To have been controlled by that trash and believing it love. Even after everything Cassius had done, Gabriel wanted him to have a mate so he could see what love truly was. A love that might shape a man to be something better, something more for his other half. Only time would tell, though.

A lot of time and imprisonment.

"You have been awfully quiet, brother," Cassius spoke up. It surprised Gabriel that his brother hadn’t tried to portal his way out of the underworld. He might have thought it pointless, though.

"There is a lot on my mind besides you. I have left Es defenceless-"

Cassius snorted as they stopped outside the tall, black oak doors leading to Hade’s throne room. "When has that woman ever been defenceless?" Gabriel glared at him, making him raise his hands up. "No one can touch her. If anyone did manage to get through your guards, I’m quite certain she would gut them for being a nuisance."

Gabriel smirked. "You make Esme sound like a cruel woman." She was to her enemies. Not to those she loved and protected.

"Once upon a time, she was. Or have you forgotten the day you first met?" Cassius asked. "I certainly haven’t." He smiled fondly, making a spark of jealousy and anger twist in his chest. "Oh, come on, brother. I won’t deny she was always a pretty little thing. A bit too feisty for my tastes, though."

Cassius was alive, why again?

Cassius shrugged before the doors rumbled and slowly opened by themselves. There across the hall, with more than ten gigantic steps leading up to a dais, a backdrop of black crystal glass windows, were two thrones. Sitting upon them were mother and father.

Or how the world knew them to be, Hades, god of the dead, king of the underworld, and his sweet wife, Persephone, goddess of spring with a sincere smile on her lips and tear-filled eyes brimming with love.

Where one sat tall, stoic, hair a mixture of black and silver, sharp eyes a deep blue full of centuries of wisdom, years of frowning deepening the lines around his mouth. The other was small, petite, golden with sun-kissed skin, eyes vibrant and alive, a crown of leaves and berries on her head, and a smile that would fill the hall with warmth unknown to many.

Their parents were an odd mixture of dark and light, death and life, yin and yang, but somehow it worked.

"My, haven’t we made a mess of the human world, sons." Hades barely raised his voice, but his words ricocheted to them, making the pair wince. Now, Gabriel and Cassius were gods on earth, but they were young princes in this realm still. They were still like teenagers compared to the powers of other gods.

"Father, mother." Gabriel stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back as he bowed his head to them respectfully. "I hope your statement does not include me, father?"

Cassius also bowed his head, keeping his eyes averted to the floor as Hades pushed up from his thorny throne and stood, looking down on them, his eyes searing into them. "Oh, I do-"

"Hades," Persephone hissed, glaring at him. "I have not seen my sons in so long, and you scold them before I can even feel them in my arms again? For shame."

"Seph.." Hades groaned. The iciness that had trickled into the twins’ hearts from his stare alone had softened as he looked upon his darling wife, even as he disagreed with her interruption.

Seph ran down the dais, her bare feet as quiet as any mouse as she ran towards her boys, instantly pulling them into a tight hug. Gabriel and Cassius were pulled down to her height, at first stiff from the many years and distance between them, but the nostalgic smell and essence of spring wafted from her being, making the pair instantly melt against her.

Gabriel glanced at Cassius on the other shoulder of their mother, surprised to see a single tear trickling from his eye. Was that guilt or regret? Or did Cassius miss their mother so much?

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"Boys, I know how naughty you can be." Seph stroked the back of the twins’ heads. "But you did take things a little far this time, my sweets."

Their mother pulled back, staring at them sadly, yet with a warmth, only a mother could bring to them. "Let us dine first." She slipped her arms in between theirs and started walking away from the dais and Hades, who threw up his hands.

"It’s not like I’m the king or anything.. Please.. take our brazen little killers to dinner. Shower them in love.." He followed after them, grumbling, making Gabriel’s and Cassius’ lips twitch with nostalgia. Hades was the king but he was wrapped around Seph’s finger like a loved up old fool. "Ohhhh.." Hades snapped his fingers.

"You want to torture them this way. I understand this now.. smother them in motherly love, scold, then punish them."

Seph shook her head. "Don’t listen to him, boys. I know you are not here merely to see us. I can’t say I’m not disappointed in you, Cass. But I will enjoy our time together before things are settled."

**

It was surreal to be sitting at the long dining table with heaps of food that Cassius and Gabriel were not hungry to eat. They could. Being a vampire did not stop them, but their craving for blood was strong since going through the portal. Still, they ate gratefully, though their father’s piercing eyes kept them from enjoying the food entirely.

Hades set his knife and fork down, resting his eyes on Gabriel. "Where is Nyx?"

Seph clapped her hands, a beaming smile on her face. "Oh yes, where is she?! Why have you not brought her here?"

Hades continued in his gruff voice, not matching his wife’s excitement. "Without her, neither of you would have gone-"

"That was Erebus’ fault," Gabriel snapped, darting his eyes from his mother, who pursed her lips and to his father, whose gaze darkened immeasurably. "Or did Cassius lie to me? Are you.. lying to me? Did you want his plan to succeed?"

"Of course not. I was not myself." He spun a large glass of red wine, making it swirl. The smell curled over Gabriel’s nostrils. But what made Gabriel’s temper disperse was seeing his mother’s hand grasping Hades, his hand in return squeezing hers.

They were worried. Like normal parents worrying over their children, worrying over a troublesome child. Or were they both ’troublesome’? Hades did not deny he believed Gabriel was to blame as well. "You believe me to hold some responsibility for what has befallen the mortals?" Gabriel asked, eyes searching his parents’ faces.

His mother parted her lips, instantly denying it, but Hades cut her off first. "You shared the same womb as your brother, shared the same day of birth, the same blood, and always looked out for each other. Yet you let my creation get in between you and turned your backs on one another like you are nothing more than nemesis’. You were meant to make up and stop him before things got so out of hand."

"He is NOT a child, nor my responsibility to keep him in check," Gabriel snapped. "It is his own actions that brought him here."

Cassius sighed. "Everyone is talking about me like I am not here.." He swirled his glass of red wine, watching it. "So, what do we do from here, mother, father.. dearest brother?"