Halfblood's Debt by S.C. Stokes

Author:S.C. Stokes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: s.c. stokes, seth caldwell, urban arcanology, wizard, supernatural suspense, hades, ares, zeus, greek gods, mythology, urban fantasy mythology, urban fantasy mmc, urban fantasy male protagonist, witch and wizard, shifter, wizard thriller, funny urban fantasy, humorous urban fantasy, vampire urban fantasy
Publisher: S.C. Stokes
Published: 2021-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Uncle? I recognized the being before me at once. Not from his appearance, but from his aura. I’d experienced the same unpleasant sensation when I had visited his kingdom that same morning.

Hades strode through the chamber, and it surrounded him like a cloud. Whether he was the source of the malevolent influence or simply reeked of it after an eternity spent among the departed, it was impossible to tell. His eyes flickered around the chamber. They were blue but not like sapphires. They burned like bale fire against the white sclera of his eyes.

Seeing Zeus and Hera, he inclined his head but most of the other assembled guests hardly rated a twinkle of recognition in the Lord of the Underworld’s eyes.

The Summer Queen, Titania, regarded him with interest. It reminded me of the look cats get when they meet a new person for the first time. He paid her no heed.

“Ares, my dear nephew. It is not often I get an invitation anywhere these days.”

Ares wrapped his arms around his uncle and gave him a hearty slap on the back. Hades didn’t flinch.

“Nonsense! It’s the least I could do,” Ares replied, “particularly after your gracious hosting of the first challenge. We find ourselves in your debt. It was as entertaining as it was savage.”

“Yes,” Hades mused, extricating himself from the embrace, “and yet you still find yourself asking favors.”

Ares raised his hands apologetically. “Only that I might fulfill my host rights. What is a little favor between family?”

Hades turned to study the room. “Yes, what indeed?”

“So are you able to do what I asked?” Ares asked. “My guests are dying to know who did it.”

Hades gave his nephew a withering look that could have stripped flesh from the bone. “Naturally.”

Ares clapped his hands together. “Excellent, excellent. Champions gather around, this is going to be a real treat.”

There was an awkward shifting throughout the chamber. I knew why. With the sickening pall of death oozing from the Lord of the Underworld, they didn’t want to be closer to Hades than they had to be. I didn’t blame them; I felt the same.

Ares glanced around the chamber.

“Now!” His voice was starting to possess some of the anger we’d witnessed in the arena. Patience wasn’t his strong suit.

Slowly, the champions shuffled toward our host, and I fell in behind them. Ares beckoned as they materialized from the veiled chambers throughout the ballroom. All twelve of the remaining champions fell into line forming a semicircle before Ares’ throne. I ended up standing between the CIA agent and the young woman Edna. I had no idea how she’d survived the barbarity of the morning’s challenge, but she was still here.

Hades stood beside his nephew, his eyes flitting around the circle. I looked up at him. The man was a giant, but unlike his brother Zeus who was thickset and looked like a Greco-Roman wrestler, Hades was lean, but exuded strength, albeit in a less raw, more refined sort of way.

“You do realize the one you seek may have already paid the price?” Hades asked.

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