Royal Hearts Read online

  “No, I don’t mind. I’d like to meet your friend.”

  “So how are your classes going?” she asked as she drove out of the parking lot.

  For a moment, he seemed confused by her question, but then he replied, “Oh. Classes. They’re okay. How about your classes? Is there anything interesting happening with your education?”

  She couldn’t help but think it was cute that he worded things the way he did. “Not really. It’s the same stuff. Take notes. Do homework. Take tests. Hope I got an A. Things like that. Well, I guess there is this one thing one of my teachers is excited about. There’s this new United Nations leader who actually settled all the disputes in the Middle East. He said it’s time we all united as one group instead of being divided.” She shrugged. “Or something like that. They’re making a big deal out of it on the news. My teacher is so happy that she hasn’t given us any homework for the past week. She usually gives out boring homework assignments, so I’m glad about that. Have you heard about it?”

  “Um no, I haven’t.”

  Great, she was boring him. She mentally ran through a list of topics to discuss.

  “Kent likes your friend Stacey,” he said. “He can’t stop talking about her.”

  “Yeah?” She grinned. “I’m glad because her last boyfriend was a jerk. He only wanted to go out with her to have sex, and when she refused, he dumped her.”

  “Kent isn’t the kind of person who’s just out for sex. He wants a long-term relationship.”

  “Well, she’s crazy about Kent. She couldn’t stop talking about their date, and she’s no longer talking about going to Toledo for school. I think Kent found a way to convince her that his college is for her after all.”

  “I think they’ll be good together.”

  She nodded her agreement as she turned down a neighborhood street. “We’re almost at Lisa’s. She went to the zoo with her boyfriend, but she should be home by now. I have to warn you, though. Lisa is one of those people who can run a little late, so she might not be home yet.”

  “I don’t mind. I’m in no hurry.”

  When they reached the front door, Ann rang the doorbell.

  Lisa’s mother opened it and grinned. “Oh hi, Ann! It’s so good to see you. Where’s William?”

  Ann stood still for a moment, uncertain of how to react. Then, since everyone was waiting for her to say something, she forced out, “Uh, this is Hathor.”

  “Nice to meet you, Hathor.” Her gaze went back to Ann. “Are you here to see Lisa?”

  Ann nodded, her head still spinning from the way the woman had blurted out William’s name. “Yes. She said I could get the book I lent her.”

  “She hasn’t gotten back from the zoo yet, but she should be home any minute. Would you like to come in and wait for her?”

  “Sure.”

  Still avoiding eye contact with Hathor, Ann followed the woman into the living room and sat on the couch.

  “I’ll get you some of my homemade lemonade while you’re waiting for her,” Lisa’s mother said before she left the room.

  Ann fidgeted next to Hathor. Now that Lisa’s mom had opened her big mouth, she didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t talk her way out of this complicated situation without sounding stupid.

  As if sensing her apprehension, Hathor touched her arm. “It’s okay, Ann. I already know you’re seeing William. I met him the other day.” He shrugged. “We talked and found out we were both dating you.”

  “I guess I should have told you and him about it. I just…that is, I…”

  “You didn’t feel comfortable doing so. It’s alright. You don’t owe me an explanation.”

  Feeling better, she smiled. “Thanks.”

  Lisa’s mom gave them some lemonade and, thankfully, managed to leave without causing any more problems.

  When Hathor took a sip, his eyes lit up. “This is the best tasting lemonade I’ve ever had.”

  “It’s her legacy. She’s an expert when it comes to making this.”

  The door opened, and Lisa and Carson came into the entryway, which was just in sight of where Ann and Hathor were sitting. “Oh, hi,” Lisa said. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I was going to be here sooner, but we ended up sampling the ice cream at the zoo. They have new exotic flavors.”

  “My favorite was the kiwi-banana supreme sundae,” Carson added and nodded to Hathor. “I’m Carson.”

  “I’m Hathor.”

  “You look familiar,” Carson said.

  “It was at the mall,” Hathor replied.

  He snapped his fingers. “Right. You’re the guy I accidently bumped into.”

  “It’s a small world,” Lisa said. “So, what are you two up to?” she asked Ann and Hathor.

  “We came by to pick up that book I lent you,” Ann replied.

  “Okay. I’ll get it.”

  After Lisa left, Carson sat in a chair. “I see you’re fortunate enough to drink some of her mother’s famous lemonade. It’s the best stuff I ever tasted. In fact, it’s the only reason I’m still with Lisa.”

  Ann laughed at his joke. “Are you sure it has nothing to do with her fancy car?”

  “The rust stains do attract stares from strangers. It’s a great way to meet people.”

  “Carson is a natural comedian,” she told Hathor.

  “Life is too short to be taken seriously,” he said. “I think taking time to laugh helps take the edge off the tough times.”

  “Well said,” Hathor replied.

  “So you go to college?”

  “I told Lisa about you,” Ann said, glancing at Hathor.

  “Yes,” Hathor told Carson.

  “What do you think of it?” Carson asked.

  “It’s a nice school. There are a lot of good people there.”

  “Here’s your book,” Lisa told Ann as soon as she entered the room.

  Ann took it from her. “Thanks. Was it any good?”

  “It starts off slow but then picks up by page fifty.” Lisa sat in the chair next to Carson then looked at Hathor. “So, I was wondering, what is the difference between high school boys and college boys? Are college ones really more mature or is that just a myth?”

  “Ahem,” Carson interrupted.

  “Oh, I know we’re going out,” Lisa said. “It’s just that next year you’ll be in college, and I want to know what to expect. Like, will you suddenly be responsible or will you still think spinning out on the ice is fun?”

  Ann chuckled. “You can’t take them seriously when they’re together, Hathor.”

  “I don’t know if there’s any real difference,” Hathor said. “From what I’ve observed, a human’s maturity level has very little to do with his age.”

  A human’s maturity level? At times, Hathor seemed to fit right in, but then at others, Ann had the feeling the place he came from was a whole lot different than she expected.

  The doorbell rang, and Lisa groaned. “Just when the topic got good.” She walked over to the door and opened it. “Oh…uh…” She glanced at Ann, a slight panic in her eyes.

  Ann leaned forward to see who was at the door and saw William. Did Lisa’s mother expect him to come over? Was that why she asked about him when she answered the door? But, more importantly, what was the statistical possibility a comet might hit them at this very moment and save Ann the awkwardness of having to explain things to William?

  “I told him not to come,” Carson muttered under his breath, but his voice wasn’t so low Ann didn’t hear him.

  Ann glanced at Carson. His comment could be taken several ways, but she couldn’t ask what he meant since William was heading right for them.

  “I saw Carson was here and figured I’d stop by,” William said. “Hey there, Ann. I didn’t expect you to be here.”

  “Hi, William,” she managed, an awkward smile plastered right on her face. She probably looked like an idiot, but she didn’t know what else to do.

  “I’m sorry,” William told Lisa. “I didn’t know
you had company.”

  “This is Hathor. He’s the guy I ran into at the mall the other day,” Carson said.

  “Oh, right. I didn’t recognize you,” William told Hathor.

  Ann shifted in her seat, noting an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why was William pretending he didn’t know Hathor?

  “Ann knows we already met,” Hathor dryly commented, not at all shy about making eye contact with William.

  William’s face grew bright red. “Yes well, I just didn’t want to make things weird for everyone, just in case.”

  It’s a little late for that, Ann thought. “Well, we just stopped by to get my book,” she finally said, breaking the tense silence. “We should get going,” she told Hathor.

  Hathor seemed to be relieved to get out of there, and she didn’t blame him. “It was nice meeting you, Lisa and Carson,” Hathor said. “It was interesting to see you again, William.”

  “Hathor.” William nodded, barely looking at him.

  “Bye,” she said with a quick wave.

  As she and Hathor left, she overheard William say, “I forgot you said not to come, Carson. I just wanted to ask you about a school assignment.”

  Ann shook her head. She doubted he’d forgotten. If he was going to pretend he didn’t know Hathor, then what else was he lying about?

  ***

  Present day

  Entrance to the Underworld

  Planet: Olympia

  Persephone waited for her servant to finish loading up her many suitcases onto the black chariot. Meanwhile, she kept checking her reflection in her pocket-sized mirror. The two black horses impatiently waited for their order to take her to her home for the next seven months.

  Second Commander Jaz and Guard Lino sat on a couple of large rocks by the entrance of the Underworld, which was carved into the side of Mount Olympus. As eager as Jaz was to find Guard Falon, she forced herself to remain quiet. She had learned the Olympians could not be rushed. They did things in their own time.

  “Your things are ready,” the servant told Persephone.

  “Thank you, Celestia,” she replied as she put her mirror away. Her expression was one of sheer exhilaration. “Notify Hades of my early arrival.”

  “He will be pleased.” The servant bowed and left to do her bidding.

  She let out an excited cheer then motioned for the Palers to get into the chariot. “Are you ready?”

  Jaz and Lino jumped up and hurried to join Persephone on the chariot. When the driver arrived, Jaz braced herself for the fast ride down the inside of the mountain, but the ride was surprisingly smooth and seemed to be over as soon as it began. They arrived at a river, which wound its way through several dark tunnels.

  An old man waited for them by a boat, his long black robe hiding everything but his face. “It’s good to have you back, Persephone. Hades is unbearable when you’re gone.”

  “It’s only because he misses me,” she replied. “But I’m here now, and everything will be right with the Underworld.” She turned to the Palers. “Don’t speak to Hades until he speaks to you. He gets a little upset if you do.”

  The old man snorted. “A little?”

  “That’s not fair,” she said, glancing his way. “Hades is misunderstood. He’s not the ogre others say he is.”

  The old man rolled his eyes but didn’t comment.

  Persephone turned back to Jaz and Lino. “He’ll be more likely to listen to you if you follow the rules of the Underworld. Do not talk to him until he talks to you. I will do my part to sway him to say yes to letting your friend go.”

  Jaz sighed. It was another obstacle to go through before they could get to the matter of finding Queen Ann.

  The four got into the boat once the suitcases were all loaded in. Then the old man steered it down the River Styx.

  “Did Hades really miss me?” Persephone asked.

  “Terribly,” the old man replied. “He’s been moping the whole time, like he always does when you’re gone. He doesn’t seem to want to live until you arrive. In fact, as soon as he heard you were coming, he set up an elaborate feast in your honor.”

  She clasped her hands to her heart and smiled. “It’s wonderful to be loved so.”

  “We all look forward to when you come here. You are the only ray of sunshine in this place.”

  She didn’t hide her pleasure at his comment, but it took all of Jaz’s willpower to hide her frustrations. Would this journey ever end?

  They continued their journey in silence until they came to a black palace.

  “It’s just as I remember it,” Persephone said. “Except for my gardens. Oh, they are so barren. I shall get to work on those tomorrow.”

  The old man pulled his boat into the dock and helped his passengers out. “May you fare better than the Paler who came through here earlier,” he told Jaz and Lino.

  “You mean Guard Falon,” Jaz said. “What happened to him?”

  “Hades did not take kindly to the fact that Guard Falon broke two of Cerebus’ jaws, even though it was apparent Guard Falon was protecting himself. He sent Guard Falon to the third level of torment where he will experience constant thirst with a broken jaw.”

  “For defending himself?” Jaz felt the heat rise in her face at the injustice paid to one of her best guards.

  “Hades is not a reasonable god.”

  “I will talk to him,” Persephone said. “He must not have known that Guard Falon was on a mission to save Queen Ann.”

  The old man gasped. “Queen Ann is in danger?”

  Persephone nodded. “That is why I am here earlier than usual. I came to talk Hades into letting Zeus sort through the Sands of Time. He will listen to me.”

  “Guard Falon should have said something,” the old man said. “If Hades had known he was here to save the queen of Raz, he never would have condemned him to punishment. Hades will be greatly distressed when he hears the reason for Guard Falon’s visit.”

  Jaz didn’t understand how Queen Ann could have such a profound impact on everyone on this planet, but she was glad she did.

  Persephone led Jaz and Lino through the gate and past the garden. Before she reached the door, a servant opened it, bowed to her, and placed a royal black robe over her shoulders and an onyx crown on her head.

  “Welcome to your home, Queen Persephone,” he said. “It is a pleasure to have you back. Once again, laughter will fill this place.”

  “Thank you, Kinruf,” she replied.

  As soon as she entered the palace, Hades ran over to embrace her. He whispered something in her ear that made her giggle. He kissed her, and he probably would have kissed her longer except she ended it.

  “Not now, my love,” she said. “We have guests.”

  His eyes narrowed at Jaz and Lino. “I don’t want to see anyone until I have a chance to properly welcome my queen home.”

  “But this is an urgent matter.” She frowned prettily at him. “You wouldn’t deny me my request, would you?”

  His hard expression softened. “I could never refuse you anything.”

  “That is why I love you so much.” She took his hand and led him over to the Palers. “Queen Ann is in trouble, and she needs our help. These Palers brought news of the queen’s distress to us, and they have a friend who ended up here by accident. He’s the one who injured poor Cerebus.”

  Hades’ jaw dropped, and his face went white. “I had no idea.” He turned to Jaz and Lino. “Please, accept my apologies. Kinruf, I need you to bring that Paler back and readjust his jaw so that it’s no longer broken. I will find a way to compensate him later for my hasty action.”

  “You are wonderful, my king,” Persephone told Hades, snuggling up against his side.

  He kissed her cheek.

  Jaz glanced at Lino and shrugged. It appeared that their presence wasn’t necessary after all. What would they have had to do if they weren’t there for Queen Ann’s sake? She shivered at the thought. They probably wouldn’t make it out of here.
The Underworld was more of a prison than she’d thought.

  “I have another request,” Persephone told Hades.

  “I’ll give you anything you want,” Hades replied.

  “Zeus and the other Mount Olympian gods had a meeting and determined that Queen Ann must be trapped somewhere in another time. There is only one way they can know where she has gone.”

  His eyes lit up with understanding. “The Sands of Time.”

  “Would you mind taking it to them?”

  “Only if you come with me. As much as I pledge my loyalty to the queen of Raz, I cannot bear to be apart from you any longer.”

  “I had planned to go with you. It is as hard for me to be away from you as it is for you to be away from me.”

  His fingers brushed her cheek.

  The tender motion made Jaz uncomfortable, so she looked away.

  “We will go to Zeus right away,” Hades finally said. His attention shifted to the Palers. “Will you be joining us, or will you return to Pale?”

  Jaz took that as her cue to talk to him. “We are a part of the search party to find Queen Ann, so we would like to join you and Persephone.”

  He nodded. “Done. Your friend should be back soon. I will reimburse him for his troubles.”

  Good. They were finally going to find Ann and bring her back. It was about time, too. Jaz hated to think of what Ann must be enduring at the hands of Omin’s clone. She only hoped they weren’t too late to save her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Six years in the past

  Dayton, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  Hathor had never seen a movie before, but he was pleasantly surprised. He remembered her talking about going to the movies with her friends when she was on Earth, but he never understood what she meant until now.

  Even though the movie was interesting, he couldn’t get William out of his mind. He suspected that William had planned to see Ann at Lisa’s. Maybe William didn’t realize he would be there, too.

  Hathor winced at the thought of her with William. Yes, in her mind, she was seventeen and just meeting both of them for the first time. She didn’t know that she was married and had a daughter. She didn’t know about her role on Raz and how much everyone there needed her. Technically, Raz was still safe because of Katherine.