Chapter 52

052- The Underworld LUCIEN Prince of Darkness, ruler of Kalmerus, one of the four Underworld regions.

“How long are you going to stand there and watch that fiber, father?” For the nth time today, Lucius asked as he slumped his body on my throne, making me hiss before I motioned for him to get off my seat.

He laughed as he stood up before walking to where I stood, staring at the fiber in front of It used to hold the locations of my sons who were often traveling back and forth to different realms at my disposal, but now I had allotted 50% of it just to track Lucija.

But my only daughter was smart enough not to use her fire — the only way I would be able to pinpoint her exact location.

Almost a fortnight ago, something glowed on the fiber, but before I could see where it was, it was already gone. She accidentally summoned fire, I assumed, and she’s been controlling herself so as not to use it again.

“So nothing new yet?” Lucius asked again.

“If there is, you and I will not be here,” I answered in a cold tone.

“I can’t believe she’s not using fire accidentally. That girl couldn’t control her hands!” He said it with an irritated expression.

I kept quiet, my hand reaching for my chin as I rubbed it while thinking. It was the reason I never asked Gargon to teach her how to control fire. I knew she never wanted to be here, and it was only a matter of time before she would try to escape. And I wasn’t wrong, but what I wasn’t expecting was that I would not be able to find her right away.

I underestimated how smart my daughter was, but somehow it made me proud. Though I knew she could never outsmart me for a long time, I was already losing my patience.

Two years and there were still no signs of her.

And it wasn’t helping that my access to earth was limited due to the pact Hades, the God of the Underworld, agreed upon with all the other realms. I had no power to just barge in and destroy everything until they surrendered my daughter to me like I wanted to.

The humans were worth nothing. I could easily kill them with a flick of my fingers, but I didn’t want Hades’ wrath to befall me –

not when I spent my whole life trying to prove that once he relinquished his throne, I would be the one worthy of it.

If Lucija were not important, I wouldn’t be bothered with what she would do with her life, like I had stopped caring for all the other spawns I had created over a span of centuries. Most of them had their own lives;

some of them were dead, and some decided to abandon the demon world, but I couldn’t care less.

But Lucija was different. She was my only daughter and my sure ticket to winning the favor of the other gods and princes of this realm. All of my sons were useless; they could only sweet talk she-demons but not the male demons. But my Lucija could do it for both without even trying hard.

And with the underworld swarming with males, and she-demons being a rarity, having Lucija would be an advantage.

She had the allure of an underworld goddess.

And I knew that once I transformed her into a full demon, she would be sought after by the princes of the underworld. Or even by the gods. 1 And while everyone wanted a piece of her, I would make sure that she would use it to our benefit so I could get the seat I was aiming for.

The seat of Hades.

It had been rumored for many decades now that Hades had wanted to abandon his seat to live peacefully with the rest of the immortals, but until he found the right demon for the job, he had to postpone his retirement. 1 And I was out here, trying to be the right demon he was looking for.

But I needed Lucija and her allure to convince princes and gods to do my bidding.

But where was she?

♡♡♡

LUCY.

“Can you explain to me how you know about my necklace and where my mother buried it? ” I asked Althea.

She, Lena, Laira, and I were laying down in her bed, with our feet still on the floor, as we just all stared at the ceiling. I had no idea how long we’d been in her room that Laira decided to check on us, which eventually made her join us.

“I need you to promise me that whatever you hear, you will not back out on helping Patrea.”

“I still haven’t decided on that.”

“It’s my only condition, Lucy. Now if you have no way to return to the underworld, then I will understand. But if you do, I want your word.”

“If I had a chance to ask her and she agreed, I would do it. But if she wants to be saved another way, then I will try to do it another way. Will that be acceptable?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will help Patrea. You have my word on it.”

“Thank you.

“Now, talk before the two here beside me start snoring...” I chuckled, as did Laira and Lena, but when I glanced at Althea beside me with a solemn expression on her face and her eyes closed, I nudged Laira beside me, and she passed it to Lena, and we all stopped giggling.

“Your father would create an illusion that allows your mother’s body to remain in her bed at night, but at the same time, he would take her into the underworld.”

“He can’t do that. He was breaching the law of the realm!” I blurted out as my breathing hitched. Rage was rising from my body, but Laira held my hand, and I ended up closing my eyes as I tried to control my breathing.

“While at the underworld, Patrea and my mother would make her drink potions to make sure that nothing would be destroyed on her body, no bruises, no marks. This was your father’s order, so he could do whatever he wanted with her and she would still come back whole and...”

“Stop... I don’t want to hear that part.”

“My mother and grandmother despised Lucien’s order, but they couldn’t do anything. She was not the first female he brought into the underworld, where they needed to do the potion, and they both knew what else they could do to help her. They made her drink one more potion that would ensure she would not get pregnant...

“But how come...”

Althea’s hand reached for mine and squeezed it, signaling me to remain quiet.

“One night, he took her back to the underworld, and the two witches were not around, and knowing Lucien, he didn’t want to wait. He used her without the potion and...

My hands coiled into fists as I sat up from laying down. I could only imagine the pain my mother went through, but I didn’t stop her from talking this time.

“...and it was the same time that Hades decided to visit his region. He heard her cries. Lucien panicked and sent your mother back to her own bed. Hades was not convinced that the crying woman was a she- demon, as your father claimed was in his chamber. So he told Lucien he would be watching him. That was the last time he took your mother to the underworld. And because she didn’t have the potion that Patrea would secretly slip into her, she got pregnant.” (1 “They had no idea you existed until Lucien returned from the human realm and announced that he had a daughter. He showed everyone a glimpse of you- the one where you burned a rabbit accidentally. And with that glimpse, Everly came running.

That’s how they discovered Everly had you.

Lucien was very vocal in telling everyone that he would take you to the underworld one of these days, and cleanse you of your werewolf genes. So they knew that it was only a matter of time before it would happen. So they devised a strategy to assist you if you requested it.

When my mother got away, she went looking for Everly, and when she found her, she began doing spells, and eventually, she was able to perfect the spell that Patrea taught her from the underworld, and your opal necklace was born. She gave it to your mother and created a spell around the place where she buried it so that if anyone else dug it up, they would only see the earth and not the necklace or the money your mother left for you. The necklace suppresses any supernatural power within you.”

“Including my wolf?”

“I think. So maybe we need to fix that necklace so that it only suppresses the fire within you. I’m sure when Mom made that, she had no idea what other power linked you to Lucien, so she made it that way. Are you sure it’s just the fire?”

“Yes. Only the fire. I can fly, I can transport a few feet as long as I can see where I want to go next, I can read lies, and I can...”

“You can read lies?” Laira asked, her eyes widening.

I nodded my head. “Almost all demons can. We can tell if you’re lying, and we can see all the lies you’ve told in your life. But we can never read the truth out of you.”

“That’s confusing, what do you mean?”

“If I ask Althea if she’s in love with someone and she says, she’s not, I will be able to tell if it’s a lie or not. But I will never find out who she’s in love with. Unless I specifically asked her if she’s in love with Blade...”

“Yeah, whatever. So better not answer any questions from Lucy if you’re just lying.

You’re welcome.” Althea butted in before winking at Lena and Laira.

“Come on guys, I had no plans on using those powers.”

“Well, we’re still waiting for you to show us those cute horns and tail that Alpha Stone can’t stop blabbing about,” Lena stated.

“And the wings too!” Laira added this.

“You guys are crazy. I expected you to leave me alone or throw me out of the territory after learning the truth, but now you’re gushing about my cute horns and tail?”

“So, Alpha Stone likes your demon form?”

Althea asked, ignoring my own statement.

“Yeah, I think he develops a fetish for it.” I giggled softly before clamping my hand over my mouth when hard knocks came from the door.

Althea went for the door, and there was my handsome Alpha, whose gaze went directly past Althea and met mine. “Can I take my girlfriend away from here?”

Althea moved from the door and motioned for the Alpha to come in, but instead, he crooked a finger and motioned with it for me to come to him. And like the good Omega that I was, I went to him without any questions before waving at the females inside the room.

Adan’s arm coiled around my waist as he pulled me to his side before he turned his attention to Laira and Lena, who were still sitting on the bed just watching us. “You both need to go back to your mates, or they might throw tantrums.”

“Gosh, are wolves really like that? Females are not allowed to have a night out?”

“Try mating with one, and you’ll find the answer to that question,” Adan told Althea before he swung our bodies around and walked us in the direction of the stairs. “By the way, Blade is just there next door.”

“What?” Althea exclaimed.

Adan chuckled before he scooped me into his arms, carrying me in bridal style as we approached the stairs.

“So Blade stayed?” I asked the moment we reached our floor.

“Yes. You told him you’d pay for his salary to guard Althea?”

“Did I say that?” My eyes widened as my heart hammered in my chest. Where would I get the money?

“I think I heard you say that. That’s why he took the offer.”

“But I only have one thousand! Where will I get the money to pay him?”

“Your problem not mine. Next time, only offer for something you’re capable of doing. ” He snickered as he slipped inside his suite.

“Hmmm... maybe I can pay in kind.”

“What do you mean?” His brows furrowed, and I gave him a mischievous smile as we entered the main bedroom. 1 “I’m thinking of paying him with...”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” He growled as he threw me in the middle of the bed, my dress hiking up on my waist and giving him a glimpse of my thongs.

I giggled and spread my legs open before I swiped my tongue over my lips as my hand slid to my front. “Do you think once a week sex would be enough to...”

I was not able to finish my words when Adan dropped his body on the bed, elbows propped against the mattress, and caged my head as his body hovered over mine. “The only one you’re allowed to make a deal with with your body is me, is that understood?”

I nodded my head, but I couldn’t help smiling. “But I still don’t have money.”

“Then make a deal with me, and I’ll give you the money you need.”

“I’m already yours, Alpha. What more can I offer you?” My hands went to cup his face. I couldn’t get enough of how good-looking Adan was.

His eyes bore deep into mine as his expression turned serious, making me swallow hard as I waited for his response. “I already have a girlfriend, but now I need a Luna.”