Night of the Tiger
Hades' Carnival - 1
by
N. J. Walters
For Gerard. Thank you for always believing in me.
And thank you Heidi Moore—my amazing editor—for going on this carnival ride with me. As always, your keen eye and hard work have helped turn this book into something special.
Spell of the Lady of the Beasts
Prologue
Hades strode down the gloomy corridor, ignoring the skittering of feet and claws as demons of all shapes and sizes shrank back into the darkness to try to avoid his notice. He could have told them it was a waste of time. In his realm, he knew where everyone was. He was Lord of the Underworld, and Hell was his domain. He wanted to change that, wanted to expand his base of power. And the time was at hand for such advancement.
He walked deeper into the unending darkness, each step taking him farther away from the light. Nothing moved down here. Nothing lived. Nothing except for one very special prisoner.
Hades reached the end of a long-forgotten tunnel chiseled out of the earth when mankind was still living in caves and hunting with spears. Layers of dust rested undisturbed by the passage of time. A heavy metal door was padlocked shut. Nothing had changed in over five thousand years.
Pleased, he held out his hand and the massive lock opened and dropped to the floor. Dust kicked up, settling on his designer shoes. Hades frowned then shrugged. He’d get a new pair as soon as his business here was completed.
The large door swung open with a wave of his hand. The creak echoed down the narrow corridor like the screech from a tortured demon, and he stopped to savor the terrible sound. Smiling, he stepped inside and snapped his fingers. A spark jumped to a torch nestled in a rock crevice just inside the room. The kindling ignited, sending sparks flying before settling down to a low, steady burn.
The room was really more of a cell, carved completely from hard, unforgiving rock. There was no way to tunnel out of here, even if you could get free from the chains, which was impossible at any rate. Like the lock on the door, the chains had been created at the forge of Hephaestus, by the immortal armorer himself. Not that the god had had any idea what Hades planned to use them for. He definitely wouldn’t have approved.
Hades shrugged. Hephaestus had wanted a favor only Hades could provide, so he’d asked no questions. Everyone had gotten what they wanted. Everyone except for his prisoner, that is.
The woman was chained naked to the wall, her clothing long since rotted away, leaving her bare to the elements. Her brown hair was dirty and matted, flowing over her skin like a blanket, covering her emaciated body. She’d had no food or water since her imprisonment. Sunlight and fresh air had not touched her face since the day he’d dragged her down into the unrelenting darkness of Hell.
Yet she was not dead. She could not die. She was a goddess. Here she would rot for all eternity. Unless he set her free.
Hades walked over to her and nudged her bare ankle with his foot. The chains rustled, their metallic sound music to his ears.
“I’m here to offer you a chance for freedom.”
The woman didn’t move, nor did she acknowledge him. Irritation pricked him. He should leave her for another thousand years. It would serve her right. The problem was he needed something from her.
Undeterred, he pressed onward. He could sense she was listening even if she was ignoring him. For a creature as jaded as himself, it was quite a novelty to have someone disregard him. Usually, anyone who met him trembled in fear, even his fellow gods and goddesses.
“Set your warriors free from the spell you put on them. Give them into my keeping, and I will let you go.”
The woman finally stirred and slowly raised her head. Her skin was sallow and taut, but her pale blue eyes were as clear as a summer’s day, almost blinding in their purity. “I cannot change the spell I cast. It is what it is. All must abide by its terms. Even you.” She paused to take a breath. “My warriors are free to do as they choose. But I cannot set them free. That is for you to do.”
He swallowed his impatience. His fingers curled inward to keep from grabbing the infuriating woman and strangling her. “How?” he demanded. He could taste victory and it was very sweet. It was so close now. With the strength of her warriors, he would have the power to crush his enemies under the heel of his boot. Soon all would worship him.
The corners of her mouth tilted slightly upward. “You will set me free?”
“Agreed.” Hades waved his hand and the chains dropped away, clanking against the hard rock floor. “Tell me.”
The woman licked her cracked and dried lips. Talking was a strain, but she persevered. He silently willed her to get on with it.
“You must find the key to unlock each of them in turn.”
Hades stalked toward her, his eyes glowing red. The walls shook and the rock beneath his feet undulated with his fury as he stared down at her. The fact that she didn’t shrink from his anger, but stood her ground, only added fuel to the fire. “Do not trifle with me, Lady. Your stay here can be made much more unpleasant.”
She did not flinch. Instead of fear, he saw…pity in her eyes. Unacceptable. He was Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Feared by most. Soon to be feared by all.
She sighed and continued. “They are cursed to remain frozen in time until they find the one female who can unlock them from their inanimate state.”
“How?” He raked his fingers through his hair and scowled. “How do I find these women?”
“That is for you to figure out. They are out there in the human realm. Somewhere. Waiting to fulfill their destiny.” Slowly, the Lady pushed herself to her feet. “Now you must honor the bargain and set me free.”
Hades crossed his arms over his chest, knowing he had to honor the bargain. Once his word had been given it could not be taken back. A god’s word was law, even unto himself.
But that didn’t mean there weren’t some loopholes. She should have been more specific in her request. “You are free. None will stop you, but none will help you either. Make your way from Hell if you can.” Turning on his heel, he strode from the room, taking the light with him and leaving the weakened goddess in darkness.
She sighed. She’d known this day would come. Hades was nothing if not predictable. The spell she’d cast on her warriors gave them a way out if they were courageous enough and clever enough to seek it. Not even Hades could circumvent the events that would unfold. She’d told him he had to abide by the terms of her spell and he’d agreed without question, thinking there was nothing that could stop him. He would not be pleased when he realized what he wanted would not be as simple as he’d hoped.