Hades

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Later that day, I'm in my room, completely enraptured watching my new kitten chase his own tail, when I hear a loud knock. I blink, staring at the door in confusion. Calla hadn't returned since she fled from Hades this morning, and I knew for a fact that it definitely wasn't Hades; expecting two visits in one day from him was just laughable.

The person knocks again, jolting me out of my reverie. I jump and push myself up to my feet, crossing over to the door. Placing my hand on the doorknob, I lean in and hesitantly call out.

"Hello?"

An unfamiliarly nasal voice responds. "Yes, hello. I have your room service here."

"Room service?" I frown and swing open the door. "I didn't order any room service—"

The sentence dies in my throat. The person standing in front of me let out a triumphant exclamation, their voice returning to normal.

"Oh, it is the right room! I could've sworn that red-head I talked to purposefully tried to direct me to the fiery pits of Hell—"

"Spencer?"

Spencer grins at me, his cheeky smirk achingly familiar. "That was my name, last time I checked."

I falter, holding the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here for the cotton candy." He deadpans. "Why do you think I'm here?"

"The cotton candy." I throw back at him, folding my arms across my chest.

"Okay. I deserved that." He winces, running a hand through his dirty-blonde hair. "I'm sorry, E. I messed up. I know I messed up. And, look, I know you don't want to see me, but can you at least hear me out before you completely shut me out?"

I glare at him for a few more seconds. My shoulders relax. "Fine."

A relieved smile breaks out onto Spencer's face. He lets out a breathy laugh. "Thank you."

I don't respond, merely stepping to the side. Spencer ducks his head and slips past me. I shut the door and sit down on the opposite end of the bed, watching Spencer silently as he paces around my room awkwardly. He finally settles for leaning against the post of my bed and crossing his arms. The kitten, sensing my shift in mood, trots over to me and twines around my ankles, screaming at me to pick him up. Spencer's jaw just about hits the floor.

"Is that a kitten?"

"Maybe."

"What the hell is it doing here? In Hell?"

"Hades gave it to me."

Spencer scoffs. "You can't be serious."

"Yes Spencer, you're right. I'm not serious. No, instead I went into the Underworld, found a dead kitten, and snuck it into the palace before anybody noticed." I roll my eyes at him. "Yes, Hades gave it to me. Why is that such a surprise?"

Spencer cocks an eyebrow at me, staring at me.

"What?"

He shakes his head, throwing me one of his winning smiles. "Nothing. It's just... surprising, that's all."

I give him a look. "Yeah, that's a great idea Spence. Start off your apology for all the secrets you kept from me with another secret."

Spencer flinches under my withering gaze. "Alright, alright, point taken. Put away your death glare already."

I huff, returning my attention back to the kitten. Having successfully managed to claw his way up my leg during our conversation, he curls up into a small black ball next to me, tired from his intrepid climb. I smile and stroke his head with the back of my index finger.