Attempt 1

My heart is heavy as I slide my palm into Hades' and allow him to pull me into the waiting tear between the Enchanted Forest and The Underworld. I do this so that my world will be safe from the demons currently wreaking havoc, but mostly to protect my brother. Hades will never stop, not until I agree to his terms, so I do, accepting his hand and letting him drag me to the Underworld to save the Enchanted Forest.

I hope they understand my sacrifice. Even if they likely won't remember my name. Jack will. That's all that matters.

My first thought as we arrive in the Underworld is that it's not what I was expecting. Demons aren't often intelligent creatures, and from all the stories growing up, I assumed the Underworld was just fire and brimstone. Instead, I'm faced with a thriving city the likes I've never seen before. Bright lights spread out before us, the buildings a rainbow of color and sizes, some so high, I have to crane my neck to see them. The lanterns flicker with little bright things that dance inside them, but I can't get a close enough look to determine if it's magic or creatures. There's clearly magic here my world doesn't hold, but I don't get much time to appreciate it. Instead, Hades drags me past everything, around the city, and to a large hall away from the bustling inner city. The entire place is built as if in a massive cave, many living quarters branching off from the central hub. That's where Hades drags me to now.

"You'll be staying here until I can trust you," Hades explains as he leads me down the hallway and toward another door, his bright eyes looking back at me. "This is your home now."

"This will never be my home," I growl, tugging at his hold. It's silly really. There's no way I can out-muscle a god, but I'm nothing if not stubborn.

He laughs, amused by my attempts. "There's nowhere you could go that I could not find you, Jill. Remember that."

And then he throws me in a prison cell dressed up like a bedroom and leaves me. I stare after him as he retreats, off to do whatever a god of the Underworld does. Looking around the room, I realize it's been made as comfortable as a prison cell could be made. In fact, it looks more like a proper bedroom than any I've ever had. It's lavish, the canopy bed dripping with silk, and dressed in pinks and purples. But none of that matters. I fulfilled my part of the bargain. Technically, I can leave at any time now.

I ignore the plush bedroom and immediately go to the metal door. It's made of steel bars, and it shatters the illusion that this is just a bedroom and not a prison cell. I reach out and feel the lock, realizing it's just a generic padlock like we used back home. Without wasting a single moment, I pull the thin blade from my hair and reach around, threading it into the keyhole, and jiggling it around. To my surprise, the lock picks easily and the door springs open.

Grinning, I slide the blade back into my hair and push open the door all the way.

"Cakewalk," I murmur and step out of the makeshift prison cell only a few minutes after being placed inside. "Now, time to get out of here."

I make my way down the hallway and turn left, going the same direction we'd come from. . .

. . .and slide to a halt.

My face falls as I take in the god leaning against the wall, a smirk on his face.

"That was fast," Hades says. "I'm impressed. I expected it to take at least an hour."

I scowl. "Then you underestimate me."

"Apparently so," he grins, but his face turns dangerous a second later. "Maybe you misheard me before, Jill, but Under is where you belong now. There will be no escaping this place. Not now. Not ever."

I cross my arms. "We'll see about that, asshole."

His eyes glitter, as if this is the most fun he's had in years, and I know it'll take everything I have to get away from him.

As long as I breathe, I'll keep fighting.