SCARLETTE'S POINT OF VIEW
I came back home as fast as I could. I opened my lampshade and sat down on my bed. I opened the book that Nel gave me while we were still in the café. He said that those we needed to know about the Underworld were written here. I wondered if I could trust that guy but a part of me was saying that I should. I stared at the first page. 'What is the weakest part of demons . . . parts of the Underworld . . . and many dark things were written inside this.'
It took me almost an hour before I found the most important information, '. . . to enter the Underworld, you need to drink blood from a demon's heart.' I closed the book and stared at its pure black cover. I breathed to calm down myself from disgust. This was too much to handle. 'Asher needs to know this.'
I did not attend school today but I got up early. I wore my faded jeans, pure lavender shirt, and white rubber shoes. I grabbed my phone and the black book before I left.
I went to Asher's house. I knocked on the gate and it took minutes before he got out. When he saw me, he turned serious. My forehead creased when I saw him wearing a blue shirt and jeans, too. "What?" he asked after he opened the gate. Whoa, as if no confession happened yesterday.
His eyes checked on my get-up. "Are you going to date that guy last night? How fast, huh? How can you go on a date in the middle of upcoming chaos?" he continuously said and I knew, he meant it with sarcasm. My eyebrows met. How did he? "How come you know that guy? Did you follow me?" I asked. He did not react. His face was still blank. "Yes, I did. Well, I am just doing the job that your mom gave me."
I sighed. "To answer your first questions, no, I am not going on a date but I will meet him today. Before that, I need to give you this." I gave him the black book. He glanced at me before taking it. "That guy, Nel, gave it to me. He is the traitor son of Durlen." He looked at me unbelievably. "And you trust him?" I nodded, and a part of me agreed. "What if he is faking it? Crap, Scarlette. We are not fully sure that he is an ally." He was mad. I ignored what he was saying. "Listen. The only way for us to enter the Underworld is to drink demons' blood. Nel is going to help us. He will help us to save Dad." He countered, "What if it is a trap?" I was starting to get annoyed by this swirling conversation. "Relax, will you? I am not saying that I trust him completely." I sighed. "Let us go to Hetarnia so, you shut up and calm down."
"Mom!" The three goddesses were surprised to see the two of us. They seemed to talk while sitting on their thrones when we entered the big room filled with white and silver colors. "What are you doing here, Dear?" Mom hugged me. I gave her the black book that made her face grim. "Who gave you this?" I readied myself for this question. "Nel, a son of Durlen. He said that he wants to betray his father. He will help us. It was written there that we need to drink demon's blood to be able to get into Underworld."
Mom looked at me. Sadness flashed in his eyes. And suddenly, I heard her voice inside my head, 'It is hard to decide. We cannot trust a half-devil.'
I kept on cursing and cursing in my mind. 'The chance has come and yet, they choose not to grab it! I miss my father.'
"Are you fine?" Asher worriedly asked when we got home. I glared at him. "What do you think? Am I?" I gave him a forced smile before I locked the gate and went inside. "I am sorry," I heard him say, "but I promise, we will save your dad as soon as possible."
I just sighed after closing the door. "Now, what?" I asked myself. I slightly tapped my fingers on my forehead. "Scarlette, think. You must save your dad as early as you can." When I no longer feel Asher's presence anymore, I sneakily went to the café, bringing the black book with me.
How fortunate when I saw Nel waiting inside – on our table last night. The café's windows were made of glass so I could easily see him. He was sipping from his white teacup when he saw me. He smiled when I sat on the opposite chair in front of him.
"So, shall we start the plan?" he asked. All of sudden, his smile faded. "To be honest, the goddesses did not agree with this." He nodded. "I understand. I am half dirty blood anyway." He looked down at his coffee and me again. "How about you?" I wanted to say 'yes'. I was too desperate to save my father but Mom was right. It was hard to trust him. "I want to but," I bit my lower lip as I placed his book on the table, "I cannot." He smiled again. "I get it. I have decided to save him. I assure you."
I could not believe what he was telling, nor what to feel. At that moment, I had no idea if the shock was plastered on my face.