Jarlen laughed. "Hades is the sovereign of the wild, a behemoth who stands tall as a two-storey manor house. Want or know what it looks like, my educated friend?"
"No, please." Anna cried out.
"Excellent," Jarlen went on and the others watching, laughed. "Hades is burning hell itself. His fur is as dark as the midnight sky, his eyes burn with ethereal golden flames, his form so muscular you'd think his limb are tree trunks and his paws, carriage wheels."
"Do you want to know what happens when he howls?" Jarlen whispered to her ears.
"No." Anna's breath came out in shudders as she spoke.
They finally reached four feet away from the cage.
"The legend says his howls are the thunderclaps. Don't you feel the tremors his breathing makes?" Jarlen smiled as he spoke. Anna thought him delusional.
"A creature whose dominion is uncontested. It should be an honour to you for being his lunch." August hissed from where he stood.
Eric rolled his eyes. "Ugh! You've fueled my mind with explicit images of what this creature would look like. Now, show him to me!"
"Gladly!" Jarlen smiled. "Arise, Hades!"
A great howl echoed in the castle. The sky grumbled and the thunders flashed violently in the heavens.
"No." It escaped Anna's lip as a whisper.
The cage flew open and a grumble followed. In a pillar of darkness, something moved. It's golden eyes flashed with intense bloodlust. Frozen by fear, Anna stared wide-eyed at the creature. Hades was the god of death.
Bat flew down from the sky, landing on a patch of grass in a corner of the castle grounds.
His eyes trailed ahead and he gasped. "Good lord!" They had released Hades already!
"What the hell are they thinking!" he hissed. "Dammit. Bat, think. Think. What would distract Hades? Ugh! If Nelia were here, she would've taken him."
His eyes fell on the wine glass in Von Burren's hands. "Of course. Light. He hates light."
Bat inched closer with the wall as his support.
"Don't be frightened," Jarlen placed his hand on Anna's small back. "He smells fear and will attack aggressively. Don't move."
Silently, he moved back with his head bowed.
Bat waited for the right time to strike.
Hade's right foot emerged from the dark cloud and Anna reeled back a step.
"Don't move, Anna. Stay calm." Bat whispered in her head and her eyes widened.
"Don't look around. Hold still." he whispered again in her head.
"Where are you?" she whispered with a shaky voice.
"I'm here. Don't move. Don't turn your head. Close your eyes and listen to only my voice." he whispered.
"Okay." Anna shut her eyelids.
"On my signal, run as fast as you can and never look back. Are you ready?"
"I don't know. I'm scared."
"You won't die when I'm here. I swear it. Do you trust me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Good."
Bat watched as Hades emerged fully from the cage, standing before Anna. He could feel her shaking with fear but she didn't run. He was impressed.
"Woah. That's a magnificent creature." Eric clapped his hands with so much glee.
"Shh. Bow so it won't see you." Jarlen whispered to Eric.
"Oh." Eric bowed his head.
Hades gave a loud growl and Anna didn't move. She threw her eyes open and froze. It was a beast but it was beautiful. It's golden eyes, dark fur, the red scar on it's forehead.
She admired it's beauty but that was all gone when the creature leaned down towards her.
"Run!" Bat screamed.
Anna was frozen in shock. "What?"
"Anna, run!" Bat screamed for her again.
Before she would move, everything turned red.
Meanwhile in Canterbury, Lucia was looking out the window.
She stared down at Archer talking to the knights in the castle grounds. Their gaze met but she didn't look away. She gave him a cold glare, sending a message to him and he got it loud and clear - "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
She withdrew from the window and went to take a sit on her bed.
"Lady Lucia," A servant called in a quiet voice outside the door.
"I'm not hungry!" Lucia yelled. "If Archer doesn't release me from this room in the next hour, I'll do something terrible and you all know how stupid I can get."
"I brought Nelia Nicklebone's latest collection." The servant said.
Immediately, Lucia appeared at the door, her eye searching for the books.
"If someone wants to murder you, it's pretty easy. Books can send you to an early grave." Archer was leaning against the jamb of the door.
"Where are they?" Lucia asked with a stern look on her face.
"They'll be here." Archer replied.
"I don't have time for this." Lucia shut the door but his foot stopped it midway.
"What do you want from me!" Lucia raged. "You don't want me to read books. You don't want me to leave the castle. You don't even want me to go find my true love out there!"
"I'm doing this to protect you, Lucia," Archer leaned away from the door. "I've sent a Raven to your father's. He'll be here to take you home and true love? What do you even know about true love? You're young."
Lucia let out a dry scoff. "And I suppose old people like you in unhappy marriages know what true love is? Spare me the drama and keep me entertained with books. If I don't see anyone within the hour, when you hear a scream, you'll know how serious I can get."
"Lucia!" Archer has his fists clenched by his sides.
"I suppose no one makes the Duke angry around here but where I come from? Von Burren's get mad at the fucking priests, their children, even the goddamn weather." Lucia smiled. "What is it? Did I make you angry?"
"You will have your books and hopefully by first light, your father will come for you." Archer said, composed.
"If you allow Count Von Burren within these walls, he will meet a dead body. Make my words." Lucia slammed the door in his face.