six

Perhaps it was just my own feeling, but lately, I keep seeing more and more of Kai around the palace. I see occasional glimpses of him walking the hallways in the distance, passing through the gardens, and most surprisingly of all, when he decides to sometimes join me for meals. Maybe after we had aired our own opinions and sorted through them together, Kai might be feeling a little, dare I say, friendlier towards me.

I still had some questions after our talk, but for now, I'm content with no longer being seen as an unwanted person. Even if we don't speak to each other much, he greets me when we pass by each other. There's a quiet little flutter in my chest every time that happens, like the very first time we had met as strangers.

As I sit in the vast library in the very heart of the palace, on a windowsill that overlooks the endless gardens with a heavy volume in my lap, I notice a figure walking in from the gardens and through the courtyard. I recognise the familiar black clothing as Kai’s, his signature look as what I suppose is that of the God of the Underworld, with Sehun walking beside him and someone else. The three all look to be a similar height as they conversed before disappearing from my sight as they entered the palace.

The other person didn't have silver hair like Hypnos, Sehun’s identical twin, and instead had a deep burgundy-red shade. Who could this person be? Definitely another Underworld worker, like Sehun I think. Did I meet him before, at the party? But I wouldn't have remembered among the dozens of other faces.

I frown for a moment as I wondered about this new person, but soon focused back on my book, flipping through the slightly musty pages as the words breathed life into my imagination on the tales of the gods. I would meet whoever it is in due time.

***

“Charon,” Kai says as he ascends the stairs to his room, “What news do you have for me?”

Sehun looks at the man beside him and nudges him with his elbow. Charon looked to be occupied with taking something out from within his robes. “Here,” he says, as he hands over a folded letter, “There's been some unrest lately, and rumour has it that the Furies seem to be on the move again. They have been causing some damage on the other side of the River Styx, but not enough to be detrimental. It seems the cause is from the criminals creating harm among the mortals.”

Kai turns around just as he is about to open the door, a grimace on his face. “Why are humans so bent on causing trouble for others? They never seem to learn,” he sighs, entering his room.

Sehun and Charon followed after him, sharing a look concern between them. “Milord, we'll do everything we can to bring them to justice. I know for certain that it is almost the end of some of their lives. I can go bring them down here a little earlier…?” Sehun proposes his idea, wondering if it'd help in any way.

“No, no. Thanatos, that's going to break some of the rules of the Underworld. We can't bring them down here when it isn't their time,” Kai sighs, “Even if it's for the benefit of everyone else. Besides, isn't that Hermes’ job?”

When Sehun notices that Kai had just used his original name, he knows that the god is stressed. Of course, he could already tell from the way his eyebrows drew together and the constant way his hands would create and form raw gemstones to roll around his palm.

Every time the Furies were involved, something bad always happened.

“Alright, Charon, you take care of keeping them away from the inner circle of the Underworld. Use the River Styx as the border. Ask the goddess if you must,” Kai begins to instruct, “Thanatos, you can help Charon. I will cast a repellent around the border, so that it will at least alert us when the Furies are too close.”

The two men bow and take their leave from the room. Once outside, the two begin to discuss what to do.

“Chanyeol, you don't think the Furies are going to get out of hand this time, right?” Sehun asks quietly.

“Nah, they do this every time the mortals have one too many criminals. It's fine; they pose no immediate danger to us right now,” he answers breezily, waving his hand in the air, “They usually keep to our borders anyway; it could be worse. But Kai sure is getting his knickers in a knot over this, you think he knows something we don't?” Chanyeol asks, a hand to his chin as he thinks about the worry in Kai's face.

Sehun snickers now that he knows the Furies aren't impossible to deal with, he's sure of what he says next, “I don't think that's the reason. Don't you know that Persephone is back? I'm sure he's actually worried about her.”

Chanyeol’s eyes light up at that and he points a finger at Sehun, “Yeah, you're right. Maybe he's worried about her! She looks a lot like her for a Descendant and kind of really cute, like a small animal,” he muses. He receives a light punch on the arm for that remark.

“You haven't spoken to her yet have you? She is definitely not a small animal with a mouth like that,” Sehun warns jokingly. “Well, we should go get things in order; I don't really want to get scolded by Kai. He's like a nagging old lady.” Sehun wrinkles his nose while Chanyeol does his best to stifle his laughter.

***

I don't realise how much time has passed while I am in the library until Tia comes to tell me that Kai is here to see me. The artificial, probably magical, lighting of the Underworld has dimmed to mimic that of a sunset. Although even with the magical lighting, it's hard to tell time here.

I stay in my seat and listen to the footsteps approaching me, drawing closer from behind some nearby bookshelves. Kai appears, looking no different than how I had seen him earlier, a perpetual stern look on his face. I still have yet to understand what could possibly make him look like that all the time.

He stands before me and notices the book in my lap and the pile beside me, and gives me a look. “You read all these books already? Do you really like these tales so much?”

“Of course, I mean, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the gods and understand how I could possibly fit into it all,” I reply, a little bitingly, which I quickly amend by giving him a hasty smile.

“Right,” Kai nods, but his tone of voice gives away the fact that he doesn't really see the point of my doing what I can. He clears his throat, immediately drawing my attention as he shifts in his spot, his hands sliding into his pockets. I watch him being uncharacteristically fidgety before I can stand to no longer look at him being this way.

“What is it? It's like you have ants in your pants or something,” I sigh, “Why don't you take a seat as you prepare your thoughts into words.” I pat the empty spot beside me, pushing the books to one side for him to sit down, although I didn't think that Kai would take up my offer, somewhat hesitantly, as he hops up onto the windowsill.

There's a curious look on his face when he turns to look at me. He sniffs the air around me, making me a little more conscious of whether I'm actually smelly at the moment; I'm very sure I'm not since I have a bath daily and I haven't sweated at all today, sitting here reading in the library.

“Are you wearing perfume?” He asks.

“What? No, I don't wear any since it usually makes me sneeze. Why?” And it isn't like I need to wear any; I'm not really here to impress anybody but myself, and maybe Tia. She gives some solid fashion advice sometimes.

He frowns a little, then picks up some of my hair, bringing it to his nose. I'm both mortified and curious about his actions; one, I haven't washed my hair in two days and two, it's not like my hair can smell bad, can it? I really hope not, since Tia always helps me rub scented oils into it to keep it healthy and shiny and yes, smelling nice as well.

Kai doesn't seem to find that my hair smells bad, in fact, the way he seems to relax is the opposite of what I'd have thought would be his reaction. “It seems you are smelling particularly sweet today, a sort of natural flower scent. Are you sure it's not a perfume or scented oil?” I shake my head because like I said, I haven't washed my hair in two days! But I'm not about to tell him that. Although, usually, the scented oils were more of a soft vanilla, kind of baby powder scent. Not flowers. I can't smell what he is smelling either. Must be him.

“Then why do you smell so familiar?” He murmurs under his breath. Since we're sitting so close, I hear his words. Yet, he doesn't elaborate further on how I smell, and goes back to being his usual silent self. I have to nudge him with my book to get him speaking again.

“So,” I drawl, “What did you come to see me for?” I don't think there's possibly anything I could help him with and I wanted to get back to my reading again. I tuck the strand of hair he'd been holding just now back behind my ear and nudge him again.

He stands from his seat and sighs, “I have something to show you,” he says quietly. Kai holds his hand out to help me down from my seat, showing me a rare glim