~~~
.
.
.
Hazel's hands shook slightly as she lowered them from her sides, still feeling the residual heat from Hades' aura clinging to the air. The wind off the plains had never felt colder—or heavier. Her chest rose and fell unevenly, each breath shallow as her mind replayed the black flames and the pressure that had crushed the leader before her eyes.
Lycan, walking beside her, glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "You okay?" he asked, voice low but edged with caution. His wolfish instincts seemed on alert, reading her tension before she could hide it.
Hazel swallowed hard. "I… I think so," she said, though her voice sounded small, even to herself. "I've never seen anyone—anyone—like that."
Aries, trailing a few steps behind, let out a low whistle. "That… was something else." He shook his head, a mix of awe and apprehension in his expression. "I've sparred with him, seen him fight… but that? That's not sparring. That's… domination."
Hazel's gaze dropped to the grass beneath her boots. She could still feel the oppressive weight of Hades' presence, the dark energy wrapping around the rogue as if it had its own mind. Her stomach churned. She had known him to be dangerous, even cruel when necessary, but nothing had prepared her for the raw, suffocating force of his power unleashed without restraint.
Lycan fell silent, watching her closely. "You shouldn't let it get under your skin," he said finally. "That's Hades. He doesn't… ever hold back unless he wants to."
Hazel lifted her head, meeting his intense eyes. "I know that," she murmured. "But seeing it… seeing him like that… I—" She shook her head, trying to force the words away, but they refused to settle. "…I didn't know it could feel like that."
Aries chuckled lightly, but there was no humor in it. "You've been around him long enough to know his reputation," he said. "Still, seeing it in person… it changes how you feel. Don't lie to yourself."
Hazel didn't respond, focusing instead on the uneven path leading back toward the castle. Her thoughts were a storm she couldn't calm, spinning between awe, fear, and something else—something closer to… fascination.
The walk back was quiet. The plain stretched endlessly under the pale silver light, the northern walls of the Citadel looming ahead like a dark promise. Hazel's cloak shifted with each step, and she could feel the muscles in her legs tense, still keyed by adrenaline from the confrontation.
Lycan stayed close, matching her pace. "You've seen power before," he said cautiously. "But Hades… that's not just strength. That's control. Absolute control. You need to remember that."
Hazel nodded, though her thoughts were elsewhere. "I know," she whispered. "I just… never imagined it could feel like that. So… alive. So dangerous."
Aries jogged a few steps to fall beside them. "Alive? That's one word for it," he said, smirking, though there was a weight behind his grin. "I've sparred with the guy a thousand times. Seen people die trying to cross him. And Hazel…" He let the name hang, not completing the thought, leaving it suspended in the cold air.
Hazel's heart skipped at the unfinished words. She looked at him, half-expecting laughter or teasing, but instead saw something more measured—respect, and maybe a touch of fear.
They passed the outer guard towers, the clang of steel and the distant hum of magic reminding Hazel that the Citadel never truly slept. The rogue demons had vanished into the forest, leaving only footprints and a faint echo of smoke curling into the air. She wished, for a brief moment, that she could follow them, confront them—but she knew better. Hades would handle it. He always did.
The walk grew slower as they approached the main courtyard. Hazel's mind wandered to Hades, picturing him standing tall after the rogues had fled, cold and untouchable, yet somehow… tethered to her presence. The thought made her chest tighten. She hadn't realized how deeply the image of him could affect her.
Lycan broke the silence once more. "You need to let it go," he said firmly, though not unkindly. "Not because it's safe, but because dwelling on it… will only make it harder to keep your head clear."
Hazel nodded again, though the words felt hollow. How could she let it go when she had never seen power—and fear—look so beautiful? She shook herself lightly, forcing her mind back to the present. "You're right," she admitted. "I just…" She trailed off, unsure how to finish the thought without betraying more than she intended.
Aries stepped closer, eyes sharp. "Don't let him intimidate you," he said plainly. "Not like this. He's Hades. But you… you're no child. You're the Queen now."
Hazel blinked, letting the words settle. She glanced up at the fortress looming above, its towers and spires casting long shadows over the courtyard. Queen. The title felt heavier now, almost tangible, weighted with responsibility—and danger. She knew she had to hold herself steady, no matter how terrifying Hades could be.
As they reached the castle steps, Lycan's gaze swept the horizon. "We should report this," he said. "Even if he handled them, the rogues aren't going to forget this."
Hazel nodded again, though her mind lingered on Hades. She knew she would have to see him later, perhaps sooner than she wanted, to understand just how deep the currents of his darkness ran—and why she couldn't stop thinking about it.
The gates closed behind them with a thunderous clang, sealing the outer world away. Hazel let out a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She turned toward the courtyard, ready to face whatever awaited inside, even as her thoughts remained tangled with the man who could freeze—or burn—the world with a glance.
Lycan and Aries walked beside her, silent now, both sensing that something had shifted. Hazel's reflection in the polished black marble of the Citadel floor seemed stronger, sharper, but underneath it, she could still feel the tremor that Hades' presence had left behind.
She didn't know it yet, but the events of the plain would linger with her, a reminder that power and fear could coexist—and that sometimes, fascination could be as dangerous as any weapon.
"Where's Hades? I need to see him!"