Haze stared at Hades for a long moment after he spoke. The god's calm words hung in the air, quiet but heavy enough to make Haze's eyes shift away. The silence between them stretched, filling the large, gleaming room like a slow-moving shadow.
For a while, the only sound came from the faint blue fire still burning in the metal bowl on the table. It flickered and hissed softly, throwing dim light that danced lazily along the stone walls and the floor of smooth, polished marble. The air was still and cool, and Haze could almost hear his own breathing.
