Hades didn’t bother arguing with that, and Enyo smiled at the two of them.
“I have not heard the tale of how you met. Not from your lips anyway.” Enyo moved around Keras, approaching Persephone rather than Hades, joining the group of women that the queen of the Underworld had gathered around her.
It felt strangely good as she settled among them, picking a spot between Cassandra and Aiko.
The heat of Keras’s gaze on her back had her glancing over her shoulder at him.
Their eyes locked and her smile widened, the embers that constantly burned in her veins reigniting as she stared at him, filling her with need, a desire to lure him away from the banquet now the meal was done. Perhaps she could pretend she needed some fresh air.
“Oh, I am far more interested in knowing when you will be gifting me with another grandchild.” Persephone’s light tone teased her ears, but her words fell hard on Enyo.
And Keras too, judging by how his eyes shot wide and he looked close to choking.
“Do not tease him,” Enyo said with a smile aimed at Persephone. “He has been through much today.”
Persephone’s smile was wicked. “But it is a mother’s work to make her sons uncomfortable around their loves. For instance, I should ask why Valen took so very long to tell the beautiful Evangelina that he loved her.”
She cast a pointed look across the room at him where he stood talking to Calistos and Marek near one set of windows.
Valen stiffened, going perfectly still.
As if that would make him invisible and stop his mother.
“You know we knew before you did.” Persephone’s green gaze drifted to the black-haired assassin who sat on the table to her left, picking seeds from a pomegranate.
Eva’s blue eyes widened. “You did?”
Persephone nodded and swept a rogue wave of her scarlet hair back when it fell down across her face. “If they speak the language of the Underworld in the mortal one, we know what they say.”
Enyo glanced at Valen again, catching the blush that stained his cheeks.
He muttered, “I didn’t know that. Did you know that? The shit I’ve said in the mortal world.”
The colour on his cheeks deepened as his eyes grew larger.
“Oh gods… the shit I’ve said to Eva.”
Cal chuckled and slapped him on his shoulder. “And you complained about knowing when your brothers are getting some. Our parents know your deepest, most twisted crap now.”
Valen shuddered.
Hades shuddered at the same time. “Believe me. I would rather I did not hear what is said in the mortal world.”
He cast a look at all of his sons.
“It is not as if there is one among you who has not spoken of things I do not wish to know.”
Keras went to raise his hand.
Hades spoke before he could fully lift it.
“Well, perhaps you. You gave your father blessed relief from knowing things he should not know… but I feel Valen more than made up for your silence.”
“I need some air. I need to get out of here.” Valen looked at Eva, a pleading edge to his expression.
She shrugged. “I’m staying right here. I haven’t heard any embarrassing stories about you yet. I know about the time Daimon sneezed and froze half the palace, and I know about the fights he and Esher used to get into, and the brawl that Ares had with him. None of them embarrassing enough to satisfy me… and none of them about you.”
Valen looked as if he had been betrayed.
Persephone looked excited.
She shifted on her throne so she was facing her eager audience. “Well, let me see.”
Enyo tuned her out as she grew aware of Keras looking at her again, and could feel his turbulent emotions as they ran unchecked.
She turned away from the group of women and went back to him, because she didn’t want him to worry that his mother would tell her things that would embarrass him. He was struggling enough as it was. He needed her on his side tonight, supporting him and not mocking him.
Besides, it wasn’t as if she was going anywhere. Once Keras was stronger again, his emotions levelled out and back under control, she would have plenty of time for Persephone to spill all the juicy tales of his youth.
The ones she hadn’t witnessed for herself anyway.
“Discussing business at a time like this seems inappropriate, but I have a task for you, Thanatos.” Hades’s deep voice rolled over the room, quietening Persephone.
She issued a curious look to Hades.
“A task?” Thanatos planted his left hand on the top of the table as he leaned towards Hades, his silver eyes bright with interest. “What would my god-king ask of me?”
Hades hesitated.
It lasted barely a second, but everyone noticed it.
The room hushed again.
Hades stared deep into Thanatos’s eyes, his handsome face placid and unreadable.
“I task you with finding my daughter.”
Keras tensed beside Enyo, and that tension rippled through the room, affecting all of the brothers and Persephone too. Tears lined her lashes and Megan was quick to place her hand on the goddess’s shoulder.
Thanatos’s black eyebrows met hard above glittering silver eyes that gained a blue sheen. “You have a lead on the location of her soul?”
Hades nodded and looked at Keras. “My son can tell you what he told me. Any detail you need, he will give to you. He has witnessed her in the memory of another.”
Keras nodded. “Whatever you need to help you find her, you’ll have it.”
Enyo knew he was talking about more than just a description of what he had seen now. All of the brothers looked ready to join Thanatos on this new mission.
“I take it her soul is being held in an unknown realm?” Thanatos looked at Keras too, his great black feathered wings shifting to drape across the table behind him as he twisted to face Keras.
Keras nodded. “I am not familiar with it.”
Thanatos looked over his shoulder at Hades. “A challenge. I admit, it has been too long since I have felt challenged. Perhaps I will ask for the realm in which she resides as my reward.”
The god of death grinned.
Hades scowled.
“I have no more realms to give.” The god-king lifted his gold goblet and swirled the contents, amusement flickering in his blue eyes as he regarded Nyx where she sat beside him and then Thanatos. “It is unfortunate that you desired such large realms to rule that I could only afford to give three all those centuries ago.”
Why was it unfortunate?
Being asked to fight was reward enough in Enyo’s opinion, but she was a goddess of war. Being gifted a realm should have been payment enough for a god or goddess of the Underworld.
“I have not heard you speak of this before.” Keras stepped forwards, curiosity glimmering in his green eyes, and she could feel it running through him too, drawing his focus away from his struggle to control his emotions. He looked from Hades to Thanatos and then Nyx. “Hypnos was there, was he not? He received the third realm.”
Hades nodded and sipped his drink. He lowered the goblet to rest on the table.
“But Hypnos must be punished this time because he did not show up.” Nyx smiled over the rim of her own goblet, mischief crossing her fine features.
Thanatos chuckled at that. “I think perhaps I forgot to tell him.”