“You already broke a promise you made. I doubt my story of betrayal would have prevented you from seeking Apollo’s help.”
His words hurt her. He could tell by how she seemed to fold in on herself, and a surge of guilt made his entire body feel weak. Perhaps his honesty would have influenced her behavior differently, but he had not even given her the chance.
He set the bottle aside and pushed away from the bar.
“You are probably tired. I can take you to the Underworld, or Antoni will see you home.”
He gave her two options, not knowing where she’d like to go, but instead, she asked him, “What do you want?”
You, of course, he thought, yet found himself putting the choice to her. “It is not my decision to make.”
When she averted her eyes, he knew he’d made a mistake.
“But since you asked,” he added, and she looked at him. “I always want you with me. Even when I’m angry.”
There was a little less sadness to her expression.
“Then I’ll come with you.”
He approached, crunching the broken glass beneath his feet as he drew her body against his. Despite their proximity, there was still so much distance between them. He would take this for now, though, her closeness and her presence in his bed.
At least for this night, she would be home.
Chapter XXIV
Answers
Hades should have guessed he would not sleep, though he did rest, which was easy given that for the first night in what felt like forever, Persephone lay beside him. Eventually, he rose, though reluctant, and left their room. In the halls, he passed staff carrying bundles of flowers and leafy garlands, and the smell of savory foods permeated the air. He followed the activity, finding Hecate in the ballroom giving instruction on the placement of banquet tables and flowers.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Tonight is the solstice celebration,” she said.
Right. He had forgotten. Usually these festivities were relegated to the Asphodel Valley, but Persephone had insisted on moving more of them to the palace, and it had begun with the Ascension Ball.
“Will you join us?” Hecate inquired.
“I’ll try,” he said.
“Persephone will want you here.”
Hades was not so certain, but he would actually make an effort.
He left Hecate to her work and wandered to the stables, where he released Orphnaeus, Aethon, Nycteus, and Alastor from their pens. He followed them out into the field and, at the last minute, mounted Alastor, riding fast across the Underworld. He had no particular destination in mind, but it had been a long time since he had just existed somewhere without expectation, and that was what he wanted to do right now.
Alastor galloped hard and fast until he came to the edge of the Underworld, where a steep cliff met the gray Aleyonia Ocean. Hades considered jumping into its cold depths, if only to feel cleansed of the chaos that had riddled his body over the past few weeks. As enticing as the thought was, he remained seated and, soon after, turned Alastor away. It was on their way back toward the palace that he dismounted, allowing the horse to run free across his realm, though he was not alone long before Hermes appeared.
Hades did not speak, finding that he was still irritated about last night. In particular, he was not happy that the God of Mischief had chosen Persephone’s dress.
“I came to say I am sorry,” Hermes said.
Still Hades did not speak, nor did he stop, continuing toward the palace.
“Don’t do this, Hades.” Hermes followed on his heels. “The dress was for your benefit, and you know it.”
He hated that the god knew what he was so angry about.
“My benefit?” Hades countered. “How so, when I was the last person to see her in it?”
“Well, that’s the purpose, isn’t it?”
“Do you really think I don’t want to fuck Persephone?” he spat, whirling to face him. It wasn’t even the dress that made him so angry; it was the reason behind it. It was meant to make him jealous. It was meant to make him yearn. “There’s more between us than sex, and if you must know, everything outside that is the problem at this moment.”
Hermes dropped his gaze. “Look, Hades. I didn’t mean to make things worse. At the end of the day, I just wanted to help…and yeah, the dress was meant to send a message, but I thought it might help you see what’s most important.”
“And what is that?”
“The woman in the dress, you idiot.”
“I know that, you fucking imbecile. You didn’t have to put her in fucking mesh for me to get the message.”
“And what if that’s what she wanted?” Hermes asked.
Hades just stared.
“Stop being toxic about the things that don’t matter. You’ll miss out on what’s really important, which is that she loves you.” Hermes shook his head and continued. “A lot of us love you, and you don’t make it easy, especially when you’re like this.”
“Like what?”
“This,” he said, gesturing toward him. “Broody.”
“I am not broody,” Hades replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You are, and sometimes it’s hot, but right now, it’s just pathetic.”
“Take that back!”
“I’ll take it back,” Hermes said. “But only when you accept that you deserve more than loneliness.”
* * *
Hades was still frustrated by Hermes’s words hours later when he was summoned to Nevernight by Ilias, who informed him that a detective had arrived to speak with him. At first he had assumed it was Ariadne, but he soon discovered that was not the case when he found a man in his office.
He was short, stout, and balding, and he stood with his hands resting on a thick belt that holstered his gun, extra rounds, a Taser, and handcuffs and still managed to hold a folder clasped between his fingers.
“Lord Hades,” he said. “Thank you for meeting with me.”
“What can I do for you?” Hades asked, glancing at Ilias, who lingered near the doors.
“I am Captain Baros. I believe one of my detectives has been to visit you recently.”
“Enlighten me,” Hades said, not wanting to out Ariadne, as he had suspected she’d come to him without this man’s knowledge. “I see a lot of people.”
The detective frowned, then reached into the folder, pulling out an official portrait of Ariadne in her uniform.