A Game of Retribution (Hades Saga #2)(39)

Ariadne’s brows furrowed, and Hades saw that her shoulders fell. “I…

don’t understand.”

The woman looked confused, her eyes slipping to Dionysus, who said,

“You do not have to tell her if you do not wish.”

Ariadne’s frustration must have boiled over, because she plowed ahead.

“Look, I’m a detective with the Hellenic Police Department,” she explained. It was the wrong thing to say, because every woman in the room looked up then, and Hades felt their collective apprehension, fear, and venom. Ariadne must have noticed it too because she hesitated. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“Because they don’t want to be found,” Hades said, and before Ariadne could speak, he stopped her. “Is it so hard to believe, given what you’ve seen? These women are in hiding.”

“Did anyone happen to tell you where I was before I went missing?”

Megara asked, and her voice trembled. “The hospital. It was my third visit.

I decided it would be my last.”

For the first time all night, Ariadne had nothing to say—but Hades did.

He had a lot to say.

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you’ve done this purely from the goodness of your heart,” Hades said to Dionysus.

“What are you implying?”

Hades vanished and appeared behind one of the women, who had been cleaning a knife. In an instant, she was on her feet, and as soon as Hades appeared, the blade was at his throat.

He stared at the woman, no hint of fear in her eyes.

“Right,” Hades said and took a step back. “So you’ve trained them.”

Dionysus shrugged. “Why not give them the ability to defend themselves?”

“And assassinate your enemies. Two birds, one stone, right?”

The god did not respond.

“Are you saying you have an army of female assassins?” Ariadne asked.

“Well, this has been most satisfying,” said Dionysus. “But you have worn out your welcome.”

“Only just now?” Ariadne asked.

“That mouth really is something else,” said Dionysus.

That made Ariadne smile, but in a way that communicated her disgust with the god.

“As much as I’d like to leave and never return,” Hades said, “you’ve yet to answer my question.”

Dionysus stiffened, and Hades felt everyone in the room tense around him. He got the distinct impression that Dionysus’s assassins were poised for attack.

“I’d reconsider,” Hades said. “Not even your assassins have a chance against death.”

“Fine,” Dionysus gritted out. “You want to know? I’ll tell you.”

“Fucking finally,” Hades gritted out, relieved.

It had only taken discovering one of Dionysus’s weaknesses, which he was certain were few and far between. The God of the Vine was not overt about those he cared for, because it made them targets—it was a lesson he’d learned long ago, as he was a son of Zeus and had been the target of Hera’s wrath for the majority of his life.

“I needed the location of a gorgon named Medusa,” Dionysus said.

“There is a rumor going around in the market that she has the power to turn

men to stone. As you can imagine, that is quiet a useful skill in the hands of a mortal.”

“One you want for yourself?” Ariadne asked.

“If I wanted to turn someone to stone, I could without a gorgon’s gaze,”

Dionysus replied. “Shall I give you a demonstration?”

“Or you could finish your explanation,” Hades interjected, his patience gone.

Dionysus and Ariadne were still glaring at each other when he continued.

“A few bounty hunters have put a price on her head, so I hired the Graeae to help me find her first.”

“So she can join your team of assassins?”

“They’re called maenads,” Dionysus said, then shamelessly admitted,

“And yes.”

“As your weapon,” Hades said.

Dionysus shrugged. “Her power makes her dangerous. She’ll be on everyone’s kill list. At least here, she would be safe.”

“And what if that isn’t what she wants?” Ariadne asked.

Dionysus looked at the detective and answered, “Not everyone has the privilege of choice.”

Hades considered the information Dionysus had given him. If it were true, if there were a bounty on Medusa’s head, then it was just a matter of time before she was located. Still, he had questions. He was familiar with gorgons. He employed one—Euryale—to watch the doors to his lounge at Nevernight. Did she know Medusa?

“Why the Graeae?” Hades asked.

Dionysus stared.

“You have all these assassins,” Hades continued. “A roomful of people who can search and spy, yet you purchased the Graeae. Why?”

“I purchased their skills,” Dionysus clarified, as if he thought that were somehow better. “And because they are sisters to the gorgons. If anyone would know where Medusa resided, it would be the Graeae.”

“And you think they will tell you?”

“If they want to keep her safe, then yes.”