A Game of Retribution (Hades Saga #2)(5)

Now he was distracted by Hera’s singular order and devising plans to avoid her labors. Hera was not the only god with the power to bless marriages, though her power to curse marriages was far more dreaded.

Ultimately, though, the decision was up to Zeus, and Hades did not think his brother would be so approving if Hades were responsible for Briareus’s death.

Gods, he hated his family.

Hades appeared in his office, intending to go in search of Persephone, but found he was not alone. Thanatos was already waiting. The God of Death often kept Hades informed on the daily activities of the souls—especially when things went awry, and it was that thought that gave Hades pause.

“Is something wrong, Thanatos?” Hades asked as the god swept into a deep bow, his long white-blond hair veiling his face.

“No, my lord,” Thanatos replied as he straightened, his dark wings rustling. He looked like a slender shadow, his head crowned with a pair of black gayal horns. “I merely wished to make you aware of an…

occurrence.”

“An…occurrence?”

“At the Styx,” he said. “Lady Persephone greeted the souls.”

There was nothing inherently wrong with Persephone greeting the souls, though the way Thanatos was presenting the information made Hades’s heart race.

“Get to the point, Thanatos,” Hades snapped. “Is she okay?”

The God of Death blinked.

“Why yes, of course,” he said quickly. “I did not mean to imply otherwise. I thought you would want to know and perhaps…caution her.

You know new souls can be very unpredictable.”

Hades’s relief was instantaneous, though his irritation with Thanatos spiked.

“Are you… tattling, Thanatos?” he asked, raising a brow.

The god’s eyes widened. “I— No, that was not my intention. I only thought you should know…”

The corner of Hades’s mouth lifted. “I will speak with Persephone,” he said. “Though the next time you intend to inform me of her exploits, I suggest you begin with how it ended.”

Thanatos’s pale face turned red. “Yes, my lord.”

Without another word, Hades left his office to find Persephone.

It was not difficult to locate her. He could sense her within his realm, her presence a steady pulse that beat in tandem with his heart. He followed it, drawn to it, and found her in the library, seated in one of the overstuffed chairs near the fireplace. Even if he had not been able to sense her, he would have guessed she took solace here. His library was one of her favorite places in the palace, and he found it comforting that even after their time apart—though he hated to be reminded—she found it so easy to return to her previous routine.

From his place at the door, he could see the very top of her golden head, and as he approached, he found her reading. A chaotic mix of emotions erupted inside—a warm relief and a cold dread.

She was here now.

She was present now.

But the past month had taught him that it could end in an instant, and Hera’s labors did not ease his turmoil, though he managed to suppress the feelings as he drew close.

“I thought I would find you here,” he said and reached for her, seeking her mouth. He curled his fingers beneath her chin, tilted her head, and pressed his lips to hers. She arched to reach him, her hand clamping behind his neck as they fused together.

Hades liked this. It grounded him, reminded him that she was real—that they were real.

He pulled away and brushed her jaw with this thumb, studying her face, lingering longest on her lips, which he wanted to taste once more. Her eyes were brighter today—like the vibrant green of her meadow—and he liked to think it had something to do with him.

“How was your day, darling?” he murmured.

“Good,” she answered, and her breathlessness made him smile.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you. You appeared quite entranced by your book.” He glanced at it before straightening.

“N-no. I mean…it’s just something Hecate assigned.”

“May I?” he asked.

She handed it over and he noted the title, Witchcraft and Mayhem. He refrained from rolling his eyes at Hecate’s choice of assigned reading.

Though it was no surprise the Goddess of Magic would choose to teach his lover the art of chaos. It was a type of magic that could be both harmless and destructive, and Hades had no doubt that Hecate had intended to teach Persephone the whole spectrum.

He would have to speak with her later.

“When do you begin training with Hecate?” he asked.

“This week,” she said. “She gave me homework.”

“Hmm,” he acknowledged and leafed through a few more pages before closing the book. “I heard you greeted new souls today.”

He spoke casually, yet as he lifted his gaze to meet hers, she straightened, ready to defend her choice.

“I was walking with Yuri when I saw them waiting on the bank of the Styx.”

“You took a soul outside Asphodel?” That was far more concerning to him than the fact that she had greeted souls.

“It’s Yuri, Hades. Besides, I do not know why you keep them isolated.”

“So they do not cause trouble.”

He admired Persephone for her trust, and of all the souls, Yuri was probably the least likely to break protocol, but offering them free rein of the Underworld would only prove difficult. Even Persephone could not manage to stay out of trouble. The last time she’d wandered into the wild of his realm, she’d found herself face-to-face with Tantalus.