A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone #1)(18)

Persephone didn’t want to know Hades’ interests. She already felt like she knew too many and none of them were good.

Persephone watched the cyclops from her seat in the back. She wondered how the monster came to be in the service of the God of the Underworld, so she asked.

“My kind were freed from Tartarus by the three after we were placed there by Cronos,” he replied. “And so we have repaid the favor by serving Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades from time to time.”

“As a driver?” she didn’t mean to sound so repulsed, but this seemed a menial task.

Antoni laughed. “Yes, but our kind are great builders and blacksmiths, too. We have crafted gifts for the three, and shall continue.”

“But that was so long ago. Surely you have repaid their favor?” Persephone asked.

“When the God of the Dead gives you life, it is a favor that will never be repaid.”

Persephone frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“You have never been to Tartarus, so I don’t expect that you will,” he paused and added. “Do not misunderstand. My service to Hades is my choice, and of all the gods, I am glad to serve him. He is not like the other Divine.”

Persephone really wanted to know what that meant, because from what she knew about Hades, he was the worst of the Divine.

Antoni arrived outside her apartment and squeezed out of the driver’s seat to open her door.

“Oh, you don’t have to—I can open my own door,” she said.

He smiled. “It is my pleasure, Lady Persephone.”

She started to ask that he not call her that, but then realized he was using her title, as if he knew she were a goddess, yet she wore her glamour.

“How did you—”

“Lord Hades called you Lady Persephone,” he explained. “So I will, too.”

“Please...it is not necessary.”

His smiled widened. “I think you should get used to it, Lady Persephone, especially if you visit us often, as I hope you will.”

He shut the door and bowed his head. Persephone wandered into her apartment in a daze. This day had been long and bizarre thanks to the God of the Dead.

There was no reprieve from it, either, because Lexa stood in the kitchen when Persephone came inside and pounced.

“Uh, whose Lexus dropped you off in front of our lame apartment?” she asked.

She wanted to lie and claim that someone from her internship had dropped her off, but she knew Lexa wouldn’t believe that—she was supposed to be home two hours ago, and her best friend had just watched as she’d literally be chauffeured to their home.

“Well...you’re never going to believe this but….Hades.”

While she could admit to that, she wasn’t ready to tell Lexa about the contract or the mark on her wrist.

Lexa dropped the mug she was holding. Persephone flinched as it hit the floor and shattered.

“Are you kidding?”

Persephone shook her head. As she moved to grab a broom, Lexa followed.

“Like...the Hades? God of the Dead Hades? Owner of Nevernight Hades?”

“Yes, Lexa. Who else?” Persephone asked, irritated.

“How?” she sputtered. “Why?

Persephone started sweeping up the ceramic pieces.

“It was for my job,” It wasn’t technically a lie. She could call it research.

“And you met Hades? You saw him in the flesh?”

Persephone shivered at the word flesh, recalling Hades’ haphazard appearance. “Yeah.”

“What does he look like?” Persephone turned away from Lexa and grabbed the dustpan. She was also trying to hide the furious blush staining her cheeks. “Details. Spill!”

Persephone handed Lexa the dustpan and she held it as Persephone swept up the shattered mug. “I...don’t know where to begin,” Persephone said at last.

Lexa smiled. “Start with his eyes,” she said.

Persephone sighed. It felt intimate to describe Hades and part of her wanted to keep him all to herself. She was well-aware she was only describing a toned-down version of the god because she had yet to see him in his true form. There was a strange anticipation that followed that thought, and she realized she was eager to know the God in his Divinity. Would his horns be as black as his eyes and his hair? Would they curl on either side of his head like a rams, or reach into the air, making him even taller?

“He’s handsome,” she said, though even that word didn’t do him justice. It wasn’t just his looks, it was his presence. “He’s…power.”

“Someone has a crush.” The smug smirk on Lexa’s face reminded Persephone that she was too focused on what the god looked like and not enough on what he did.

“What? No. No. Look, Hades is handsome. I’m not blind, but I cannot condone what he does.”

“What do you mean?”

Persephone reminded Lexa of what they’d learned from Adonis at Nevernight.

“Well, you could ask Hades about it.”

“We’re not friends, Lexa.”

They would never be friends.

Then Lexa got really excited. “Oh! What if you wrote about him? You could investigate his bargains with mortals! How scandalous!”

It was scandalous—not only because of the content, but because Persephone was considering writing an article about a god, something very few people did for fear of retaliation.