A Touch of Malice (Hades & Persephone #3)(17)

Ben’s accusations were serious, and it was possible his prediction would incur the wrath of the gods.

“I am only speaking—”

“What you hear,” Sybil finished. “Which may or may not be the word of a god, and judging by the fact that you have no patron, I’m guessing you’re being fed prophecies from an impious entity. If you had training, you would know that.”

Persephone looked from Sybil to Ben. She didn’t know what an impious entity was, but Sybil knew what she was talking about. She had been trained for this.

“And what is so bad about an impious entity? Sometimes they are the only truth tellers.”

“I think you should leave,” Sybil said.

A tense silence followed as Ben seemed to register Sybil’s words.

“You want me to… leave?”

“She didn’t stutter,” Hermes shot back.

“But—”

“You must have forgotten the way to door,” Hermes said. “I’ll show you out.”

“Sybil—” Ben tried to plead, but in the next second, he vanished. All eyes turned to Hermes.

“That wasn’t me,” the god said.

Their gazes moved to Hades, but he remained silent, and though no one asked, Persephone wondered where he’d deposited the mortal.

“I think we all should go.” Persephone said, though what she really wanted was to be alone with Hades to ask questions. “This storm is only going to get worse the longer we stay.”

Everyone was in agreement. “Hades, I’d like to make sure Helen, Leuce, and Zofie get home safe.”

He nodded. “I’ll call Antoni.”

As the women fetched their jackets, Persephone pulled Sybil aside.

“Are you alright? Ben is—”

“An idiot,” she said. “I’m so sorry if he offended you or the others.”

“Don’t worry…but at the rate he is going, I’m sure he’ll incur the wrath of some god.”

They did not have to wait for Antoni long. The Cyclops pulled up in a sleek limo, and they filed inside—Hades and Persephone on one side, Leuce, Zofie, and Helen on the other.

“Did anyone else really hate that Ben guy?” Leuce asked.

“Sybil should keep a blade beneath her bed in case he comes back,” Zofie said.

“Or she could just lock her door,” Helen suggested.

“Locks can be picked,” Zofie said. “A blade is better.”

The cabin fell silent, except for the tapping of ice on the windows.

They dropped Leuce and Zofie off first. Once they had left the cabin, the darkness seemed to swallow Helen, whose petite frame was lost in the fur of her coat. She stared out at the night, her pretty face illuminated now and then by the streetlights.

After a moment, she spoke. “Do you think Ben is right? That this is the work of the gods?”

Persephone tensed, and looked at the mortal, whose eyes had drifted to Hades—wide and innocent.

It was strange to hear that question with no venom behind the words.

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Hades replied.

The limo came to a stop and as Antoni opened the door, cold air filled the cabin. Persephone shivered, and Hades’ arm tightened around her.

“Thank you for the ride,” Helen said as she left.

Once they were on the road again, Persephone spoke.

“Does she really think a storm will keep us apart?”

The way Hades’ jaw ticked told her everything she needed to know— yes.

“Have you ever seen snow, Persephone?” Hades asked, and she did not like the tone of his voice.

She hesitated. “From afar.”

On the caps of mountains, but since she had moved to New Athens, never.

Hades met her gaze, his eyes glittered; he looked menacing and angry.

“What is going through your mind?” she asked quietly.

His lashes lowered, casting shadows on his cheeks. “She will do this until the gods have no choice but to intervene.”

“And what happens then?”

Hades did not reply, and Persephone didn’t force a conversation because in truth, she was too afraid, and she thought she knew the answer.

War.





CHAPTER V – A TOUCH OF ANcIENT MAGIC

“Antoni,” Hades said not long after they dropped Helen off. “Please see that Lady Persephone returns safely to Nevernight.”

“What?”

The word was barely out of her mouth before Hades gripped her head and kissed her. He made love to her mouth, parting her lips to thrust his tongue inside. The bottom of her stomach grew taut with anticipation, her thoughts turning from her mother’s wrath to the promise Hades had made in Sybil’s bathroom. She still felt the empty ache of their unfinished coupling, and she desperately wanted to lose herself in him tonight, but instead of giving her release, he drew away, her lips felt swollen and raw.

More, Hades. Now. She wanted to scream at him because her body ached so badly.

And he knew it.

“Do not fret, my darling. You shall come for me tonight.”

Antoni coughed, and it sounded like he was trying to cover a laugh.

In the next second, Hades’ magic flared, smelling of spice and ash, and he was gone.