A Touch of Ruin (Hades x Persephone #2)(63)

Persephone also recognized that name from the Vitalis Fish Market. They were one of the oldest and most important fish wholesalers in the country.

“If they are rivals, why are they playing cards?”

“This is neutral territory. It is illegal to cause harm to another person on this property.”

“I suppose you are the exception to that rule?” she asked, lifting a brow. He had, essentially, tortured Kal.

“I am always the exception, Persephone.”

She felt that truth keenly.

All gods were the exception.

It was how Apollo got away with his inappropriate behavior.

“You said earlier you created a world where you could...watch the these...criminals. Why?”

Hades stared at her for a moment, then he answered. “Fate weaves good and evil,” he said. “And I would rather hold evil in the palm of my hand than keep it at a distance.”

“Then why not…end it?”

Hades chuckled and Persephone glared. “Because that is not possible.”

“How is that not possible?” she demanded.

“Evil is born from circumstance, Persephone. It is a matter of biology and resources and environment. One mortal’s fight for freedom is another’s mortal’s terrorism.”

Persephone shivered. It was a vicious cycle.

“So what? You just...nurture it?”

“As you would a rose,” he answered. “This is the Underworld of the living world, and here, I am all-powerful. It is my money that feeds their wealth, that has built their empire, and like life, I can take it all away with a flick of my wrist.”

Persephone let that sink in, feeling a little unnerved by her reaction. She should feel shocked by this, by the sheer power Hades had over the living and the dead. Instead she felt curious.

“And have you? Taken it all away?”

She knew the answer to the question, but she wanted to hear him say it.

“Yes,” he said.

“How do you decide?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes for as much bad as someone commits, they do just as much good. It’s a balance.”

Persephone’s brows knitted together. “How? How can someone who is evil also be good?”

Hades stared at her for a moment, and then nodded to the floor below.

“Take the Vitalis. They’ve created an organized crime empire. They’re the greatest wholesalers in the country and they’ve done terrible things to get there—threats, arson, extortion, but they also funnel millions of dollars into orphanages across New Greece every year.”

“How does that make what they’re doing okay?”

“It doesn’t,” he said. “And it doesn’t mean I won’t punish them for their crimes when they die, but it balances the scale and that’s all I’m trying to do.”

“And what happens when they tip the scale?”

“I destroy them.”

He said it so confidently and Persephone was strangely consoled by the thought that Hades brought order to such a dark and devastating world. Still, this was a lot to take in and she wasn’t sure she completely understood it.

“Tell me more.”

She couldn’t discern Hades’ thoughts by his expression, but she got the sense that he was reluctant to proceed. Still, he continued, pointing out a few people on the floor below.

“That’s Alexis Nicolo,” he said, indicating to a man with short dark hair and a giant wolf ring on his finger. “He’s a professional gambler and a cheater. I employ him to catch other cheaters. That’s Helene Hallas. She’s an art forger and makes billions selling her paintings. When I confronted her, I gave her an ultimatum: she could spend an eternity in Tartarus or she could donate half her earnings to organizations for homeless teenagers. She, of course, happily agreed to the latter.”

Persephone thought she was starting to understand, but then Hades said, “And that is Barak Petra. He’s an assassin.”

“Assassin? You mean he gets paid to kill people?”

“You cannot bargain with some types of evil, Persephone.”

She had a feeling she knew what kinds of evil he was referring too--the likes of the likes of the Impious. She shivered. It was strange to realize that Hades’ wasn’t just powerful because of the control he had over his magic. He was powerful because of the deals he made and this proved it.

“But what about the Magi?” she asked. “What about people like Kal Stavros? You’ve given them the space to practice dark magic? You’ve let them destroy people’s lives!”

“It is a balance,” Hades answered. Persephone had a feeling she was going to start hating that response. “People like Kal Stavros have already bargained their soul in exchange for magic.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means the price Kal pays for his power is his life,” he explained. “And the Fates say that is a better destiny than allowing him a longer one.”

Persephone swallowed, realizing again how complicated the rules of the Underworld--of Fate and Destiny really were. It was a convoluted network of bargains that all seemed to lead to a greater good, but the path there was hell.

“Are you afraid of me?” he asked after a moment of silence.

The question surprised her. She knew it was born out of fear, and yet, when she looked at him, his expression revealed nothing of his thoughts.