Page 110 of A Touch of Chaos

“And you can wear the Girdle of Hippolyta,” said Persephone.

Hades looked at her, surprised that she had it. She noticed his gaze.

“Hippolyta gave it to me at Zofie’s funeral,” she explained. “She said something about an agreement you made for it.”

He could hear the accusation in her voice, clearly unhappy with the way she’d discovered that bit of information. He had never really expected her to find out about the girdle…or Theseus for that matter, but he was suddenly realizing that he might have protected her too much.

She turned back to Hermes. “At least you’ll have immortal strength.”

“What the fuck is a girdle, and why does it sound ugly?” Hermes asked.

“Think of it as a corset,” Persephone said.

“Hmm,” the god said. “I am intrigued. Give it to me.”

“Not until we leave,” Persephone said. She turned and headed down the hall toward their bedroom, calling out as she went, “Be ready in an hour!”

“I like Queen Sephy,” said Hermes. “She’s like…old Sephy but angrier.”

She was angry—the result of watching those she loved hurt. In some ways, Hades mourned the fact that she had to witness any of this, but they both knew it was her anger that fueled her power.

And it was her anger that would save them.

Hermes’s chewing drew Hades’s attention again, and he looked at the God of Mischief.

“Popcorn?” he offered.

Hades reached into the bowl and took some. He held Hermes’s gaze as he popped it into his mouth. The popcorn was buttery and melted on his tongue.

“Hmm, not bad,” he said, then licked his fingers.

Hermes looked a little dazed, and he swallowed. “Now you’re just being mean,” he said.

Hades chuckled and headed down the hall. “One hour, Hermes.”

CHAPTER XXII

PERSEPHONE

Persephone was just buttoning her jeans when Hades entered the room. She was trying hard to breathe through her frustration, knowing that only a few hours earlier, he’d brought his mother to the Underworld, but it was difficult, because if he’d had the choice, he wouldn’t have admitted that his wound had worsened. After all they’d been through, he was still keeping the truth from her.

“You’re upset,” Hades said.

For some reason, that made her even angrier. She gritted her teeth and refused to look at him.

“Persephone,” he said as she reached for the shirt that she’d tossed on the bed.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, sliding the tank over her head.

“I didn’t tell you how I was feeling because I didn’t want you to worry,” he said.

She froze and looked at him and let her anger blossom. She had warned him.

“You didn’t want to worry me?” she asked. “Did you think the worry just stops and starts on your command?”

He was still and expressionless, but Persephone got the sense that he realized how stupid he sounded.

“Younevertell the truth,” she said.

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