Page 60 of Conquered Obstacles

Hades chuckled. “He can’t. He’s not strong enough, and if he keeps on the path he is, I will keep doing the same to him.” He smiled when Hera’s eyes went wide. “Yes, I’ve been punishing your husband the same way. Every time he makes demands of us, his equals, or tries to order us to do his bidding, I have been punishing him by taking his power.”

“You wish to usurp him. He was always right to fear you,” she hissed.

“Well, since he’s been giving us the power, I’m not sure how that works in your twisted mind,” I defended. “Can we gag her until she’s given to Zeus? I have enough crazy to deal with.”

“Well said,” he chuckled and silenced her before putting on the restraints so we could move her. “You were busy yesterday? I went to stop by, but you weren’t there and your lover was very tense.”

“A situation with the young girls who work for me,” I told him. I glanced at Hera and around the underworld before meeting his gaze again. “I’ll fill you in later, but I have a request that when a human comes here, you make his punishment extra harsh.”

“Anything for you, Sister.” He frowned. “Emily? I think one of them was Emily. She was a kind soul who offered me a refill and had a lot on her shoulders.”

“Yes, she’s one of them, and her parents are…” I shook my head.

“Shame, she’s a nice child,” Poseidon muttered as we moved along with Hera. “She was so excited that you reconnected with your nice family. She kept telling me how everyone there loved you and was very protective of you.”

“I think it will be okay, and she will stand strong on her own before things get too bad. But yes, not everyone should be a parent. She deserves better.”

“Well, then it’s a blessing she found you to take under your wing,” he praised.

I smiled at both of them, glad they thought that of me. I changed the topic and discussed a few meals I was thinking of making soon and smiled when they both were interested and clearly wanted to make up reasons to stop by. They were very happy that I added extra refrigerators in the garage loaded with full meals for them.

And honestly, I enjoyed doing it for them. My brothers were hopeless in that area, and I truly loved to spoil them. They also appreciated it. Both of them were doing a lot to help me now as well.

“Are you ready for this?” Hades asked as we reached Olympus.

“No, but let’s do it anyways,” I whispered.

“We’re proud of you,” Poseidon said under his breath, and their support really did help.

Zeus was waiting at the top of Olympus looking as if he was swallowing something rancid, but I didn’t understand why until I realized how many gods were standing behind him. Wouldn’t that have made him happy to have them on his side?

But they weren’t. They were enjoying this scene.

I didn’t get that at first because I was shocked to see how many more there were than I knew and all of the strange faces and eyes on me were overwhelming. I felt better when Hades and then Poseidon made sure to brush my hand as we walked along, one of them on either side of me.

It was probably even more insulting that Hera was being dragged along by Hades’s minions.

And that was part of Zeus’s upset.

“Those things are not allowed on Olympus or my realm,” he bit out.

“Well, I stand here with my sister, and I didn’t trust myself not to end your monstrous wife who tried to kill her,” Hades said easily.

“That bitch isn’t allowed here either. I—”

I swallowed a gasp as Hades was suddenly in front of Zeus with his hand on his shoulder. He transferred Zeus’s power to me in punishment.

“No more lies, Zeus. You may have tried to erase all proof of our sister’s existence since your wife put a curse on her and chased her out, but you did not and cannot expel her from Olympus. It was the one rule the four of us agreed on. Olympus is our home, and we are all equals here.”

“I am the god of the gods,” Zeus bit out.

“No, you’re not!” the three of us shouted together.

“You were the god of the heavens, but what are those even without any souls there as you promised and failed to do,” I continued. “You blame Hades for everything and throw the underworld in his face, but all the failings are yours, Zeus. And all because you are a coward. You always were. You set us up because you were a coward and were the worst of us.”

“I will not be judged by someone who allowed herself to be sullied and—”

Hades punished him again and gave me more power. “Keep talking shit, Zeus. I would gladly have reason to give her all of your power.” He shrugged when I stared at him. “I rather like your cussing. It’s rubbing off on me.”

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