Page 64 of Hades

Keras caught himself and withdrew his hand, but it was trembling now and his voice was unsteady as he said, “You need them.”

Hades did, but his son did too. He could see it in Keras’s gaze as it grew hooded, his focus rooted on the small box in Hades’s palm. He slid the box open and tipped out three of the pills, a quantity he hoped would be enough to dampen his power to the point where he wouldn’t destroy the mortal world and would have time to reach Persephone. No matter how many pills he took or limiters he used, he would always affect that realm. The best he could do was bring his power down to a level where he only caused ferocious storms to batter the land.

He stared at the pills, hoping they would be enough to achieve that, and then tossed them into his mouth and swallowed. Cold instantly spread through him and he was deeply aware of Keras’s gaze on him as he weathered the strange, numbing sensation. The darkness quietened in response, as if the ice was encasing it, and Hades shivered as he felt that ice coating his feelings too, dampening them as well as his powers.

He looked at his son.

Was this how Keras felt whenever he took a pill?

Was this how his son had been feeling for centuries, not only his powers restrained but his emotions numbed by them?

Keras glanced away and then looked him in the eye again, courage flaring in his green irises.

“I am sorry.” Hades held the pillbox out to him, unsure what else to say as the chilling cold continued to ease through him, stealing away his feelings.

“Don’t be.” Keras took the box and stared at it, his smile tight. “It was my decision.”

But Hades had been the one to create the pills, knowing what they might do, and when he had discovered Keras was addicted to them, he hadn’t stopped supplying his son with the drug. He should have. The look in Keras’s eyes said to let it go, that it was done now and no amount of words or apologies could change what had happened.

All Hades could do was help his son overcome his addiction, and he would do just that. He vowed that Keras would be free of the pills one day.

“We should return to the palace for your armour,” he said to his children as Keras took one of the pills and then placed the box into his pocket.

They both shook their heads.

“There is no time. If Mother is so close, I do not want to delay.” Calindria’s blue gaze flooded with concern and courage.

Hades looked at Keras. He nodded, telling him he was with Calindria on this. Neither of them wanted to waste a second.

“My shadows are protection enough,” Keras said, confidence ringing in his deep voice.

Keras was right about that.

But Hades still said, “Do try not to get gravely injured. Your mother would never forgive me.”

And the last thing he wanted was Persephone to be angry with him the moment he got her back in his arms.

Hades secured his bident against his back and held his hand out to his son, who took it and then linked hands with Enyo, who took hold of Thanatos’s hand. Thanatos gripped Calindria’s. Hades held his free hand out to her and she was quick to shake her head and draw her gloved hand to her chest. He understood her reluctance, but her rejection still stung. Thanatos gave him a look, silently asking him to be patient with her.

One day, she would understand that her touch wouldn’t harm him if she wore her gloves.

He wanted that day to be today, but he forced himself to give her the time she needed to come to terms with her power and trust in the barrier her gloves created, one that prevented her from killing with her hands.

He focused on the task ahead, one that was unsavoury but necessary, and teleported with everyone to the gate in the Underworld that linked it to Olympus. He led the way through, not hesitating to step into the shimmering rings of glyphs or out into the blinding light of the white city that clung to the undulating foothills of the mountain.

A city that immediately grew dark as his power tainted the realm. Black clouds rolled in to blot out the blue sky and the sea grew turbulent, a chill wind blowing in to lace the waves with white caps. Small sailboats pitched and swayed in the harbour, and the guards stationed at the gate pivoted to face it.

Their eyes widened as they landed on Hades.

“Let’s go,” Keras said and took the lead, heading at speed for the gate to the mortal world that was a few hundred feet away along the promenade. “Last thing we need is Uncle interfering.”

Hades couldn’t agree more.

“Halt.” One of the guards stationed at the gate had the audacity to step into Hades’s path, something the male evidently regretted when he got a good look at Hades and recognition flashed in his eyes. He paled and waved a shaky hand towards the gate as he shuffled aside, lowering his head. “God-king Hades.”

The temptation to crush the male into the pale flagstones was strong, near overwhelming, but he didn’t have the time to dally, not even to do something that would be incredibly enjoyable.

He was close to finding Persephone now. Any delay was unacceptable. His children were right about that.

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