Page 106 of Hades

Hades’s shadows tore out of the ground as he snarled but the god of war was too quick, easily leaping clear of them before they could tear into him.

“I shall take my leave.” He bowed his head to Persephone and then, with a wicked smile, disappeared.

“He does it on purpose,” Persephone said as she caressed Hades’s arm, her light and loving touch doing nothing to calm him.

“He wants you for himself,” Hades growled back at her. “He made that perfectly clear.”

“Centuries ago,” she put in and then sighed. “Hades… I do not desire the god of war and he only does it to tease you… He does not really want me.”

“He does.” Hades knew when a male wanted a female, and the god of war had made it painfully clear he desired Persephone. He had tried to steal her away from him. He bared fangs at the memory, tempted to follow the god back to Olympus and deal with him once and for all.

“About setting aside old feuds…” Zeus said, clearly trying to avert a war between the Underworld and Olympus. “It would be nice to get to know my niece and nephews better, and you might enjoy visiting Olympus from time to time for a feast at my temple… If you swear not to kill any of my subordinates, that is.”

Hades gritted his teeth and barely leashed his urge to track down the god of war.

Persephone watched him closely, a soft look in her eyes as he struggled to accept the kindness his brothers were showing him. He knew how much his brothers being here meant to her too. She had always hoped they would reconcile and become a family again.

He huffed and gave up his fight, willing to heal the breach between him and his brothers for her sake, and maybe for his own too.

It might be nice feeling as if he had brothers he could depend upon, ones who had his back just as he had theirs—the sort of bond his sons shared.

A bond he had never thought he could have with Zeus and Poseidon, but it was right there in front of him.

He only needed to reach out and take it.

“A feast,” Hades said, offering an olive branch to his brothers, taking the first step towards strengthening their bond. “We should celebrate this victory. At the palace.”

Persephone beamed up at him in a way that made him feel she wanted to pet him, as if he was Cerberus and had done something good.

He raked his gaze over her curves. If she wished to pet him, he could think of a way he would like.

“A feast sounds good.” Poseidon’s deep voice drew Hades out of his wicked thoughts and he nodded.

“We shall meet you there.” Zeus waved to Artemis and Apollo. “We shall drop these off at Tartarus first.”

“We will come with you.” Thanatos stopped near Zeus, Calindria tucked against his side.

Zeus turned away from Hades, towards her, and Hades tuned them out as his brother doted on her. Persephone joined them, pride shining in her voice as she spoke to Calindria.

Hades crossed the span of dirt to Cerberus, needing to see with his own eyes that his beloved pet was all right. Cerberus perked up as he neared, his three great heads lifting off the ground and his bright blue eyes seeking him. His middle head began to pant and the other two followed suit.

Hades stroked the beast’s muzzles one at a time, lavishing him with attention that was only the start of what he would be showing Cerberus for the next few years at least. “I am sorry.”

Cerberus responded to that apology by licking him with a tongue that was as wide as Hades’s body, slobbering all over his black armour. He didn’t mind. He continued to pet him, fussing over him as he looked at the sealed gate, feeling the weight lifting from his shoulders.

It really was over.

He couldn’t stop stroking Cerberus as he thought that on repeat, trying to make himself believe it, and reassure himself that Cerberus was fine.

“Meet you at the palace,” Esher hollered. “Need to get Aiko. Can you open the gate to the secret realm for me, Mum?”

“You can open it yourself now. I amended the wards to allow all of you to come and go as you please.” Persephone looked at Esher and then back at Hades. “I will stay with your father.”

Marek’s bass voice rang out through the stillness. “I’ll go get Caterina too. She’ll want to come to the party.”

Hades felt Marek’s gaze land on his back and sensed his nerves.

Without taking his gaze off the wall of inscribed rock, he said, “She is more than welcome at our home.”

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