Page 115 of Queen of the Underworld

Far too many heroic souls resided there, and while he knew Persephone didn’t want to visit that part of the realm in order to see the handsome males who were far more worthy of her than he was, he still despised the thought of taking her to that place. Her look was pure hope as she gazed at him though, that smile faltering on her lips as he remained silent.

Hades sighed. “Very well.”

Her entire face brightened, her smile so wide and delighted that it struck him like a thunderbolt in his chest, knocking the wind from him. By the gods. If he had known she would look so happy at just the thought of visiting the Elysian Fields, he might have taken her to them when she had first asked. She was radiant as she pushed off him, a bounce in her step.

His beautiful goddess.

She began towards the bed and then hurried back to him, bent and captured his lips in the softest, warmest kiss he had ever experienced.

Hades wrapped his arms around her and gathered her to him, unwilling to relinquish this kiss, needing more of it. All of it. He wanted her to keep kissing him like this forever.

Someone banged on the wooden doors.

A male voice rang through them. “My god-king Hades. A visitor awaits you in the throne room.”

Hades growled as he surrendered Persephone’s lips. “What visitor?”

The male said, “Your brother, my god-king.”

Chapter 33

Cold skated down Hades’s spine and his hands tensed against Persephone, his gaze darting to her as awareness of the reason for his brother’s visit struck him hard. She paled in his arms, her hands closing over his shoulders and fear flashing across her face.

Zeus would not dare take her from him.

He told himself that on repeat as he forced himself to release her and stand, but no part of him believed it. Each step he took across his room was heavy, an effort that tore at his strength and drained him, and the feel of her gaze on his back had him wanting to tuck her in his arms and teleport her far from this place, to somewhere Zeus would never find her.

Hades pushed down the cold that scoured his insides and chilled his heart, and stoked the fires of his rage, calling upon the darkness and tugging it to the fore, if only so this meeting with his brother would hurt less, his emotions dampened by the darkness. He methodically attached each piece of his armour, his mind numbed as he worked to dress, his heart growing heavier by the second.

When he turned towards the door, Persephone was there.

“I am coming with you.” She tipped her chin up but there wasn’t an ounce of confidence in her eyes as she clenched her fists and they shook. Her voice lowered, growing strained, and tears lined her lashes, tearing at his heart. “I am coming with you.”

He nodded, unable to deny her—as always. Part of him wanted her there, so Zeus could see that whatever he believed was wrong, and that she wanted to be here. He wanted his brother to see the hurt he was causing. He wanted him to suffer.

Hades held his gauntleted hand out to her and she slipped hers into it. She pulled down a breath as he tugged her into his embrace. He meant to teleport, but as she pressed against his breastplate, a sniffle escaping her, he ended up holding her instead.

“All will be well, my love,” he murmured into her silky scarlet hair, telling himself that too. Zeus couldn’t take her from him. Zeus had given his permission after all. He had told Hades to take her. He stroked her hair, lingering, aware that there was only one reason Zeus had come to the Underworld, and it was in his arms. He wouldn’t give her up without a fight. If he had to wage war against the entirety of Olympus in order to keep her, he would do it. He pressed a kiss to her hair and whispered, “All will be well.”

She nodded stiffly, sucked down a breath and expelled it, and when she tilted her head back to gaze up at him, confidence and courage shone in her eyes, her tears and her sorrow forgotten. She looked like a little warrioress as she steeled herself, ready to do battle.

In order to remain with him.

It touched him, deeper than she would ever know, and he dipped his head and brushed his lips across hers, afraid it would be their last kiss as he teleported them.

As feared, it was Zeus who stood in the centre of the open-roofed black temple on the shores of the river, looking out of place in his white chiton and golden armour. His brother’s golden eyes lowered from the statues that stood atop the stone entablature that ran around the tops of the fluted columns and landed on him.

Hades strode towards him, shadows writhing around his boots, and snarled, “What is this about?”

Zeus dared to look beyond him to Persephone where she lingered in the spot they had landed. Darkness consumed Hades and he growled, baring fangs as he closed the distance to his brother in a heartbeat and seized him by his gold breastplate, gripping it so hard he dented the metal.

“Do not look at her,” he barked.

Zeus’s calm golden eyes eased back to him. “She must return to Olympus.”

Hades unleashed a feral growl and twisted with him, hurling him across the temple. Zeus hit the far wall near Hades’s black throne with a grunt and dropped to the stone floor.

“Never.” Hades advanced on his brother, his shadows rising now, growing restless as they snapped at the columns and some lurched towards his brother. “I will never return her. You gave your word. She ismine.”

---