Page 71 of Queen of the Underworld

Warmth spread through him.

Hades followed her, unwilling to let her leave his sight for even a second. That urge became overpowering when a beast called in the distance and her shoulders went rigid, her head snapping in the direction of the harrowing roar. He closed the gap between them in a handful of strides and barely leashed the desire to take hold of her arm to draw her against him and into the shielding cocoon of his arms.

Her green gaze sought his.

“I was not lying when I said there were beasts in this realm who would mean you harm if you crossed paths with them.” His fingers flexed at his sides as he fought the need to sweep her into his arms and his senses stretched outwards, his shadows probing at the land to pinpoint the beast. It was beyond the mountains, far away enough that she wasn’t in any danger.

She threw a black look at the orchard. “I do not know how you can live here. There are no beasts on Olympus that seek to devour those who wander the realm.”

Rage lanced Hades’s heart, her words driving the spike home to pierce it, and darkness flooded him, so swift and fierce he couldn’t hold back the surging tide or the hurt that followed in its wake.

The ground beneath his boots quaked in response to the sudden, violent swelling of emotion within him.

Persephone gripped the nearest tree to steady herself and threw a curious look at him. “Was that you?”

Hades refused to answer that question. He strode through the trees away from her, needing some space and air. He tugged at the collar of the leather tunic he wore beneath his armour, struggling to breathe as the air seemed to lodge in his throat and the darkness pressed in on him. Much to his pleasure, Persephone hurried to keep up with him, remaining close to him.

Although he wasn’t sure whether it was because she wanted to be near him or because she feared the beast would swoop down and snatch her if he wasn’t with her.

“Did you cause that quake, Hades?” Her question came out softer this time, an imploring note lacing his name that had him halting to look over his shoulder at her. Her gaze darted around her, fear dancing in it. Fear that fell away as it lifted and collided with his. She murmured, “Did you?”

Hades wrenched his gaze away from her, unsure he wanted to see her reaction when he admitted, “The realm shifts with my mood.”

He drew down a steadying breath and let it flow out of him, seeking calm amongst the turbulent sea of his feelings as he battled with the words he wanted to say—words he had told her before but in a tongue she didn’t understand.

“You share a deep bond.” She slowly moved around him, her steps cautious and measured, coming into view and stopping before him. She angled her head and gazed up at his face.

Hades lifted his head and straightened his shoulders, purging the fear and the sliver of shame he felt, because he was god-king of this realm, and he shouldn’t care what a slip of a female from Olympus said about it.

But he did.

He cared a great deal about what she thought of his realm.

Of him.

He muttered, “I am the Underworld, and the Underworld is me. When things are out of balance in my realm, I am out of balance… and vice versa.”

He waited with bated breath to hear her reaction to that admission.

“That sounds troublesome.” She idly plucked a leaf from one of the trees and twirled it in her fingers, studying it as she quietly asked, “What are your family like?”

Hades shrugged, relief flowing through him to ease the tightness of his muscles and have him relaxing again as he realised his bond with the Underworld didn’t disgust her or make him frightening. He savoured the sensation of peace that swept around him and how she wasn’t shying away from him or trying to escape, relaxing enough that he didn’t even care that she had asked about his family, a topic that normally enraged him. He wasn’t sure this peace could last, even when he wanted it to go on forever.

In an attempt to make that happen, he thought about his family and what he could tell her that would please her.

But it was his brothers she was talking about.

“I do not see my brothers often. Neither of them stray into this realm unless it is to be of trouble to me, and I am not welcome in their realms. But this, you already know.” One glance at her was all it took to confirm she did indeed know that he wasn’t welcome in Olympus. What tales had she heard about him? He wanted to know, but didn’t dare ask. He sighed and looked beyond the orchard to the cragged black mountains. “My duty keeps me busy and keeps me here, and I am fine with that. I have no need of my brothers.”

His mood darkened again, even Persephone’s light unable to keep the shadows from his mind as he thought about his brothers and how they treated him. Poseidon had looked up at him once. He had been the centre of his younger brother’s universe, and the one Poseidon had always turned to when troubled or when he had gotten himself into trouble. Poseidon had relied upon him.

How quickly his brother had betrayed him when Zeus had come along, turning his back on him and shifting his loyalties to another.

Persephone cast him a look he could only call pity and then stepped towards him. When she was close to him—so near he could feel her warmth and her scent invaded his lungs, calming him a little—she lifted her hands. He frowned at her, unsure what she intended to do, but it didn’t stop her.

She gently smoothed the furrow between his eyebrows and then lowered her hands, pressed her index fingers into the corners of his mouth, and pushed upwards.

Forcing him to smile.

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