Page 70 of Hades

Harper hesitates for a moment before taking my open hand. She smiles at her men and says, “It’ll be fine.”

“We aren’t leaving the party, you will have eyes on us the whole time. I just wish for it to be a private conversation for now,” I try to reassure them.

This time the red-head speaks up, “What’s the harm in letting us come? She’s going to tell us what you say anyway.”

“As true as that may be, and I have no doubts about that, it’s a little aunt/niece time. My men won’t interfere either. If any of you,” I point to them all with the end of my scythe, stopping on my brother, “dare interrupt us, my little weapon here will not be for show, and you’ll no longer be Demigods.”

“‘Little,’” the last of Harper’s men mutters, with a half laugh.

My lips tip up into a smile at this.

“Do you understand?” I ask them all. When I’m satisfied that they have answered. I pull Harper away towards a darker corner of the courtyard.

Pyro had the foresight to leave a few of the table and chair sets around the perimeter. So I guide Harper to one.

“Have a seat, my dear, I’m not going to bite,” I inform her.

She nods and takes the chair opposite of me.

“And what can I do for you, Lady Hades?” she asks.

I’m impressed by her respectful tone, not the sarcastic one she used with my brother.

“Well, firstly, I apologize for the rude way I had Zeus bring you here without your permission. Secondly, I got a visit from Hermes and I’m impressed with the handy work you did to his face. Only another god can harm a god in that way. He was kind enough to give you the credit you deserve. But I digress, I hadyou brought here to ask if you’ll fight with me. Your idiot brother Ares is once again seeking my throne. I kicked his ass once and he’s being a titty baby about it. I figure that he will enlist the aid of some of the other gods that feel I’ve wronged them over the years. But I’m a peach compared to my twat brothers. So, when I saw Hermes’s face, I knew that I wanted you on my side.”

“What will this entail?”

“Fighting his army. Protecting my realm and the souls that live there. My men and I did it once before and we almost lost only because we didn’t have anyone to watch our back. But this time, I plan for him to come to me in the Underworld. I have souls there that will help me fight, we will need someone with powers as well to fight any other gods that show up.”

“When do you need my answer?” Harper asks, her eyes searching for the three she came with.

“Now.”

“What? This is crazy! We’ve only just met and you want us to head to who knows where and fight with you?”

“The Underworld and yes. I have little time to return. If Ares knows that I’m absent, he will attack sooner rather than later. And you can bet that Hermes has told him I was topside. I’ll give you a few minutes to discuss this with your men, while I gather mine.”

“Yours, how many do you have?” This time, she smiles.

“Four, have you ever heard of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse?” I smirk.

“Oh shit, they are real?” she asks, her hand slapping the table.

“I assure you they are. Would you like to meet them?”

She is speechless as she nods.

“Should we call your men over, first? I don’t want them attacking mine.”

“That would probably be a smart thing to do,” Harper says as she pulls out a cell and types in it. In mere moments, all three men are standing next to her.

I motion for my guys as I hate technology and they lumber over, ending the conversations that they are having with guests.

“Lady Hades, I’d like to introduce you to Stone.”

He waves his little hammer at me.

“Phoenix.” He is the red-head.

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