Page 44 of Hades and Persephone: Crown of Souls

My gaze is glacial. “You are leaving something out.”

Momentary surprise strikes her, before she straightens her shoulders. Noc’s eyes drift to her, assessing. “It doesn't pertain to you.”

“It absolutely does.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

She holds my gaze with a challenge that is as infuriating as it is surprising. Hot anger spikes at the back of my neck. I am not familiar with this feeling regarding her. I am not familiar with her challenging me, at least not like this. But this is important. I need to know what she saw in her last moments. I need to know what Demeter said. I need to know what Demeter has planned so that I can keep her safe.

I know for certain she is hiding something when she juts her little chin at me, a dare sparking in her deep green eyes.

This is going nowhere.I have enough centuries to know, that at least for now, we’re at an impasse.

Grinding my teeth, I bow my head. I center myself with an inhale through my nose and out through my mouth.

To the table, I say, “We know Demeter had access to the Underworld on more than one account. Hermes brought her here repeatedly.” Thanatos emits a hiss I ignore. “I do not believe that every time he brought her here, it was to meet with Persephone, as she claimed.” In shame, Hermes bows his head. To make my point clear, I add, “I have absolved Hermes his sins. He has paid his price and has been welcomed permanently into the Underworld.”

Thanatos snaps his eyes to me. His voice is barely more than a breath. “Permanently?”

I refuse to look at Persephone when I say, “Hermes made the choice.”

Thanatos shivers, and finally, for the first time, his eyes land on Hermes. “You gave him your soul?”

“I did.” Hermes nods. It is sober and without shame. “This is my home, and my soul was the price. I paid it willingly, and with honor.”

Thanatos shakes his head, but the ice in his cold, deathly black gaze is beginning to melt.

I continue, “Now that Hermes has bound himself to the Underworld permanently, he is no longer the Messenger God capable of moving between the realms. Therefore, Minthe, Leuce—I need you both to listen to the stirrings in the living realm. You’ll do so under the guise of handling The Tower of Pluto. You will be safe there, but know that outside the Tower, I can award you no protections.” I receive two somber nods of assent. “There was a battle, and not only Demeter showed her cards, but Zeus came for the game. There are more players in this than we initially suspected.” I don’t let my gaze drift to Persephone at the sound of her little gasp. “What I need to know, is why they would want me dead. What do they want with the Underworld?”

Chapter

Twenty

Persephone

When Hades callshis meeting complete, I rise from the table. I can't let myself look at him, even though I can feel the dark burn of his eyes singing my skin. I'm angry, but moreI'm hurt.

I know there is something he isn't telling me. I know this, and yet he wants me to bare everything to him. It's not fair and it’s not right. Relationships go both ways, and I won't accept anything less.

It if he can't share with me, petty as it is, I feel my hands are tied. I can do nothing but give him a taste of his own medicine. Judging by the bitter twist to his face, he doesn't much like the taste.

I stutter in my haste to leave the meeting as my eyes land once again on the pretty dessert. My stomach twists even as that pinching twist of pain wrenches in my heart. The sweet treat, all glossy and red, has a memory replaying in my mind.

Hades, promising he would never again manipulate me. Hades, claiming the space that dared stand between us to towerover me. Hades, dipping his finger into the dessert and begging me with that dark daze alight with flames to taste the treat from his very finger. The hitch of his breath as I drew him inside my mouth, sucking him clean in an act of trust and seduction that even now has my body responding.

Even though my heart is twisting in pain, my core twists with need. In response, shame and frustration heat my skin, becausewhat the hell?

I’m mad at the man—God.Whatever.

On top of the very real fact I’m pissed off—it's only been a few hours since I last had him. And yet, here I am wanting more.

I'm starting to get annoyed with myself.This is ridiculous.

Setting my teeth, I tear my gaze from the dessert. It's as I push from the table that I catch his eyes, the flare of his nostrils as he inhales deep into his chest. He's not the only one inhaling the scent of my body’s betrayal. Next to him, Hypnos raises an amused brow at me.

Oh, for frick sakes.

Can all Gods smell arousal?

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