Page 75 of The Queen & the King

“Yes,” I admit, pushing my pants off and walking in my underwear to grab a nightdress.

“Because I wanted to protect you?” he asks, and I can feel his gaze on my body. I unclasp my bra and pull the dreaded nightdress on, the cotton scratching my skin.

I turn to look at him. “Because you gave up, Hades.”

His answering wince is a stab to the heart, but it needs to be said. I understand how hard it must have been to not only have physically lost me but mentally as well. I can see the toll it’s taken on him, and I can see his struggle. It breaks my heart that he stopped believing in my promise to him, but at the same time, guilt claws at me. I chose this path for the right reasons, to protect him, to save him, but the cost is the obvious toll this has taken on the man I love more than life itself.

“Persephone…” he starts, but then pauses.

“What?” My tone is filled with false acid, fuelled by frustration that I’m not there with him.

“I didn’t…” He exhales heavily. “I didn’t give up on you.”

I search his face, moving closer to my phone. “You allowed yourself to lose control.” Unfair. I’m being so incredibly unfair, but I can’t help him in the way I know he needs, not from this realm. While I’m not saying anything untrue, I’m being cruel and harsh, but I need to be. This is the only way I can help him right now, pushing him to get control before he completely loses himself forever.

Hades looks away. “You’re my strength.”

I shake my head because that absolutely isn’t true. “Hades, I am your wife. I am your queen.Youare your strength.”

“I don’t know how I got so lost.” Hades closes his eyes, rubbing a hand over his face and it’s all I can do to look at him, to stay present with him. I ache to reach out and touch him, to provide him comfort, but all I have are brutal words of encouragement to ensure that when we are reunited, he is still the husband who captured my heart so completely.

I grab the phone and sit on the bed again. “When you were gone and trapped in the tree, I was lost, too. I understand, I really do, but you need to find yourself. Now.”For us. Be strong enough for us.

“How?” Hades whispers. The desperation in his voice makes my heart ache for him.

“By trusting me.” I search his eyes. “Trusting us.”

Hades lifts his hand, probably touching the screen. “I miss you.”

I lay down in bed, trying to stop my voice from breaking as I reply, “I miss you too.”

Hades props the phone up on the bedside table and pulls his shirt off. I sigh, distracted by the perfection of his body. Fuck, he’s so beautiful. Then I see what he’s showing me. The swirling black tattoos are even lower on his chest now. He is getting a handle on his powers.

I smile, relaxing a little. There’s my demon.

“I’m getting there,” he says, smiling softly.

“I’m so proud of you,” I reply, pride swelling in my chest.

“You know who else you should be proud of?” Hades asks before flipping to the back camera, showing me my sleeping Berry on his bed.

I smile, the burden still sitting heavily on my shoulders, but the tightness in my chest eases just enough that I can breathe again. “My sleepy boy.”

Cerberus stirs a little, rolling his huge body onto his back, his front paw twitching.

I sigh heavily, homesickness sitting heavily on my shoulders. “I want to come home.”

Cerberus lets out a small bark in his sleep, and my lips twitch.

“I think he agrees,” Hades says, turning the camera back to his face.

“How many Titans are still at large?” I ask.

Hades grabs his laptop, pulling up a spreadsheet. “There are still seven. Eight, counting my father.”

I nod. “I’ll do what I can from here.”

Hades growls, looking through the list of names on his computer.

---