Page 137 of Where Darkness Bloomed
Then, just as swiftly, Thetis withdrew him from the water.
The baby’s screams split the air. His small body convulsed in her arms, trembling violently, skin flushed red and feverish—as if fire had touched him, rather than water.
Thetis clutched him to her chest, rocking gently. She pressed her cheek to his damp hair, whispering as she wrapped him tightly in cloth once more.
Gradually, the shrieking faded into broken, hiccupping sobs.
“Hush now,” she murmured, kissing his temple. “No harm will come to you now, my little Achilles.”
The scene began to dissolve. Mist crept in again, curling the edges of the world. Deep dread clenched in Persephone’s stomach as she watched the memory collapse.
Achilles. The River Styx. His strength, immortality—not the gods’ favor. A mother’s desperate love.
Suddenly, a hand seized her arm—hard.
The world tilted. Water surged, roaring in her ears, dragging her violently toward the surface. She broke the surface of the pool with a choking gasp, the air sharp in her lungs.
The iron grip on her arm hauled her up from the water, dragging her against solid heat. Water blurred her vision as she sputtered, droplets clinging to her lashes. Blinking furiously, she looked up—
And met his gaze.
Dark russet. Burning.
Hades stood waist-deep in the pool, dripping wet, water running in rivulets down his face and arms. He hadn’t bothered to remove his tunic, and the drenched fabric clung to his chest.
He was soaked. And furious.
“What,” he growled, low and thunderous, “do you think you are doing?”
His anger bore down on her like a storm, charging the air. But she barely noticed.
He was here. Standing before her.
Relief shattered through her, wild and overwhelming. A gasp broke from her chest as her hands fisted in the front of his tunic.
His mouth opened. Whether to reprimand or demand, she never found out.
She surged upward, rising onto her toes, and crushed her lips to his.
Chapter 51
The moment Persephone crossed into his kingdom, he knew.
A ripple of awareness. The roots of the Underworld stirred, whispering her name.
Her reflection appeared in the scrying pool moments before he was there, reaching into Mnemosyne’s waters. Dread locked its jaws around him as he dragged her up from the water like a soul reclaimed.
She gasped for air as she surfaced, blinking water out of her eyes.
Relief struck violently, hollowing out his chest. Then—anger.Reckless.She’d been reckless. Daring powers that could have crushed her mind, carrying her beyond his reach forever.
Before his fury could fully take root, she looked up. She was soaked, shivering. But her expression stopped him cold—relief, raw and radiant. It lit through her like sunlight piercing stormclouds.
His anger collapsed. The sharp words on his tongue died, gone in an instant.
Then she surged forward. Her body met his with a wet slap, her mouth crashing into his, urgent, carnal. For a single breath, Hades stood still, his hands hovering at her sides. The heat of her kiss, the wild ache in it, stunned him.
A pang of concern pierced the haze, and he drew back just enough to see her face.
