Page 40 of Monster Song
“I know about Sura. I know she tried to contact Artemis to bring you all home, and Demeter turned her into a monster and stuck a collar on her. You could have mutinied and come to Hades for protection.”
The woman just threw up her hands.
“Every single option for us was a bad one!”
“And I realize this,” Hades said. “It still doesn’t change the fact that when you realized you were outnumbered and Demeter was willing to risk your life, you still fought against me and killed several of the allies I brought to rescue my wife. So, what is your decision? Do you want to keep fighting, or will you come quietly?”
“Will there be a possibility of a pardon?”
“I’ll consider it when I’m less pissed off.”
That was Hades speak for it would never cross his mind unless Persephone had an opinion about it and talked him into it. Thankfully, they agreed to go quietly because my shoulder was killing me.
Chapter 22
River
I
hadn’t processed Demeter was dead. I didn’t know what was going on with the soldiers still on the field. I wanted to be there with Pavlina after watching her almost die, and I never once spotted Hephaestus on the battlefield. Where was my God? I couldn’t worry about any of that right now. I couldn’t save anyone who went down on the battlefield, and I was useless when Pavlina went over that cliff. But I could try to save one life. I could help Lis.
The vet clinics in the Underworld were top of the line, and no one was trying to step on my toes. I was worried Lis might have a skull fracture, but luckily, she didn’t. She had several cracked ribs and some internal bleeding.
I usually brought animals with injuries like this to the back room while I treated them, but I checked in with their owners often. Hades had already sent Cerberus here, and I couldn’t convince him to leave the room. Have you ever tried to explain to a three-headed dog every little process you are doing to treat a Hellhound? Cerberus was pretty much worse than any concerned pet parent I’d ever dealt with.
“Can you save her?”he asked me for the ten millionth time.
“If I could do more and explain less, this would go faster.”
It was a little sweet, but it was also annoying. The guard of the Underworld was in love, and he desperately wanted me to save Lis. I was trying as hard as I could.
A portal opened up in my operating room. My father and Charley walked through.
“Hades said he brought you here with Lis. I brought you help.”
That was fine, but what about Pavlina? What about all the injured on the battlefield? I was in my element here with a dog, but there was an entire army of wounded people, including those I cared about who could use Charley’s help.
“How is Pavlina?” I asked.
“I healed her. The rest of my coven is here treating the rest of the injured. Barbatos asked me to take a break to help Lis.”
“Let her!”Cerberus said.
“It’ll get you back to the others faster,” Charley said. “I’ve heard you’re a great vet, and I’m sure you’ll have no issue saving Lis, but if you let me use magic, you can be with your mates faster.”
I stepped back and let Charley take over. She placed her hands over Lis and started chanting. I knew Kimon was with Persephone. Tryphon was still alive on the battlefield when I left, and Pavlina and Demos were together. That left one unaccounted for.
“Where is Hephaestus?”
“He went back to his forge in case we needed more weapons. He’s got his helpers working with him. He hasn’t come back just yet.”
I nodded. I just knew he would come back when he was able. He promised me he would stay in the Underworld with me. Barbatos came to stand next to me as I watched Charley heal Lis.
“I know you intend to stay here when this is over. I can just feel it. Hades will let you come and go, and you know how to portal now. I hope you and your mates will have dinner at my castle every Sunday night. I’d love to show you around Hell.”
I threw my arms around his neck. Would he find it weird that I was hugging him? It was just that none of this would be possible if it weren’t for him. He brought me an entire fucking army when I needed it.
“I would love that. I want a full tour of Hell.”
