Page 19 of For the Love of the Gods

I mean, I could have guessed what it looked like.

He was brooding and dark and clearly thought he was smarter than half the people in the room. And his bedroom was all black and charcoal and dark wood, and that massive bookshelf screamed “I’m more well-read than you.”

I did spot a few familiar titles, but that wasn’t important. It also wasn’t important that we had exchanged over ten semi-cordial sentences, a new record for us.

What was important was breakfast, and I was hungry. I slept surprisingly well for the first night in an unfamiliar house, with a sworn enemy across a shared bathroom.

Then, again, I kept my bed.Thank the Fates.

I could shove down my irritation with these new living arrangements, because as much as I hated to say it, Marcus had a point about my safety. I couldn’t die from a mistake. Not yet anyway.

What I couldn’t get over was a new room or losing my closet or bathroom. Luckily, my bedroom and closet were intact—including those godforsaken nightgowns. My bathroom was mostly the same, the design kept, but combined with Dominic’s.

It was in that very bathroom that I went through my morning routine, expecting Dominic to barge in while I was in the shower. Instead, I spent twenty minutes in needed silence before dressing in comfortable pants and a tight shirt and stepping through my door.

Max was standing across the hall waiting for me. We greeted each other, and they offered to walk me down to the kitchen. I thanked them, grateful I wouldn’t have to go stumbling around looking for it.

Max filled me in on the conversation with Raiden. They had decided to keep Max and Marcus as my personal guard and would be putting some of Raiden’s team on watch for any issues with the power combination. It made sense, and I trusted them.

I did what I could to keep the realm running from the shadows. I wasn’t exactly welcome as a public ruler. And I was really, really trying not to provoke anyone.

Max led me down a set of steps and around a corner into a bright, open room. Well, bright as it could be given both Dominic and I’s houses looked like a cliche of hell, covered in black marble, dark wood, and rich toned furniture.

I figured the room had been from Dominic’s house, but it had my kitchen and all my furniture in it. It worked, the color of his walls picking up nicely on the large oak table and straight back chairs I kept around it.

The room ended in floor to ceiling windows and large doors, opening to a patio I was itching to sit on. The Underworld didn’t mirror the topography of the Upperworld, it had a landscape of its own. Including a bay that folded in from the shoreline of the Oceanus. Technically a river, but as vast and wide as an ocean. The water from the bay fueled the Styx, but whereas that river was a dark gray and filled with souls, the bay was a brilliant dark blue, glittering in the dim morning sun.

I was definitely drinking my tea on that patio.

I stepped fully into the kitchen and dining area and spotted Marcus and Raiden sitting on stools by the countertop.

“Morning!” I greeted. “Good to see you, Raiden.”

I hadn’t seen him in a while, and I was actually quite happy he was there. I’m sure he and Belen, his husband and a close friend, lived in the house, and if that meant I’d see more of them, I was happy.

Raiden smiled, breaking his traditionally serious face into something inviting, and jumped up to give me a quick hug, wrapping strong arms around me. “Good morning, Lady Pluto.”

I cringed at the title. “Are you required to call me that?” I asked as I stepped around to the other side of the countertop and Raiden sat back in his stool.

“Yes.”

I wasn’t sure if I liked the honorifics. “You never called me Lady Hades.”

“I didn’t work for you then. I work for Dominic and, now, for both of you.”

Did Dominic make him call him Lord Pluto? I couldn't get behind that. “Please still call me Rose.”

“No problem,” he conceded, then added, “Lady Rose.”

“Clever.” My gaze dropped to the counter and then to the watch on my left wrist. It was late morning, but I didn’t think breakfast had been served by anyone. And Marcus was doing his hungry leg bounce thing.

There were two explanations, one I preferred and the probable. I turned to Raiden. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes, Rose.” Raiden was hesitant, his tan hands folding together on the countertop.

I smiled. “I don’t want to intrude, but what does Dominic normally do for food?’

“Well, he has a chef. But, um, they are ill today,” he answered. “They should be back to full health by tomorrow.”

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