Page 5 of For the Love of the Gods

Clotho stared at me, waiting for the question she knew I had burgeoning.

“Why won’t you let Dominic kill me?”

Clotho flinched. She was surprised, an emotion I didn’t know she was capable of showing. Then again, I’ve only ever seen something close to pity in her expression.

My surprise at her surprise must have trickled into my face, because Clotho sat forward in her chair and explained, “That question is not the norm for you, Lady Hades.”

“Oh, come on Clotho, I think we are on a first name basis by now.” I was stalling and I couldn’t place why. Not when marriage—again, for the love of Zeus—was on the line.

Clotho looked at me like she knew exactly what I was doing. “We have an answer to that question, when you are ready,Rose.”

“I’m ready.”

“Are you?” Atropos said, her young voice sounding somewhat shrill against the cold stone.

“Yes,” I snapped. “Although, I am curious whether you are providing an answer based on kindness or if you consider this to be repaying the debt you owe me.”

I’d normally never be that bold with them, as they had yet to fulfill the one request I had. Five years and a thousand favors later and they still refused.

Even then, I probably could handle a small dip into the debt I’d been building if it meant getting out of my engagement.

“This is payment we are entitled to give,” Clotho said. The double meaning in her words did not escape me. They had categorically refused to fulfill my only other request. “Information precious as a gem should only be laid to rest in the sturdiest of platinum.”

I clenched my jaw and my fists simultaneously. “Great, consider me platinum.”

Clotho stood, stepping down to the altar like she was walking on steps, but to me it looked like she was walking in midair. Once there, she grabbed the Book of the Fates, opened to the exact page she was looking for in some eerie display of power, and ran her hand down the page, absorbing the information.

I stood in silence as she returned the book to its resting place and moved back up to her chair. When she was seated, she gave me one last glance as if to ask me if I was sure.

I nodded, unrest tightening my chest.

Her hand waved, and two brilliant threads of gold appeared across the room.

All of the breath left my lungs in a rush. The top thread was a bit longer than the other, but they were otherwise indistinguishable in color. They were sitting parallel to one another, perfectly straight, until about halfway through, where they began to bend down to meet in the middle, settling together in a knot that looked impossible to untangle.

Fated.

Dominic and I were Fated. Or at least our marriage was.

“Oh.”

“Your realms will unite to make one,” Clotho said, firmly. “We cannot allow your line to wither away into nothing. Dominic Pluto will be your husband.”

“I assume I have no say in the matter?”

“We get what we want eventually, through whatever means necessary. The only way to escape our control is to know your Fate.”

Oh, this time silently.

This was a massive wrench thrown into my plans. I lived by a set of simple goals: don’t mess up my realm irreparably, build up what the Fates owed me, force them to concede to my offer. All of which hinged on keeping my half of the Underworld healthy. Tying it together with Dominic’s wasn’t an option.

Except it seemed the decision was out of my hands. Rejecting this and pissing off the Fates would dash any hopes I had of them finally caving.

“Okay.” I said, my voice coming out hoarse and resigned. I had to get out of here and regroup, replan, before everything I had worked for over the past five years crumbled to the ground.

“I see that Temple Orcus is preparing for a ceremony,” Atropos noted, confirming that they knew of Dominic’s plans and were doing nothing to stop it. That thought only made my chest clench even tighter in anticipation of this afternoon.

Seven o’clock, Dominic’s voice rang through my head.

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