Page 55 of Hades

A wave of relief washes over me that she isn’t insisting on leaving, or asking to. “I’m relatively certain that Treachery is beyond your… Themis’ reach,” I correct myself before calling that woman her mother. “It’s why Reaver remembered you and no one else did.”

“You did,” she whispers. “We still have lots of boxes to go through,” she says as she glances over at the pile of boxes and velvet satchels now littering our bedroom floor. “And I want you to tell me each story. I want to relive every memory through the eyes of the man that loved a girl so much, that he would keep a token to see the Eiffel Tower for a hundred years.”

“If I remember all of them,” I lie. Each box and bag represent a memory seared into my heart so deeply that I couldn’t bear to part with it.

“What if I don’t remember you when I wake up?” she asks, and I hate to think of the possibility, no matter how small the chance.

Grabbing her hand, I hold it up, the priceless diamond twinkling under the dim lights of the bedroom. “I’ll keep this until you do,” I tease, but the look on her face tells me she’s not taking it as a joke.

“Oh my God, I completely forgot I had it on,” she quickly retorts as she takes it off and attempts to hand it to me. “It must be worth an obscene amount of money.”

If I told her how much it was worth, she would most likely pass out and never wear it again, although something as flawless as this ring has never been seen on earth. I don’t even think a jeweler would be able to estimate its value.

Taking the ring, I place it back on her finger, where it has always belonged. “It’s always been yours. And your memory would already be gone. We usually only had minutes,” I remind her.

“Mmm,” she says as I watch her eyes flutter shut.

Holding her tightly, I watch her sleep until I finally join her in our mid-afternoon nap.

ARADIA

Waking up with Hades’arms wrapped around me instantly makes me smile. Opening one eye, I peek up at him. He’s sleeping soundly, but when I try to move, he hugs me into him tighter, and I love the feeling I get knowing he’s here.

I know I shouldn’t feel the way I do. After all, he did leave me imprisoned in Hell with nothing. But apparently, my heart knows better than my mind, because I’m completely in love with him. Every rational voice inside me screams to be wary. He’s a walking red flag. But the part that needs him, that part of my soul that wants to be protected and loved, says go for it. A classic mind versus the heart scenario. I would always laugh at those who caught themselves in such a predicament, and here I am.

It takes me a few minutes to wriggle my way out of his grip, and I finally slip out of bed without waking him. He stretches and rolls over, but he seems completely out. It takes me a minute to find something to wear. Grabbing his t-shirt from the floor, I pull it over my head, and it hangs to my knees, more like a dress.

I tip-toe through the bedroom and into the main part of the house. The last time I was here, I didn’t have much chance to look around before Hades had his temper tantrum and tossed me in Treachery. Or was it me who had the meltdown?

I think back to the conversation with Alastor, I did ask Hades to put me into the actual prison, not just the gilded cage, and all Hades did was what I asked.

“Shit,” I mumble, not wanting to admit that I might have been out of line.

Argos is asleep in front of the fireplace when I reach the living room. It took me a bit to get used to his Hellhound form, but now I think he’s cute… in a terrifying way.

Grabbing a mug, I make some coffee and head out to the garden. Hades said I wanted to see what it was like to grow things without intervention. I didn’t understand what he meant. But after having met Themis, I’m beginning to understand. She’s ruthless and manipulative, and it seems as if those are her good qualities. I still have so many questions, and I want to remember the times that were so important to him that he kept small tokens.

I’ve never seen Paris or even been to the theater. Glancing down at my hand, the enormous diamond perfectly catches the morning sun’s light. I can’t help but smile when I think about him asking me to be his wife.

But maybe those memories all died with that version of me. The questions about how many lives I’ve supposedly lived are endless and may take lifetimes to answer. Hopefully, those lifetimes will be spent by Hades side.

I’m lost in thought when I hear the door to the patio area open. Turning, I see Hades standing in the doorway, holding a mug of coffee. His hair is tousled, he’s shirtless, and his jeans hang loose around his hips since he hasn’t bothered to button them. He looks like a god, or maybe the Devil himself.

“Morning, beautiful,” he says with a smile as he sips his coffee. He looks so natural and at home standing there, I can’t help but fuck with him.

“Who the hell are you?” I snap, yet I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

The look of sheer disappointment and heartbreak strewn across his face tells me I shouldn’t run with this joke any further.

“Oh my God,” I say, putting my mug on the ground. “I’m totally kidding. I’m sorry,” I add as I nearly run to him, stopping a few steps before him. “I’m sorry,” I reiterate.

“That wasn’t funny,” he scolds. But I can see he’s holding back a smile. “Punishment for lying will be swift and pleasurable,” he adds with a wink.

“Oh, come on. You have to admit, it was a little funny,” I say, poking my finger at his rock-hard abs. “Wow, those are pretty solid.”

Hades doesn’t say a word but steps down onto the patio with me, and I can’t help but rest my hand on his stomach.

“Nice t-shirt,” he says with a cocky grin as he tugs at the hem of the material. “I think I’ll hide all your clothes so all you’ll have are my shirts to put on.”

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