Page 67 of Hades

“Yeah. Do you know her?”

Kennedy shakes her head. “No, but she was in my office waiting for me when I got here this morning.”

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. “That can’t be good. Maybe you should come with me. It’s not like she would know if we knew each other.” Kennedy winces at my statement. “What?”

“Well… I might have assumed she was you when she was here,” she says as she gets up and paces the small space. “That’s why I was slightly thrown off when you introduced yourself. I also may have called her Aradia, and she didn’t correct me.”

“Oh, yeah, that definitely can’t be good. Should we call someone? I don’t want to go meet a crazy person for lunch,” I say with a bit more panic than I intended. “Especially one who could probably destroy me with just a blink of an eye.”

When Kennedy sits back down, her eyes are glassy, and I can see she’s trying to hold back tears. “I’m sorry, I feel like the worst doctor ever. How could I assume she was you without even asking for ID?”

“It was an honest mistake, and she clearly wanted to capitalize on it,” I reassure her. “But we probably should call someone. I’ll call Kat. She might know what to do.”

Fishing my phone out of my bag, I dial Kat, and she answers on the second ring.

“Don’t tell me you ran out of the already?” Kat says in lieu of a greeting.

“No, but you are on speaker,” I inform her.

“Hey, Kat,” Kennedy says to make her presence known.

“Well, this can’t be good if you’re already calling me in for a consult,” Kat jokes.

“We might have a problem.” I take a few minutes to catch Kat up with what Kennedy and I have discussed, including the crazy mystery woman.

“Shit. Yeah, you can’t go to that lunch, and Kenny, you can’t go with her. What time is it there?” Kat asks.

“Just after ten,” Kennedy answers.

“Okay, let me talk with Cain and see what we should do. But under no circumstances should you go there before I call you back. I’m serious. Do not go meet this woman,” Kat adds as if she knows we’d most likely attempt something stupid.

“We got it,” Kennedy and I answer in unison before hanging up.

“So, I guess we wait,” I say, trying not to panic.

HADES

“Are you still watchingthat thing?” Alastor asks as he enters my office, which has become my new home away from the home I shared with Aradia. “It’s not healthy. You know that, right? Does she even know you can see her?”

I glare at him as he sits in one of the worn leather chairs. “She’s happy. That’s all that matters.”

“She’s happy that’s all that matters. Are you even listening to yourself?” He mocks.

Listening to myself is all I’ve done for almost six months. I’m like a goddamn bad country song… she broke my heart, and then she took my dog. Watching her live her life is killing me, I want to go to her so badly that it hurts. At least she hasn’t gone on any dates, at least not that I’m aware of.

“Is she dating?” I blurt out. “Wait, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”

“Seriously, you need to seek professional help.”

“Is there a point to you being here?” I snap, not really in the mood for company. Fuck. I haven’t been in the mood for company in months. I’ve become Hades the recluse again, just as I had thousands of years ago. Except this time, it hurts even worse because I was the one who banished Aradia from my life.

Alastor holds out an envelope that has pink flowers embossed down one side.

“What the hell is that?”

“It’s an invitation. What do you think it is?”

Grabbing it from his hand, I tear it open. “It’s an invitation to a birthday party.”

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