Chapter 58
Elara wasn't sure when the flushed warmth in her chest would fade, but it lingered long after breakfast, long after Hades' soft confession about watching over her sleep.
Every time she thought about it, her face grew warm again.
She had asked him—the Lord of the Underworld—to stay with her last night. .. and he had.
And she'd slept better than she had in years.
Now, hours later, she found herself walking beside him toward the main halls of the palace, the afternoon light a deep violet from the soul-fires that glowed along the black marble walls.
Her shoulder brushed his every few steps, and each time, something fluttered in her stomach. She didn't pull away. Neither did he.
They had barely turned a corner when a familiar voice echoed through the hall.
"Well, well, well... look who decided to be inseparable today."
Erebus appeared from the shadows—literally—with his arms crossed, wearing that signature infuriating smirk. His gaze flicked between them, then dropped pointedly to the small space between their shoulders.
"Gods, you two are obvious."
Elara froze. Hades' eyes narrowed instantly, a deep warning rumble forming in his chest.
"Erebus." His voice sounded like a crack of thunder. "Don't."
But Erebus only grinned wider. "What? I'm just happy for you." He leaned closer to Elara and whispered loudly enough for Hades to hear, "Did he tell you he nearly paced a hole through the floor before going to your chamber last night?"
Elara's eyes widened. "He—did what?"
Hades looked seconds away from physically throwing his brother into a void.
"Erebus," he growled again, "leave."
Erebus winked at Elara. "Have fun, lovebirds," he said before melting back into the shadows.
Elara didn't dare look at Hades at first—she was too busy trying not to smile. But when she finally peeked up at him, she found his ears faintly tinted red.
Hades. Blushing.
Gods help her.
They ended up in one of the palace's quieter gardens, one filled with pale golden trees that hummed softly when touched. Elara sat on a stone bench, letting her fingers glide over the glowing leaves. Hades joined her, turning slightly so he could see her fully.
For a while, they just talked.
He asked her about her favorite colors.
Her favorite foods.
Whether she preferred mornings or nights.
Whether she liked the world quiet or full of life.
She answered everything, smiling, feeling seen in a way she wasn't used to.
But then his questions drifted... deeper.
"Tell me about your life before," he said gently. "Your true life. Not the one you think people wanted you to pretend to have."
She stilled.
Her fingers froze against the glowing leaves.
Her throat tightened as those memories—ones she didn't like touching—rose to the surface.
"I..." Her voice wasn't steady. She hated that. "My family didn't really love me. Not in the way a family should."
Hades didn't speak. He simply waited, eyes soft, patient.
"They loved what I could offer," she murmured.
"What I would become. Who I could marry.
How I could strengthen their name... their wealth.
" Her stomach knotted as the words spilled out.
"I tried so hard to be the perfect daughter.
To make them proud. But it was never enough.
No matter what I did, I was... never enough. "
Her breath trembled at the end. She didn't mean to sound so exposed. She hated sounding like she was breaking.
The bench shifted slightly—and before she could shrink back, Hades moved closer.
Not hesitantly.
Not awkwardly.
With purpose.
He reached out, slow enough for her to pull away—but she didn't. His hand closed gently around hers, large and warm, engulfing her fingers.
"Elara." His voice wrapped around her like a protective cloak. "Look at me."
She did.
And what she saw in his dark eyes nearly undid her.
Fury—not at her, but for her.
Pain—because she had felt so unloved.
And something else. Something deeper.
"You were more than enough," he said, each word low and deliberate.
"They were blind. They were selfish. And they were fools.
" His thumb brushed her knuckles in slow, grounding strokes.
"You are extraordinary. Not because of what you could offer them.
Not because of your value to others. But because of who you are. "
Her throat tightened painfully.
He wasn't done.
"If they failed to see your worth, that is their failure. Not yours."
Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes—not of sadness, but of relief. Of release.
Hades lifted her hand and pressed it gently to his chest, right over his heart. His voice dropped to a rough whisper.
"I see you, Elara. All of you. And every part of you is enough."
Something inside her cracked open—softly, quietly.
Something new took its place.
She exhaled shakily. "Thank you," she whispered. "I... didn't expect to ever hear something like that."
"You deserve to hear it every day," he said without hesitation.
Her chest tightened in the most beautiful way.
They stayed like that, their hands intertwined, his thumb tracing slow circles against her skin as though grounding her to the present—grounding her to him. And she felt it then, unmistakably:
She was falling for him.
Slowly.
Deeply.
Without fear.
For the first time... she didn't want to run from it.