Chapter 4
HADES
‘Highness.’ Thanatos strode into my office. ‘Zeus has summoned you. He wishes to see you.’
I emitted a low growl and rose to my feet. ‘I will not be gone long, Thanatos.’
‘And, boss…’ Thanatos hesitated. ‘How is Persephone?’ His gaze fell to the floor.
Persephone had long been a sore subject around me; it had been for over twenty years.
But touching her again in my club, if only for a brief few minutes, had elicited a myriad of emotions.
I missed her so much. I needed her back.
‘I don’t know, Thanatos. She is with Hecate at present. I have yet to see her. Tell Hecate I’ve gone to Olympus and to meet me in my office before lunch.’ My shadows engulfed me, and I shadow-walked out of the room.
As I appeared, Zeus was in his throne room, seated upon a silver and white throne sculpted from thunderbolts and clouds. He was dressed in a sharp business suit, while I preferred a more informal look—black jeans and a black shirt rolled up to my elbows.
‘Brother!’ Zeus stood and sauntered over to me.
‘Zeus.’ I offered a slight nod.
‘How’s the lovely Persephone?’ Zeus smiled mischievously at me. I entertained the brief fantasy of kicking him in the balls—either that or strangling the ever-loving crap out of him.
‘I don’t know.’ I held his stare, my jaw like granite. ‘I haven’t seen her yet. She is settling in with Hecate.’
‘Ah, Tee.’ A razor-sharp smile sliced across Zeus’s lips. ‘Quite the little trap you set to stake claim to your ex-wife.’
‘Wife,’ I snapped.
‘Well, Brother. That’s debatable, is it not? Persephone has no memory of being your wife. She is a new woman. A free woman, capable of making her own decisions this time. And I’m not so sure she will be happy about being kidnapped by you… again.’
My anger simmered beneath my skin, yet outwardly, I remained calm.
‘She’s still as feisty as she ever was. I can see why you like her so much,’ Zeus said, winking at me; my nostrils flared, but I stayed silent.
‘The gods have decided’—Zeus paused, a smug expression on his face—‘that any interested parties will host a dinner, a ball, or some other event for our new guest.’
I stepped towards my brother until we were toe to toe. ‘What do you mean…? Interested parties?’
‘Well, some of us wish to make Persephone our wife this time. All’s fair in love and war, Hades. You ought to know that by now.’ Zeus narrowed his eyes and cocked his head. ‘No?’
Rage hit me like a sledgehammer, but after an aeon of being manipulated by Zeus, I had honed the ability of control.
‘You included?’
Zeus cut me off. ‘She’s a new woman, Brother.’
His words struck me like a speeding juggernaut. She was still my wife… wasn’t she?
‘If any god lays a hand on my wife, the full extent of my wrath will be unleashed upon them. And that includes you… Brother,’ I said in a dangerously low tone.
‘Then you must raise your game, Hades. Win her back the right way. Now Hera is gone’—Zeus swallowed, his face momentarily flickering with sorrow—‘I need a new consort as much as you do. May the best god win.’ Zeus grinned and slapped me on the back before vanishing.
‘Fucking Zeus,’ I snarled quietly as my shadows enveloped me.
This definitely complicated matters.