‘Excuse me?’
‘What is it you want from me? One moment you’re tryingto trick me into breaking xenia and the next you’re … doing all this.’ I wave my hand vaguely. I’m so confused I can’t even put what’s happening into words.
He frowns. ‘That’s what I’m apologizing for. Trying to trick you was an adolescent move. I wanted to be alone, which was selfish. I thought no situation could be so bad that you’d come here willingly, so you must be here for something else. But obviously it very much is that bad and I’m sorry.’
‘Do you realize how stupid I would have to be to believe you?’
Hades nods. ‘Which is why you don’t have to.’
Before I can query this notion he’s rushing to speak again.
‘You cancelled xenia. Fine, so be it. But I won’t have you living under my roof with a weapon strapped in constant reach because you feel so thoroughly under threat.’ He swallows and glances to the lake. ‘I’m not like them and I don’t want you to believe I’d hurt you. I certainly don’t want you fearing it. So I swear on the Styx not to harm you. I swear not to force myself on you nor to turn you over to your mother.’
I step back, the rock wall scraping against my hands. My heart is racing, the urge to flee pressing on me harder with each passing second. I don’t understand why he’s doing this and that’s terrifying.
‘What are you doing?’ My voice is scarcely more than a whisper.
‘Something I should have done the moment you arrived.’
Breaking xenia is a curse. Breaking an oath sworn on the river Styx? There’s a reason Styx is called the oath keeper – a promise on her waters is binding. Breaking that is something we don’t even have a word for. Something beyond damnation.
‘Is there anything else I have missed? Anything else you fear?’ he asks.
Maybe he’s lying but I manage to churn through the words of his oath anyway. ‘You will not turn me over toanyone,’ I correct.
He swears it.
‘I still don’t understand why you’re doing this.’
‘Why would you?’ Hades laughs like everything up to this moment has been some joke between us. Like just yesterday he wasn’t screaming at me while I pressed a weapon to his skin. ‘You don’t have to like me, Kore, but I’d really prefer you weren’t afraid of me.’
I bite my lip, feeling so fragile that it’s all I can do not to bolt up the stairs. I need to sort through my thoughts alone. I can’t talk to him until I get them straight or his words will run circles round me just like my mother’s do.
‘How many men so far?’ I ask and at his frown I add, ‘My parents. How many men have they spoken to?’
Hades’ eyes fill with a look of such sympathy that I want to hit him. ‘Thirteen,’ he says. ‘Four of the twelve, even.’
I didn’t think it was possible to feel more afraid. But I’d never seriously considered that any member of Zeus’s council would vie for my hand. They’re the most powerful gods and my father’s advisors – there’s no way my mother will be able to choose who I marry if they’re in the running. The only hope I had left was that my mother would at least pick someone kind, but Father won’t only choose someone to spite me, he’ll choose someone forever in his pocket, who will do anything he asks of them.
‘How is that possible?’ I mutter, breathless. ‘Only three are unwed.’
‘Hephaestus has offered to divorce Aphrodite for your hand.’
I almost choke.
‘What?’ I splutter. This just gets worse.
‘He offered a necklace made in his forge.’
‘No, no, no.’ I bury my head in my hands. ‘I can’t add Aphrodite as an enemy, what with everything else.’
Hades smiles apologetically. ‘Then you won’t want to hear that Ares, too, promised to stop sleeping with her in order to marry you? He offered a spear and his breastplate.’
I had thought men the threat, but Aphrodite is one of the most vengeful goddesses out there. Only Hera is worse and, given I’m her husband’s bastard, she already hates me.
I swear and Hades chuckles.
‘I’m glad this is all so amusing to you,’ I spit.
