Meaningless.
I don’t want to talk to him in private any more. I want to go back to the public performances – to hide whatever mess I’m feeling behind our projected adoration for each other. ‘Do you want to dance?’ I ask.
Hades’ nose wrinkles. ‘I don’t dance.’
I feign shock. ‘What? You? Never …’
‘Then why ask?’
‘Because you’re marrying me so I’ve decided you dance now.’
‘No.’
‘Urgh, fine, but I am so getting you on the dance floor for our wedding.’
Which is when Achlys appears before us and we are wrapped back up in each other’s arms, anything real slipping neatly away.
Then Hypnos.
Then the Erinyes.
Then Nyx.
The gods continue, one after the next, all congratulating us and wishing us well, and it’s enough, almost, to believe everyone wants this to happen. To forget that the king of the gods himself will soon be furious to discover our union.
I’M EXHAUSTED BY THE TIMEwe retire. Hades flashes all who remain at the party one final, satisfied smile and says that he will see them at the solstice, before he takes my hand and leads me from the hall.
The doors shut behind us and finally we are alone in the comfort of our palace.
‘Do you think it was enough?’ he asks.
I nod. How could it not be?
I lean against the cold marble wall as it settles upon me that my parents know where I am. All that time by the banks of the Lake of the Five Rivers, trying to catch the moment it happened, and it passed by while I swanned around the gods of the Underworld.
I glance towards the door to the lake for just a moment but it’s long enough for Hades to catch.
‘Care for company?’ he asks.
He would let me go alone this time, if I asked him to. I can tell in the careful way he balances his words.
I surprise him by offering a small smile and revealing the bottle of wine I swiped.
‘Of course, something this entertaining should be shared.’
He meets my grin with his own before nodding at the bottle. ‘You know, it’s my wine. You don’t have to steal it.’
‘Ahh, but a covert operation is so much more fun.’
‘And if someone saw you?’ he asks. ‘What then? They might think drink the only way you can tolerate me.’
‘They might wonder what else I’ve stolen … your hand, your heart, your innocence … your throne?’ I tease.
Hades brings a hand over his heart and says mournfully, ‘And they would be right.’
‘The throne perhaps, but innocent is not the word that comes to mind when I think of you.’ I shoot a sidelong glance at him. ‘Speaking of, tell me more of thesebeforesof which you speak.’
‘Persephone, why are you so obsessed with my sexual history?’ he mocks, but my face flushes anyway. I’m glad I’m walking down the steps in front of him so that he can’t see. It’s incredibly annoying when he thinks he’s won a point.
