Page 123 of Hades

My phone felt heavy in my pocket. I wanted to text Lettie. No, I wanted to ride to her house, walk through that iron gate, and ask what the fuck she grew behind it. But that was a lie, too. What I really wanted was to ask if she’d made something for Rhea. I wanted her to look at me with those soft eyes and tell me the truth.

Wanted to know if my queen was exactly as dark as I suspected.

Because if she was involved, if she was the one systematically removing the filth from Texas, then I needed to know. Needed to protect her before anyone else connected the dots. Before Coeus added her name to that list.

The darkness in her called to the darkness in me. The way she moved. The way she spoke about justice like it was personal. The way she’d poisoned Echo without hesitation or regret.

Could she do this?

Could she be this?

God help me, I wanted her to be.

Zeus’ voice dropped. “Coeus.”

“Yeah, Prez?”

“Keep digging on the victims. I want everything. Backgrounds, connections, anyone they crossed.”

The room stayed tense. No one spoke. My pulse pounded in my ears.

Zeus met my stare. “We’re missing something. I can feel it.”

My hand flattened on the table. “Then we find it. But we don’t start throwing names around without proof.”

Zeus’ eyes hardened. “No one’s throwing anything. We’re building a picture.”

“Then build it right.”

The two of us held each other’s gaze across the table; years of brotherhood, blood, death, and loyalty stretched tight between us. I loved Zeus. I’d kill for him. Die for him. Walk through hell with him. But this felt different. This felt like standing on opposite sides of a line I couldn’t see yet.

Apollo broke the silence. “We focus on what we know.”

Zeus’ gaze snapped to him.

Apollo’s face was pale but steady. “Plant toxicity. Different sources. Someone with knowledge, access, and patience.”

“Yeah,” Zeus said slowly. “That’s what we’re looking for.”

Apollo didn’t blink. “Then we stick to that.”

The room settled into a quieter tension. I sat there with my pulse pounding in my ears, the conversation echoing against everything already circling in my head.

Plant poison.

Missing girls.

Rhea in the wind.

The locked garden gate.

Apollo’s haunted eyes.

My queen.

My old lady.

It was impossible. Had to be. But the thoughts didn’t stop. Didn’t quiet. Didn’t leave me the hell alone.