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Eros elbows Ares and they both stand up, Ares cracking his knuckles. I lick my lips, my heart beating wildly.
The front door of our little cabin swings open and Magda steps out, her face heavily lined and her expression weary. Behind her follows a younger version, a stunning brunette beauty that I assume to be Diana. She wears a simple blue dress and a white parka, but she looks absolutely regal as she steps out of the house.
“None of that,” Magda says, scolding Ares. “No fighting.”
Ares bares his teeth at her. “Who asked ye for yer permission?”
Magda scowls and puts her arm around Diana, moving away from him.
“That is not why I called ye here and ye know it,” she shouts to Eros. “Yer supposed to talk to each other.”
“I didn’t ask for this.” Hades spits on the ground. “But if ye want to make it so easy for me, I won’t say no.”
He puts up his fists, moving his legs into a fighting stance. His eyes catch on me and he jerks his head away from the cabin.
“Go on with ye, lass.”
“She will be fine with us,” Magda says, holding out her arm. “Come on. We may not be able to stop them from beating each other bloody, but we certainly don’t have to watch.”
I step toward her, hesitating. Hades is already stalking toward his brothers with a grim look on his face.
“Come on,” Diana says. She breaks loose from Magda and runs over to me, grabbing my hand.
Eros rolls his shoulders, his eyes on Hades. I let Diana pull me along, back down the hill. Magda falls in behind us as I glance back at the men. I can hear a grunt and a faint smacking sound, but we are soon out of their line of sight.
“So you’re Hades’ other half,” Diana says speculatively, looking me up and down. “You’re really pretty. Ma tried describing you, but I don’t think she did you justice.” Magda slips her arm around Diana’s waist. “As if anyone ever could.”
My brow draws down. “Thanks… but I’m a little confused. Have you actually met Hades?”
“Ugh.” Diana pulls a face. “Not yet. But Ma has shown me pictures and told me stories. We keep up to date with you guys from afar. Until recently, I thought that Hades knew about us and simply preferred it this way.”
“I thought the same,” Magda says.
“He definitely didn’t know about you. And that’s why he’s over there, thrashing Eros.” I scrunch up my face. “Ares is another matter.”
“Yes, Eros caught us up on the feud between them,” Diana says, tapping a finger against her lips. “It would make quite the story. I’m a junior reporter for the local paper and I’m always trying to find the latest scoop.”
She winks at me. Magda scans my face as we walk.
“Are ye feeling all right, Persephone? Ye look a bit pale.”
“Well…” I glance back toward the cabin, my hopes of a quiet dinner now smashed to smithereens. “I’m hungry.”
A loud yelp of pain makes Magda clutch at her chest. She shoots a dirty look over her shoulder and shakes her head.
“Come on, then. Let’s go to the clinic. I have plenty of provisions there. And I imagine that the boys will be along whenever their battle royale has played itself out.”
My stomach rumbles, telling me that it is a good idea to put food in it very, very soon. So I sigh and nod, allowing Diana and Magda to pull me along.
