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“Yes, we are.”
“Hmm, interesting.” She smiled again.
He loved that she didn’t question why or what for. She just followed him. She trusted him. And it felt new.
They walked through the dark, dank corridor, her hand in his, her warmth giving him reassurance. He paused before the door to the hell. His heart twisted every time he stepped inside, but this time, it felt lighter somehow.
He looked back at her as he opened the door. “Please, be careful. We cleaned as much as we could, but there’s still rubble here.”
Eloise stepped over the threshold and looked around. He could see the place through her eyes now: dark, dusty, burnt. What was he thinking, bringing her here?
“I could have helped,” she said quietly.
Hades swallowed. “You are.”
He took her hand again and led her carefully to the first floor. She looked around, astonishment clear in her eyes. Eloise had never been in the main hall, he’d just realized. She’d seen it through the peepholes one time she sneaked inside, but that was different. She hadn’t actually seen the hell in its glory. And now, when she was finally inside, the place was ruined.
But he would build it ground up again.For her.
They stepped into the private office hall, and Hades led Eloise to his study.
He opened the door with a flourish. “Come in,” he said, his voice oddly hoarse with emotion.
Eloise entered, looking around carefully. She twirled around the now bare office, for he had moved most of the furniture away. “A spacious office,” she said with a smile. “Did you bring me here to ravish me?”
Hades let out a chuckle. “That too. But that wasn’t my main purpose.”
“What is?”
“This.” He gestured to the bare walls. “This office is now yours if you want it.”
Eloise froze, her eyes widening with his every word.
“You can decorate it as you like. It has a beautiful view of the hell downstairs, and it can fit a big desk where you can write. I can get you a comfortable chair—a throne—anything you want.”
“This office is mine?” she asked, looking confused.
“It used to be mine, but now that we’re rebuilding, I thought of vacating this place for you. I never needed much space. I’ll move to a smaller office down the hall, so this one can be yours.” He paused. “If you wish.”
Eloise walked toward the windows and looked down at the main hall. Hades ambled toward her, placed the candle on the floor by the window, and watched the play of emotion on Eloise’s face. She was lost deep in thought for a few moments, not saying anything, and Hades started doubting himself. Had he done it all wrong? Did she still not want to stay with him?
“When do you plan to reopen?” she suddenly asked.
“In a few months. There’s still a lot to do. And I want a grand reopening. One this town will remember for a long time.”With my queen by my side.
They stood by the window, shoulder to shoulder, watching the empty hall. He imagined the dancing and the merriment below as the hell would open its doors again.
The grand opening.
“Ava used to ask me to show her the hell all the time. She was relentless.” He paused, remembering his little sister and all her demands. “But I was certain this was not what she needed. She never saw this place. Not while it was open, in any case.”
Eloise turned fully toward him and took his hand in hers. He squeezed her fingers and gave her a small smile.
“Her fervent wish was to attend a masquerade ball. I never allowed her to, because it is a scandalous pastime, but… She went anyway. And I just wished I could’ve taken her to one where she’d have been by my side. Protected.”
Eloise slowly reached out her hand and caressed his cheek. “It’s not your fault.”
Hades covered her hand with his, then turned his head and kissed the middle of her palm. “Thank you,” he said hoarsely. “It doesn’t matter, though. I will not stop blaming myself either way. I will never stop blaming myself. However, because she loved the masquerades so, this is how I plan to reopen my hell. With the grandest masquerade ball of the century.”
