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He wondered if he could tell her the truth. That Halcyon was beautiful, but he was more drawn to the forest behind it. The one he knew was at the bottom of the mountains he’d caught glimpses of while looking around.
“It is,” he told her, hoping she would mistake his dazed tone for awe.
A childhood memory of planting crops with his father came to mind. He’d watched them grow large and healthy despite the poor season the other resettled families had experienced. Whatever his father planted always seemed to flourish in the bleakest environment, save one thing–Devon. He wondered what his father would say if he could see him now, standing beside a Goddess in a metropolis. He wondered if his father knew anything about the power lurking in his son’s mortal body.
Devon cleared his throat, as if that would clear his thoughts.
Persephone extended her hand, nearly touching his shoulder, and he fought his natural inclination to step out from her reach.
“Devon…?” Her hand dropped to her side.
He needed to focus. On Persephone. On the task at hand.
He pointed to the tower across from them. “Is this Cerberus Financial?”
A small frown flickered over her expression and she shook her head.
“No, if you don’t mind a slight walk, Cerberus Financial is right around the corner.”
Without another word, she turned and started to walk, not looking back to see if he would follow.
***
As they started up the steps to the front door of Cerberus Financial, Thanatos walked out with his long, almost leisurely strides. He was in his mortal form, wearing a sharp dark blue suit, his black hair cropped at the sides in the current style. His olive skin and piercing blue eyes have had mortal women falling over themselves for him for millennia.
After so many centuries together, this man had become one of Persephone’s closest friends. The relationship that of a brother and sister. She trusted both him and Hecate more than most anyone else, which was why they were on the board of directors at Cerberus Financial.
The smile that crossed Thanatos’ handsome face warned her that he was setting a trap for Devon, which brought her out of her musings.
Oh no, she thought.
He loved to bait and prank people.
Seeing Devon had returned to his deceptively calm demeanor, the same he had worn with perfection before, she held onto hope that Devon could handle whatever Thanatos threw in his direction.
Right before he moved in front of her, Thanatos threw her a smile, the dazzling one he’d used through the eras to woo and seduce women, and she knew right then what Thanatos had planned. She was unsure of Devon’s feelings for her, good or bad, but if Thanatos had his way, they would find out in the next few minutes.
It surprised her to see Devon rise to the bait so quickly, moving closer to her, putting his hand against her lower back. Persephone tried not to show how shocked she was at him initiating contact. She looked over to him and caught the surprise on his face, too.
He had not meant to do that, she thought.
Carefully looking over to catch Thanatos’ eyes, she watched the knowing smile cross his face.
It was only going to get worse from here.
Persephone raised an eyebrow that promised torture if he kept this up, only to be met with an even more sinister smile from Thanatos. Oh, he was begging for her to give him a reaction he could latch onto for the rest of the day. He would be unbearable to deal with if she did, so she kept her face neutral.
“Good morning, Dove. Devon.” He nodded from her to him.
Dove.
Yup, playing his hand right off the bat. He was begging for the Fields of Punishment today.
She watched Devon narrow his eyes at the endearment, but thankfully he held his tongue. Thanatos simply winked at them both, which made her close her eyes and attempt to stifle the urge to banish him right here in public.
“You work here?” Devon asked, pulling his hand all the way back to cross his arms over his chest. The feel of uncertainty she had just felt from him disappeared as if sucked into a vacuum. He was no longer giving away any emotion for Thanatos to grab hold of and use. The two of them were like a cat and a mouse, only she wasn’t sure who was the cat and who was the mouse.
“Yes, when I am not as fleshy and a bit more feathered,” Thanatos replied with a huge grin.
