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“I was raped,” she seethed quietly. “By Zeus.”
Hades wished he could say he was shocked by her answer, but the fact that he wasn’t made him feel disgusted with himself. His brothers had existed in this role for some time, using their power to coerce and force women to do their bidding. And while they had faced some consequences, they were nothing compared to what they deserved, which was imprisonment and torture in Tartarus.
Hades had sworn he would see that through, but victory was a long and tedious road with victims of its own.
“I’m sorry this happened to you,” Persephone said and took a step forward.
Hades sent the snakes away.
“Don’t,” Lara hissed. “I do not want your pity.”
“I am not offering pity,” Persephone said. “But I would like to help you.”
“How can you help me?”
Hades wasn’t sure they could even if they wanted to. Her hate was rooted deep, and no one could blame her.
“I know you did not do anything to deserve what happened to you,” Persephone started, but Lara was already shaking her head.
“Your words mean nothing while gods are still able tohurt.”
“How would you have Zeus punished?” Hades asked.
Persephone and Lara looked at him, surprised, but Hades waited for her answer.
“I would have him torn apart limb by limb and his body burned,” Lara said, her voice shaking with menace. “I would have his soul fracture into millions of pieces until nothing was left but the whisper of his screams echoing in the wind.”
“And you think you can bring that justice?” he asked.
She had to know she was not capable of such retribution, so she had to have someone else in mind.
“Not me. Gods,” she said. “New ones. It will be a rebirth.”
New gods. Rebirth.
Those were words used by Harmonia’s attackers too.
“No,” Hades said. “It will be a massacre—and it will not be us who dies. It will be you.”
“What happened to you was horrible,” Persephone said, her hand threading through his. “And you are right that Zeus should be punished. Will you not let us help you?”
“There is no hope for me.”
“There is always hope,” Persephone said. “It is all we have.”
Hades looked down at Persephone. “Ilias, take Miss Sotir to Hemlock Grove. She will be safe there.”
The woman stiffened. “So you will imprison me?”
“No,” he said. “Hemlock Grove is a safe house. The goddess Hecate runs the facility for abused women and children. She will want to hear your story if you wish to tell her. Beyond that, you may do as you please.”
Hades squeezed Persephone’s hand as he took her back to the Underworld.
CHAPTER XX
HADES
Hades saw Persephone to work at Alexandria Tower, which was harder than he expected given the night they’d had. It was evident Persephone was exhausted, and though Hades was used to not sleeping, even he felt drained.
