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That’s not who is standing in front of me right now.
This man is the king of the lower city. He’s the one so many people in the upper city fear, and with good reason. I’m having a hard time not wrapping my arms around myself. He’s right. I’ve been a treasured guest for the last year. I have a feeling that if I told everyone in this room that I had made a mistake and I had no intention of doing it again, I could go back to being that guest. A flower in a glass vase, never able to put down roots or reach my full potential.
He’s giving me a chance to take that potential…toearnit.
I lift my chin and hope no one in the room notices that I’m shaking. “What are those conditions?” I don’t offer to agree to them without hearing what he has to say. I’ll do damn near anything to not go back to the way things were, but that doesn’t mean I have to be foolish. Hades might be ruthless when it comes to protecting the lower city, but he’s not without a heart. His conditions will be fair, even if I don’t like them.
“You’re connected to too many of the Thirteen. Daughter of Demeter. Sister of Hera. Sister-in-law of Hades and Zeus. When you were essentially a civilian, it didn’t matter, but if you’re going to stay in the lower city, youwillbe loyal to me.”
All of the air rushes out of my body. “You’re saying I can’t go back to the upper city.”
“I am saying that if you stay in the lower city, you will become an official member of my household and be employed by me.”
If I agree to this, it will change things. No, notthings; it will changeeverything. Oh, I don’t expect my mother to just turn me out, or for Callisto to decide that she never wants to see me again, but what about the rest of the implications?
If I agree to this, it means I will be answering to Charon in an official capacity. I’ve been in the lower city long enough to know that Hades doesn’t have any rules against fraternization, but all of those relationships are between staff. For as long as I’ve been here, Charon has never indulged. Not until me.
That’s not something I’m going to ask about right here, right now. Not with my sisters looking on. “I understand, but what does that mean practically?”
“I don’t expect you to suddenly be part of the security team, but your connections make you uniquely suited for information gathering.”
Next to me, Charon doesn’t seem to be breathing. Hades obviously didn’t talk to him about this beforehand. Persephone holds her pregnant stomach, glaring daggers at her husband. It’s a testament to their relationship that she won’t challenge him, even in a relatively private setting with only family present…well, family and Charon.
And Callisto?
She has a small smile on her face that I don’t like one bit. It’s the same expression she gets when she’s about to start shit that will drageveryone into the mess. She would never do something to directly harm me or either of our other sisters, but that doesn’t mean she would hesitate to get us into a whole shit ton of trouble. She doesn’t say a single word.
Really, I was only ever going to have one answer to this. I don’t know what it looks like answering to someone in the official capacity, but I’ve been searching for a role to call my own, and that’s exactly what he’s offering me. “I agree.”
“Good.” His gaze flicks to Charon. “She needs a permanent security detail. One person should be good enough.”
I half expect Charon to argue. He’s done everything in his power to keep me out of danger, and no matter how protected I am, working for Hades is dangerous. Especially in current times. But he surprises me and just nods. “I’ll put Minthe on her.”
“Good. Eurydice, I want you to check in with Ariadne this afternoon. She made a bargain with you in exchange for help that I provided, and while I am sympathetic to her current condition, time is of the essence. We need that information, and we need it now.”
I’m not sure what to say, so I go with a generic, “Yes, sir.”
He raises a single brow. “We don’t stand on that kind of formality here.”
I flush when I realize what I’ve said. I’ve been to his club. I know what my sister calls him when they do their scenes. That’s not what I was intending, even if a little snark bled into my tone. I clear my throat. “Sorry, I mean, I’ll handle that and report back.”
“Dismissed.”
It takes me a second to realize he’s talking to me. I flush as I turn and walk out the door. Little shakes work through my body.It’s not that I’m scared of my brother-in-law—I’m not—but there’s no going back now. For better or worse, I am now employed by Hades.
I suppose I should ask him about wages at some point.
That thought is enough to make me laugh a little. It’s not until I’ve made it four steps down the hallway that I realize I’m not alone. I glance over at Callisto. She has her hands tucked into her gray duster, and it kicks out around her long legs with every step. It’s an incredibly dramatic piece, drawing the eye and giving the impression of a gunslinger about to engage in a duel. I don’t know if my sister would’ve worn it six months ago.
“I suppose you have thoughts about what just happened.” I expect all of my family will.
She glances at me, her expression unreadable. “Hades takes care of his own better than any of the other Thirteen do.”
She doesn’t sound like herself. A frisson of fear shoots down my spine. “Better than you?”
“Don’t you know, little sister? I don’t have people.”
I stop walking. “That’s not true, Callisto. You have us. You’ve always had us, and you always will have us.”
