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My stress must be messing with my brain, because I swear by every pebble on this shore, it sounds like—
“Gramps?”
Holy. Shit.
Though not outwardly, I share the combination of delight and dread in Kara’s shout.
Because sure enough, Giovani Valari is standing just fifteen feet away.
He looks the same, despite being clothed in the all-black gear of the underworld military. He even lifts a corner of his mouth with a smirk to rival many classic Hollywood stars as his gaze settles on his granddaughter. But he doesn’t move to greet her.
Though it’s clearly killing Kara, she doesn’t run forward either.
No chance of that, considering the dark and decadent figure by Gio’s side.
Beneath his breath, Zeus spits a string of filthy Greek.
I don’t dare avert my focus to translate it all, especially because it doesn’t matter. Not when I’m locking a glare on the unnervingly serene face of the god who kidnapped my fiancée ten days ago. A placidity into which Hades is well settled right now—which spikes my dread to an altitude that new clouds have started to populate.
“Hey, Gio,” I call out. “We have to stop meeting like this.”
The man jogs his head to acknowledge my line but moves little else. He looks ready to speak, but Z beats him to it.
“What the do you want, H?” He stalks around, moving between the pair of them and the pair of us. “Or should I just cut to the chase and ask what fuckery you’re up to?”
Hades casually folds his hands. Though the clouds have heeded my psyche and form a dark celestial forest overhead, the dark-red stones along his fingers sparkle as if we’re in full sun.
“Fuckery?” he croons. “Come now, brother. Is it really that if I can offer a constructive option to my nephew and his bride-to-be?”
I contain a growl in the column of my throat. Barely.Options. It’s rapidly becoming a word I hate. A fate I fear.
“Why am I finding it hard to punch themore informationbutton right now?” I insert.
“Maximus. Hear him out.” Astoundingly, Gio appears to offer it with totally free will. “He truly means no harm.”
My gruff grunt is a twin to Zeus’s. I trade a swift glance with him too. His scowl confirms the motivation of mine. Gio’s here as collateral to gain Kara’s trust. I only hope she’s smarter than that. I alreadyknowshe is, but her adoration for her grandfather is a potentially gigantic override switch.
“What do you propose, Hades?”
And there she goes, flipping that lever.
“What do youthink?” Zeus grumbles.
Still, Hades shores up his stance. Eyeballs me with unmistakable intent. “You can have free shelter in Dis, as well. A chateau just for the two of you.” He holds up a hand as if swearing his nothing-but-the-truth to a bailiff. “I won’t come anywhere near the place. Giovani and Charlena will head up your guard details.”
“Why?” I bark at once. “What makes your offer any better than his?” I thumb toward my father. “Hecate can get into your realm just as easily as Olympus. And, just like there, my last visit wasn’t so enjoyable.”
“An unfortunate fact, but a fate that won’t be waiting for you again. You have my word. Though Kara is only half-demon, that still makes her half our own. We won’t turn our backs on her or you, especially in this time of extraordinary need. And unlike the troops of Olympus, my warriors aren’t benefiting from Hecate’s favor, or lack of it. That applies to Hecate and Persephone, as well. If they attempt any kind of a run on your place, my demons will cut off their heads, dice up their bodies, and give the pile to Charon for fish chum.”
My air hitches as fast as Kara’s. It’s one thing, as a victim, to envision Hades’s cruelty. It’s bizarre to hear it as a pledge for my own safety. More vitally, for my woman’s and child’s.
Should we actually trust him? Or is he here, even with Gio in tow, as an elaborate hoax to lure us to hell again?
Or should we accept my father’s offer to be harbored by the ramparts of Olympus? I could request Reg for my security team, and Mom would likely be nearby…though the threat of Hecate’s incursion would be higher.
I don’t get a chance to lay out the thoughts as neatly as I want.
Z’s golf claps shake the tree line past the greenbelt. “Oh, well done,” he sneers at Hades. “Now there’s a marketing brochure for the ages.Come to hell. We’ll make you some chum.”
To his credit, Hades doesn’t chomp on that bait. But to my alarm, he uses the time to chain me in another unfightable stare. A look that does little to prepare me for his deceivingly calm challenge.
“Night is almost here. Hecate will be at her strongest, especially under the full moon. Kara, Maximus…you must decide now. What are you going to do? Where are you going to go?”
