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"Clearly, you and Thanatos have no clue what you look like around each other."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Hecate purposely changed the subject to magic and different potions that Persephone could use to help with the birth.
"It's the only thing I'm worried about," she admitted, her hand drifting to Isis's blue lotus pendant that hung around her neck. She never took it off.
"It will be okay. You need to remember that even when you feel like dying," Medea replied. She must have sensed Persephone's unease because she switched the topic to the archaeological digs she was funding in ancient Sumer. She was looking for evidence of stone tablets hidden by the legendary Apkallu sages.
Her interest in powerful objects left behind by the gods and other magicians hadn't dimmed since Darius's death. They all knew what kind of damage humans could do with artifacts that they couldn't control. Medea had continued hunting, and Hermes had resumed going through his years of research on where other gods might be hiding. He didn't know if he wanted to make contact with them, but he wanted to know where they were in case they ever had humans turn on them.
Persephone swore as another leg kicked down hard inside of her. "Come on, give me a break, guys." She swam to the edge of the pool to get some water to drink, and another sharp pain shot through her.
"Fuck."
"Persephone? Are you okay?" Hecate was beside her in a blink, helping her out of the water and wrapping a robe back around her.
"I don't feel so good," Persephone said, leaning behind a rock and throwing up her breakfast. Hot slickness rushed down her legs.
"Help," she moaned.
Medea pulled Persephone's hair back as she vomited again. "Hecate, send word to Hades. Persephone's water just broke. The babies are coming early."
13
Hades stared at the numbers on his screen and pulled a face. "Can't someone else take care of this?" he asked.
Charon, Thanatos, and Erebus sat on the couches in his office.
"You need to sign off on this last lot of accounts before authority passes to Niklaus," Thanatos replied. Niklaus was going to be babysitting most of Acheron while Hades was with Persephone and the children.
Dany was running Argos, and she would keep an eye on their companies with Niklaus beside her. Dany was family, and despite her age, Hades trusted her more than any other human. Medusa and Asterion would also be running Styx in his frequent absences.
Hades thought that letting control of the company go would feel like he was having his teeth pulled out one at a time. He was finding that the opposite was true. Like Persephone, he wanted the break.
"You are the boss, and you made the rules," Charon commented, a coin flicking idly across his knuckles. "You can just walk away, you know. Who would stop you?"
"He's got a point, even though it would be a dick move and Medusa would hunt you for sport for dumping outstanding messes in Dany's lap," Erebus added. They all paused at that thought.
Hades cleared his throat. "Good point. What do I need to sign exactly? And why are you three sitting here?"
"Babysitting duty. We are getting in the practice," Erebus teased. There was a time when none of them would have dared to smart-mouth him. Hades was getting soft.
"Don't listen to him, Master. We want to keep you company in case you need us. Hecate and Medea are with Persephone. Circe and Selene are having lessons," Thanatos replied.
"So you are saying you're all bored and decided to harass me." Hades made a few clicks on his computer and printed out the pages he needed to sign. He had gotten to page three of ten when golden magic sizzled in the air, and Hermes appeared.
"Here's trouble," Charon said.
"Why do people keep saying that when they see me? I'm a fucking delight to be around. I also thought you all might like to know that Persephone just went into labor," Hermes replied, twirling the caduceus. Hades dropped his pen and got to his feet.
"Hermes, forge my signature on the rest of those pages. Don't look at me like that. I know you know how. Erebus and Charon tell the others. Thanatos, you're with me," Hades said, and they all scrambled.
Hades opened a door to Elysium and went through it. His heart was racing too fast, and panic was coursing through his veins. They stepped out of Styx and into the atrium in his new villa. Cerberus bounded across the marble floors to him, tail wagging in greeting.
"Where is she?" Hades asked. Cerberus whined and took off through the house. He didn't need to follow the dog because a heart-stopping scream echoed down the hallway to them.
"Maybe we should stay here?" Thanatos said uncertainly. "I'm quite certain men aren't welcome in this kind of situation."
"I need her to know that I'm here if she wants me," Hades replied. He hurried down the hall, leaving Thanatos to calm down Cerberus. He opened the door to the room they had set up as the nursery.
