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Medusa shrugged. "Only the ugly ones. I managed to catch myself a cute one, though." Eris cackled and let Medusa pull her away to meet Perseus and Dany.
Hades was about to join the others when another god arrived, and his world shifted on its axis.
"It can't be…" he whispered as the god appeared through the gardens. He was as tall as Hermes, but his skin was darker. His long, curling black hair and beard had a few flecks of gray in them. He wore a wine-red shirt with two buttons open below decent, and his smile was as bright as ever.
Dionysus.
18
Hades opened his mouth to say something to his nephew when something gold flashed by him. Hermes threw himself at the other god, shouting, "Big brother!"
Dionysus caught Hermes and squeezed him tight. "You weigh a ton, baby boy."
"Where the fuck have you been?" Hades demanded, pushing Hermes out of the way to take a better look at his lost nephew. Dionysus's aubergine-colored eyes sparked with mischief as he shrugged his broad shoulders.
"Lately, I've been on a vineyard in Teos in Turkey. Before that, I'm not sure. I was having another episode, so probably everywhere. What have I missed?" Dionysus asked.
"You still get the wandering madness Hera cursed you with? Even though she's dead?" Hermes said, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. Dionysus nodded. "Don't worry, we will figure out how to break it. We are professional curse breakers these days."
"I would like that. I wasn't sure I was feeling the change correctly. Babies? Who would have thought," Dionysus said, grinning at Hades. "I bet your wife is an absolute stunner."
Hades's eyes narrowed. "She is. If I catch you hitting on her, there will be trouble."
"Would I do such a thing?"
"Yes," both Hades and Hermes said at the same time.
Dionysus only laughed at them. "From the looks of things, plenty of other beauties require my attention. Oh, look, here comes one now."
"Who will introduce me to the latest of Zeus's kids? Don't look so surprised. We have a whole gaggle of them inside, new boy," Ariadne said, looking him over. "Which one are you?"
"I'm Dionysus," he replied and kissed her hand. "And you are?"
"Ariadne," she said with a smile.
"You know, I knew a girl called Ariadne once…"
A large hand smacked Dionysus's arm, and he let go of Ariadne's hand with a hiss. Asterion looked him dead in the eye. "No touching."
"Well, fuck me, it's the bull of Minos," Dionysus said, staring up at him with a grin. He turned to Hermes. "Who the fuck else is at this party?"
Hermes wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Everyone worth knowing, including some new brothers."
"Lead the way. I need to see this kid of Hades's."
"Kids," Hades corrected. "We had twins. Melinoë and Zagreus."
"You named him after me?"
"In my defense, I thought you were dead because you never bothered to come and see me," Hades replied with a disapproving frown.
"I wasn't dead, just crazy." Dionysus hugged him again. "I missed you too, uncle, and I'm happy for you. The babies are already bringing change and chaos in the air."
"The chaos is Eris, but don't disappear again. We need to talk," Hades replied. He watched Dionysus and Hermes enter the tent, followed by shouts of greeting and 'Oh, fuck, we are in trouble now.' Hades couldn't stop the bubble of laughter that rose out of him. He didn't notice Isis approaching him until she was beside him.
"I don't think I've seen you look so happy, Hades," she commented.
"I don't think I've ever been this happy. How did I build such a family?" he said, looking at the crowd all talking and enjoying themselves. "I once thought I was the most cursed god ever to live, and now, I have all this."
