“I know.”
“It shall be your kingdom, too.”
“I know—-what?”
He raised a brow. “I told you, did I not? You are my prophesied—-”
“No, I’m not!” She was shaking her head vehemently while trying to tug her hand out of his hold, but Hades didn’t even consider letting go.
“Do you not want me, milady?”
His dark gaze glittered at her, and she said weakly, “That’s not the point.” But inside, she wanted to weep in despair. Yes, she did ask for her own Hades – but she had not asked for the original one, especially when the latter was married!
As Hades started to lean towards her, she found herself leaning away, all the way down to her waist until here was nowhere to go if she didn’t want to fall on her back.
His hand suddenly touched the small of her back, and Ever yelped. She had never been touched by a man so intimately before, and she could feel her mind slowly losing its grip on rationality – and morality.
“Please—-”
“Please what, milady?”
She said in a rush, “Don’t do this. It’s not right. You’re married.” There! She had said it, and now she had an even greater urge to weep.
A second later, she found herself settled back to her feet and when she looked up, confused, the god of the underworld demanded, “What did you say?”
She stubbornly pursed her lips, not wanting to repeat such painful words.
The god’s hands settled on her shoulders. “Did you just say I was married?”
Of course I did, she thought furiously, and the whole bloody world knows it.
Hades’ lips curved in a smile as he realized that this all along was the reason why she had appeared so adamantly against being with him. “You little fool.”
She glared at him. “I am not a fool.”
Instead of answering her, he asked, “Do you know of the gods that stand by the entrance of the Underworld?”
Ever blinked. Where did that come from?
“Do you?” Hades pressed.
“Of course.” Frowning, she enumerated them one by one. “There is anxiety, Diseases, Fear, Agony, Hunger, Death, Grief, Sleep, and Old Age. The entrance is also guarded by the Guilty Joys and on the other side are War, Discord, and the Furies.”
“Impressive,” he murmured.
She turned red. “It’s nothing. I’ve just read it in a book.”
“And yet you don’t know all the oracles devoted to Apollo.”
“I—-”
“Or even the city that looks upon Hermes as its patron god.”
Ever froze, finally realizing where this was going.
“It seems, milady,” Hades drawled, “you were only interested in me.”
Bloody. Hell.
“There is no need to worry,” he purred. “It is as it should be—-”
“It’s not,” she snapped even as her face couldn’t stop blushing.
Bloody, bloody hell.
The god of the Underworld knew that she had a crush on him – even when he wasn’t real!
“You are my prophesied queen.”
Even as she felt her face heat up, Ever muttered with awkward honesty, “I don’t mind.”
Hades’ gaze widened imperceptibly and he said under his breath, “You appear to have a natural flair for saying and doing things I don’t expect you to do.”
Oh!
That was a good thing...right?
The god flicked her forehead, startling her, and he murmured, “That is quite a feat, considering my age.” Taking her hand once more, he told her solemnly, “And while I appreciate your efforts to seduce me—-”