Page 13

“Very well,” Hades clips. “You won’t fit through the halls of the palace, so you’ll need to enter the front door.”

I slide my hand into Hades’ and squeeze. “I’ll go with her and meet you there.”

Hades watches as I climb effortlessly onto Hydra’s back. Settling between her wine-red wings, I hold on tight to the crown of spiked scales at the base of her neck. I’ve only ridden atop her once in this life, but my soul remembers the centuries where this was my place. Where this is what we did.

I don’t take my eyes off Hades as Hydra moves to the edge of the balcony. Her wings flap once, and we plunge into the sky. I can still feel him watching us as she circles back around the palace, finally out of sight.

Hydra fits easilythrough the high arch of the palace’s double doors. There is no point on the main floor at which she struggles to move. As we near the dining hall, the doors swing open. Hades had explained it’s the way of the Underworld. That it is sentient, and as it’s mother, it is particularly responsive to me.

A collective gasp greets us as we enter. My eyes find Hades’ instantly, but at the sound of a curse and the grating scrape of chair legs over stone, my gaze shifts to where Hermes has planted himself in front of Thanatos. His eyes are wide and wild, the espresso brown intense as they lock on the beast at my back.

She is close. So close, I can feel the heat of her where she stands like a caress against my back.

“Gods alive,” he breathes. “It’s true.”

Hades slices his eyes to Hermes. He asks dryly, “Did you somehow miss the show?”

Hermes swallows hard. “I was—we were?—”

Thanatos stands. A pale hand curls around Hermes’ shoulder. “We were otherwise occupied.”

Hypnos snickers, as is his way.

I blush.

“He is afraid of me,”Hydra speaks into my mind. I take in Hermes again. This time, I don’t miss the quick rise and fall of his chest. I see the beads of sweat that cling to the hair at his temples. I note the way his hands tremble, only slightly, where they meet the surface of the table.

“Why?”

“I do not know.”Her pause in my mind is long.“Hermes was a complex God. His loyalties were both to the Underworld and to Olympus.”

“They are only to the Underworld now.”My eyes shift from Hermes to Hades. I find his are already on me, and they are dark with knowing. I sigh heavily and tell Hydra,“I hate that we can’t include him in our conversation.”

“Yes,”Hydra agrees.

Hades cuts his eyes from mine. He says to the room, “Hydra will hurt no one.”

“Why so afraid of the beast, anyway, Hermes?” Charon taunts. He swirls a brew in his cup before lifting it to his lips for a long swallow. His murky grey eyes the color of lifeless clay barb into Hermes.

Hermes scowls. “She is the only beast Olympus fears.”

Hades cocks his head only slightly to the side. “This is news.”

Thanatos rubs Hermes’ back. “She breathes the flame of the Pit.”

“And?” Hades sounds bored, but I know better.

“Why do you think Zeus wanted the beast taken care of? Why do you think he sent Hercules, the undefeated slayer of the monsters of Gods? To protect man? To answer the prayers they sent to him?” Hermes dares a peek at Hydra, and shudders. It’s small, but there. “Olympus is untouchable, but nothing can escape the flames of the Pit. Nothing can survive it. Not even Gods.” His eyes connect with Hades’. “We all know what became of the Titans. How they suffer in the flames.”

Hecate snickers now, and it’s joined by another sound. A darker sound. Deeper. Male.

My gaze shifts to the side to find Poseidon is standing against the black stone of the wall. Other than his shock of white hair and piercing blue eyes, he blends right in.

My eyes drop to his lower half, and I quirk a smile he mirrors.The man—God—found pants.

“Pity,”Hydra harrumphs. I can’t help my laugh of surprise.

The room looks to me with raised brows, but it’s Minthe who asks, “What’s so funny?”