Page 46

Iknew it was going to be a shitty day before Janine even got to me, her normally immaculate bun already askew, strings of blonde hair hanging into her face. Normally so put together, her face was blotchy from running halfway across the Underworld.

“SIR! I–”

I held up a hand to stop her, just as the entire Underworld groaned and shifted, the ground vibrating and shaking like a mini earthquake. Souls moaned and wailed, the very foundations of the Earth grumbling.

I closed my eyes and held my hands out, trying to soothe the agitated magick. I couldn’t do much on my own. The only one who could was Hades, but he was still away.

Luckily, after a tense minute or so, everything settled.

I opened my eyes to find Janine’s face as white as a corpse.

“Like I said, I’m aware,” I noted dispassionately.

Janine nodded quickly and made a tick on her clipboard, hands shaking. “Does this mean–”

“It means things are still settling from the birth of a new goddess,” I reassured her, referring to Melinoe, Hades’ long lost daughter. “Or something new is stirring.”

Janine blinked.

I sighed. “We’re going to have to get a hold of Hades. I hate to do it, but things are unstable, and better be safe than sorry.”

Janine visibly swallowed. “But, ah, didn’t Hades say that if you bothered him while on vacation he’d, ah...” She frantically flipped through the pages on her clipboard.

“Ah! Here it is—rip out your arteries and braid them to present to his wife and new daughter as a matching necklace set.”

I winced. “How...vivid. He also trusts me to ensure things run smoothly, and the souls are not in danger. His own brother trying to make a comeback surely supersedes this.”

Janine nodded, but her face still held doubt.

Not that I blamed her. I was a delight to work for; if Hades killed me in anger, her next employer wouldn’t be nearly as good as me.

“What if you take the others with you? Show a united front?” Janine suggested, trying to appear nonchalant.

Hmm. The idea had merit.

It would be difficult to find Hades on my own. Taking my brothers would let us combine power and resources, and also be a sign to Hades that this was a serious matter.

G will be thrilled. He hasn’t felt useful in quite some time now.

I grinned. “Gluttony has been whining about taking a family trip.”

Janine grimaced, then flipped to a clean page of paper and began writing furiously.

“Don’t fret, Janine. Things will all be in order.”

She rolled her eyes. “The last time you said that was when the Archduke of Austria showed up here with a bullet in his head.”

I opened my mouth to argue then snapped it shut, not in the mood for discussing my track record or habit of optimism in the face of catastrophe. “Just hold down the fort. I’m going above to gather everyone, then hopefully we can get Hades back. He can sort out Zeus.”

“Hopefully,” Janine added brightly.

Before I could respond, black smoke twisted and curled around my ankles, accompanied by a menacing purr.

“Did you need something, Damon?” I asked the void.

The shadows coalesced into a solid shape, forming into the shape of a monstrous black cat with massive fangs and blazing red eyes.

“Oh, we all assumed he was with Hades. He’s Aggie’s familiar,” Janine noted.