Page 31 of Bride of Death

So, naturally, I shadow back to my kitchen instead of walking.

And smirk when I hear her growl, “Thorns.”

It’s such a cute little curse.

Perhaps one of these days, I’ll give her a rose just for fun. Hades can’t fault me for a gift, right?

Oh, who am I kidding? Of course he can. He’s a God. He can do whatever the fuck he wants.

Including breaking Sera,I think, frowning.

It’s a thought I’ve had often over the last few months, and it’s grown increasingly troubling.

Because I don’t think Sera has earned his wrath. Yet whenever I broach the topic of her innocence, he scoffs.

I shake my head, clearing it.

Not my fate. Not my business. Not my female.

I’ll guard her.

Convince her to go willingly to Hades.

And be done with this task.

For good.

Chapter 8

Hades

“What the fuck is this?”my little brother demands as he shadows into my office and slams his fist onto my desk.

I know what has him interrupting my day without even looking at the fiery paper in his hand.

“An invitation to my nuptials,” I say, feigning boredom. “Which reminds me, I need you to be my witness.”

“Your witness,” he repeats, sounding incredulous.

I minimize the message I was working on when my brother arrived and look up from my translucent screen to meet his dark gaze.

“That is what I said, little brother,” I tell him flatly. “If you’re not up for the task, I’ll ask Maliki.”

Orcus stares down at me. “Hades, you’re lucky I found this before Alina did.” He holds up the invitation when he says “this,” causing me to arch a brow.

“I’m lucky?” I repeat, not following his logic.

“You can’t possibly think she’ll allow this, let alone approve of it,” he says, leaving the fiery paper on my desk before collapsing into the chair across from me. “Hades?—”

“Why would your mate have any say in my dealings?” I ask, cutting him off. “And why would she even care? Surely this won’t be a surprise to her?”

The look he gives me is not one I want to see on his face right now.

Because it suggests regret. Remorse. And perhaps a hint of guilt.

I huff a humorless laugh when I realize the cause of that expression. “You’ve not told her about our history.”

“Have you told Sera?”