Page 30 of Flowers Near Me

CHAPTER THIRTY

A HOPE IN FATE

HADES

“ H ermes .” The clipped greeting did little to console the fidgeting messenger in his office, but that wasn’t Hades’ problem.

“You summoned me?”

Hades leaned over his desk to bend closer to Hermes’ sweaty face. “I have a message for your former employer.”

Hermes’ eyes widened, but he remained quiet. The man’s timid look coaxed a smile on Hades’ face.

With his elbows leaning on his desk, Hades set his clasped hands down in front of him to see if the continued silence would prompt Hermes to spill more of his worries. When Hermes’ gaze started to move around the room, Hades said, “Tell Demeter the ‘snake bite’ virus is dead and the app’s better than ever. And, oh—” A cruel thought popped into his head. Something he knew would rattle Demeter. “One more thing. Let Demeter know Sephy’s magic smells incredible.”

Hermes’ bewildered expression confirmed his suspicion. Most don’t know she has power.

Sephy had denied having powers on par with the rest of the gods. Initially, he’d assumed she was lying to him to protect herself while in his domain. But the past few months had proved Sephy was only now discovering her divine abilities. Her astonishment at seeing the poppies appear was his first clue, but as she tried her hand at using her power, the newness of it all was written in the bright look on her face.

Hermes asked, “What’s she the goddess of?”

Shoulders stiffening, Hades stared at Hermes for a few beats. “Maybe one day you’ll get to ask her.” Hades flicked his hand. “We’re done.” The messenger disappeared, cast out from Hades’ office into Underworld Unlimited’s lobby.

Hades left Sephy in the dressing room of the tailor’s hours ago, but the image of her in the satin dress lingered. The way she lifted her head, back straight, and kept her eyes locked with his—unfazed by the fact he’d barged in—made him want to kiss her and never stop. She was beautiful in everything she wore, but seeing her in a gown tailored to her body made his heart pound and his pants tight.

Of course, Charon tried to hide the date and time of the final fitting from him, but she couldn’t remove the transaction history from his account. Ever since the dress fitting conversation at his apartment between Sephy and Charon, he periodically checked to see if there were any boutiques listed in his ledger. One day he recognized the name of a well-known clothier and scoured Sephy’s calendar for it. Realizing that Charon would schedule it as something else, he set an alert on his phone if Sephy entered the shop’s location. It pinged today during his meeting with the director of Helena’s school, and he fled as if the place had caught fire. Fortunately, the director was a woman of few words and seemed almost relieved that the meeting ended early.

Work was not providing enough of a distraction for him to forget the way the black silk wrapped around Sephy’s waist and hips. She had the body muses raved about and artists toiled to capture. Nothing compared to her.

Finished with the interviews, but not yet time for in-person events, Hades planned to take Sephy on their proper date in a few days.

Outside his office door, the sounds of Hecate’s portal magic crackled like one of Helena’s “fairy slimes” she’d left at his apartment after their last dinner.

Two knocks and Hecate opened the door. “Where’s Sephy?”

With a flippant toss, Hades threw one hand in the air. “Hello, Hecate. Good to see you too. I’m well. Thanks for asking.”

Hecate sat in the chaise near the window and looked out at the city. “I thought I was meeting Sephy.”

“Since when were you on a nickname basis?” Hades clicked open his email to see if Charon had tagged any new messages for his review.

“Well, if you’re allowed to say it, then we all must be able to.”

Hades turned to see the wide grin on Hecate’s face.

“That so?” He laughed, and Hecate shrugged.

Hades got up to stand next to the chair Hecate sat on. “How has training been going with Sephy?”

“Slowly, but not for lack of effort. It’s as if her magic is hiding.”

“Strange,” Hades replied. His lips pressed in a line.

Hecate asked, “Do you have any idea what sparks it? Any pattern?”

“That’s the problem. It’s inconsistent. I’ve had her try a few basic things around our place, but beyond lifting objects, nothing else has worked.”

“Has she tried to portal?”

Hades’ chest felt tight. “I didn’t want her to get hurt. I have no clue how to teach that.”

“You have no clue? Or you didn’t want her to get away?” Hecate scoffed.

Lowering his brow at her, Hades said, “I don’t have her chained in a dungeon. And I think she’s moved on from hatred of me towards curiosity.”

“Maybe she has, but sounds like Demeter hasn’t. Have you told Sephy her mom sent the ‘snake bite’ virus?”

“Not yet.” Hades stared out at the streets below and cracked his knuckles. “Do you think Sephy helped her mom infect the app?” Titans , he hoped not. He was desperate for her to reciprocate his feelings. The thought of her sabotaging their work together sawed a hole through his chest.

After a silent minute, Hecate repositioned herself on the chaise and said, “You’ve tracked all of her communications. Did anything seem strange to you?”

“Nothing stood out.” Why hadn’t Hecate dismissed his fears? “Do you think there’s any way Demeter could’ve spoken with Sephy without me finding out?”

“I honestly don’t know,” replied Hecate.

“Between Demeter and me, I’d wager that Sephy is still more loyal to Demeter.”

“Demeter’s her mom, Hades. And they’ve worked together for a long time. But I think she’s grown fond of things here at Underworld. Especially Charon.”

“And me,” Hades replied in a firm tone.

Hecate chuckled. “Yes, you too. I think she might actually like you despite your questionable methods to get her to spend time with you. Anyway, she doesn’t strike me as the breach-of-contract type. And the worst thing she’s done here was let Hermes into the building and technically, he’s free to go wherever he pleases now that he’s working for your brother.”

“When on assignment, yes, but it wasn’t smart of her to let him in without a good reason,” said Hades.

“Considering how she came to work for you, I think it’s the least terrible thing she could’ve done. Had you done the same to any other goddess, you wouldn’t have much of an app left.”

With a soft laugh, Hades replied, “I suppose that’s true. But I wouldn’t bother with anyone else. Still, she lied to me.”

“Ah, yes. And you are the God of Truth, I forgot. Anyway, have you told her your true intentions?” Hecate raised one brow and crossed her arms.

“It’s… in progress.”

Hecate narrowed her gaze at him.

Hades gritted his teeth.

“I wouldn’t assume it’s a sure thing, simply because she’s warming to you now. Although I don’t think she’s conspiring against you, there’s a lot we don’t know about her. And she’s been going along with your plans, but agreeableness and fondness are not the same thing.”

“You’re wrong, Hecate. I know she’ll eventually agree.”

Staring at him, Hecate scowled, and puffs of purple smoke trailed from her fingertips. “ How do you know?”

With a smug look, Hades answered, “I consulted the Fates.”

Hecate’s eyes widened. “And they answered you? Without an invitation?”

Hades nodded. “We have an understanding.”

“Do either of your brothers know you asked them about her?”

“I think Zeus does. Poseidon is too busy to care.”

Hecate huffed a laugh. “I can’t believe the Fates answered you.”

“Like I said, we have an understanding. And I don’t use them like a personal magic mirror. I wanted to know if Persephone would marry me.”

“You’re sure you love her?” Hecate’s voice dropped lower, her face impassive except for the straining tendon in her neck. The same look she gave whenever Hades informed her of a risky endeavor he planned to pursue.

“There’s no question in my mind. All the uncertainty lies with her. Would she come willingly to work for me? No. Would she say yes to marrying me? Not the first few hundred times, no. But eventually? Maybe.”

“So what did the Fates say? That she could love you?”

“That was my second question, and they wouldn’t answer me,” Hades answered.

“Ouch.” Hecate grimaced. “What was your first question?”

One side of his mouth quirked up. “I asked them if she was my wife. They said yes.”

“When did you ask them?” Hecate turned her face towards him, the glimmer of intrigue in her deep brown eyes.

Hades returned to his desk chair and sat down. “A few weeks before I brought her here.”

Hecate pressed her lips together, but her cheeks lifted as she bobbed her head. “Who knows about the Fates’ pronouncement?”

“Charon, you, me.” He paused and leaned back in his chair. “And Demeter. I asked for her blessing, which she refused to give. Then I told her I’d asked the Fates, and she said I was lying.”

“Oh my.” Hecate’s gaze grew distant, as if deep in thought. “When will you tell Sephy?”

“Not until she agrees to marry me.”

“Otherwise, you’d always question whether or not she would have agreed if she didn’t think it was inevitable.”

Hades nodded. “She was never going to work for me or spend time with me unless she was coerced. Binding her to a contract was simple. Persuading her to love me is complicated.”

“Yes, but having the Fates on your side puts you at quite an advantage.”

With an affirmative hum, Hades said, “It’s been a comfort.”

“Well, I’m relieved to hear it. I was worried about the time when she’d return to her old life. It was going to be inconvenient if I had to avoid you for months or years as you recovered from her exit, sulking around and what not.”

“You’d have to avoid me ?” Scoffed Hades.

“Yes. You’re clearly smitten with her. Completely obsessed. Single-mindedly focused on winning her affection.” Hecate’s mouth slid into a feline smile. “I have things to do, you know. I’m working on something that involves Charon, and your heartbreak would’ve caused a lot of problems.”

“Really? What are you and Charon working on that I’m not involved in? Last I checked, she’s Sephy’s and my assistant, not yours.”

“I’m aware,” said Hecate, “but I’ve found a good match for her. We both know all she does is work, so she’ll never pursue love on her own. But I met another psychopomp, and he asked about her.”

“It sounds more like you stumbled upon a match than found one.”

Hecate laughed. “If things work out, I’m taking credit for this one.”

“I hope it does.” The idea of Charon dating brought warmth to his heart. Perhaps Charon would treat Hades as sweetly as she treated Sephy, if she were in love.

The muffled drone of water through pipes buzzed on the other side of Hades’ guest room wall. Sephy’s taking a shower, he thought, then hurried out to the kitchen. He grabbed the kettle and filled it from the tap. With the coffee grounds and pour-over filters in place, he lit the stove, then drummed his fingers on the countertop.

“Cerberus?” He called for his dog, but didn’t see him in the living room. Must’ve slept with Sephy. He rolled his eyes, feeling ridiculous that he was jealous of the hound. Cerberus split his nights between the two of them, but the little beast was lighter on his feet every morning after staying in Sephy’s room.

It had been weeks since Sephy had figured out his primary bedroom was upstairs, but she made no fuss when he remained in the guest room next to hers.

Yesterday, when he’d crashed Sephy’s fitting, he had a moment where he questioned if it was a good idea. She wanted to keep it a surprise from him for the event, but he wanted an excuse to be near her. When he saw her in the gown and how hard she tried to stifle the joy in her face, he almost portaled her out of there and into his bedroom. Now he regretted it, because the image of her in that dress consumed his consciousness.

Strolling around, he plucked Cerberus’ toys from the floor and shot them like a basketball into the dog’s basket. He didn’t use his power, simply tried to see if he could make each shot or not. When he found he’d collected them all, he summoned the entire contents of the basket, then scattered them across the room. Meandering around the furniture, he scooped up toys one by one and continued to toss them back into their container.

A shriek sounded from Sephy’s room and Hades’ throat caught. He portaled to her and was immediately hit with an overwhelming earthy scent. With his front paws on the bed, Cerberus was eating the garden of poppies that had sprouted all over Sephy’s blanket. Wrapped in a robe with soaked hair, Sephy screamed, “Stop, Cerberus!”

Hades held out his hand, and Cerberus froze. He guided the frozen dog away from the bed, then released his hold. Cerberus sat at his feet and tilted his head from side to side.

Bending down on one knee, Hades scanned his dog by placing his hands on either side of his fur covered neck. No hint of poison or malady.

“Don’t worry, he’s fine,” he told Sephy.

“They’re poisonous. We have to get him to a vet or he’s going to die,” she said in a hurried breath.

Hades released a chuckle and patted Cerberus’ head before rising back to his full height. He turned to Sephy, and his pulse spiked. Her wet hair trailed over her silk robe, soaking her shoulders.

His eyes snapped to hers. “Sephy, he’s an immortal watchdog. He’s fine.”

“He’s a shepherd, Hades! We need to get him to the vet. Portal him!” she yelled.

He restrained his laugh. “Listen to me. He might look like a normal dog, but this isn’t his true form.” Hades whistled with a trill and Cerberus barked in reply. The fluffy, merle canine grew to Hades’ height and two more heads shot forth from its shoulders. Cerberus’ unique, splotchy pattern remained but was in all dark grey hues now. Wisps of smoke leaked from each breath.

Looking back at a gawking Sephy, Hades said, “See? He’s fine. If he wasn’t, then he wouldn’t be able to morph into this.”

Sephy turned towards him, then closed her eyes. Her fingers flew to her temples. She muttered, “Fates kill me,” before asking, “Why doesn’t he look like this all the time?”

Hades cocked a brow at her and smirked. “He’s a bit lazy to be honest. It takes a lot out of him to transform and remain in this shape all day, so he sticks to his smaller form. Can’t say I blame him.” Hades whistled again and Cerberus sunk back into the size of a regular dog.

Sephy held out a hand towards Cerberus and used the other to clutch the top of her robe. Bending at the waist, she rubbed Cerberus behind his ears. “I’m so sorry, buddy, but you can’t eat those.”

Swiping his hands over the flowers, Hades disintegrated them into a fine dust, which he scooped up. Out of curiosity, he smelled the remnants, expecting it to be a mix of his power’s cedar scent and Sephy’s floral one. Instead, it smelled like vetiver—grassy and bright. He was going to offer Sephy the powder but went rigid when he saw her staring back at him, blushing and holding her robe tight.

“I’ll let you get back to it.” He made a weak gesture with his fist, then portaled himself and Cerberus into the kitchen.

Looking down at his dog, he asked, “Why did you eat the flowers, Cer?”

Cerberus twisted his head back and forth and kept his big, unblinking eyes on Hades’ face. Hades added, “I was looking for you earlier, you know.”

Back at the stove, hot coffee in his cup, he pictured Sephy in her silk bathrobe in his main suite. It was much larger than the one she was using, and he cursed himself for not putting her in the primary suite by herself to start. It would’ve been the gracious host thing to do, but would it have pushed her over the edge? Wasn’t it enough to show up on her sister’s doorstep and whisk her away without the added stress of putting her in the bed he’d been sleeping in for eons?

She’d sleep there soon enough. He clung to the hope.

A little while later, Sephy emerged from her room, wearing a pressed linen dress and her hair undone in waves. Fighting the urge to grab her by the arms and kiss her, he said, “You look beautiful, love. Where are you meeting Laura?”

Sephy thanked him as he handed her a cup of coffee and replied, “At her place. Helena has a day off from school and wanted to make loukoumades.”

Hades’ mouth watered at the mention of the mini fried donuts. They’d pair well with the coffee he was drinking. “Sounds delicious. Please tell them all I say hello.”

Slipping her feet into her flats, Sephy replied, “I will. Are you sure you can’t make it?”

The night before, she’d asked him if he wanted to tag along. He did, but it had been months since Sephy had seen Laura without him around. Between their demanding press tour and Laura’s tight schedule, Sephy barely saw Laura and she deserved to have some time with her sister. Besides, he needed her distracted while he sorted out a few remaining things for their upcoming getaway trip. They’d have time together soon enough.

“Next time, I’d love to. I’ve never tried making them before. We could bake them here.” Fussing with the cuff of his jacket, he shot her a smile.

Coat and bag in hand, Sephy smiled back. “Alright. Next time.”

Hades tried to temper his grin. “Are you ready?”

Persephone nodded, then took his offered hand before he portaled both of them to Laura’s front door.