Page 23 of The Cursed Chalice

“You heard that, Aric?” My heart trembles, and I swallow hard.

“Heard what, Ares?”

My breathing is erratic. I look around my office again, taking in the soft brown leather chairs that sit in front of my white marble desk.

My gaze shifts to my shield and two crossed spears hanging on the wall. Paintings, my laptop...all there in their rightful place.

“Ares, please. My soul is fading,”Talia’s voice echoes in the far corner of my mind.

“I will save you, my love,” I say out loud.

“My love?” Hecate’s voice interrupts. I didn’t hear her enter.

I stagger, trying to control my heart rate. I need to sit.

I drop back into the chair.

“What are you doing here so early, Hecate?” I close my eyes and sigh, keeping the haunting of Talia to myself.

I hear Hecate scoff, and her heels click-clacks as she moves to the window.

“Where is your housekeeper, Mrs. Grady?”

With one sweep, she opens the blinds. I groan as the sunlight rushes into the room.

“You are the God of War. You’re not Hades. All this darkness around you.” She opens another blind.

I sink deeper into the chair, hoping she’d leave.

“Hades is not even in darkness anymore. Persephone has planted trees in the underworld, and he made her a sun.”

I sigh. “Good for them. It’s too early for you to be here. Grady is off today.”

“Early? It’s 11:25 a.m. And why the hell are you naked?” she cries.

“You can always leave.”

“No. We have matters to discuss, so cover your little shrimp dick.”

I chuckle. “Nothing about my cock says shrimp.”

“Your dick color says otherwise.” She stops and pulls at the top of her black corset, then dusts her pants.

Hecate sighs. “I need your help. Sorry, I can’t do this with you and your shrimpy out.

With the flick of her wrist, I am clothed in charcoal trousers and a black shirt tucked into them.

“We have a problem. It’s Nisa.”

I sigh, rubbing my forehead. “Who, pray tell, is Nisa?”

“One of the orphans from the?—”

I didn’t give her time to finish. I remember the defiant, brave little face from the container.

“Whatever it is. I will pay.”

Hecate throws her hair over her shoulder and smiles. She never smiles. “The orphanage is full. Honestly, I find them all to be unfit for children.”