Page 67 of The Cursed Chalice

Ares’s shoulders drop, and he nods. “You made a crazy choice.”

“But a great one, nonetheless. Now let’s go invite guests and—” Hecate stops when I raise my hand.

“I just want it to be you, Phobos, Deimos, Nisa, and me.” I didn’t want a big crowd.

“Oh, maybe one more person. Mrs. Grady is coming back tomorrow,” Hecate comments. Right, the silent but infamous Mrs. Grady.

“How soon are we going to do this?” I ask.

Hecate smiles. “Tomorrow night. Trust me, I will have everything ready for you. What’s your favorite flower?”

“I have always loved red roses.”

Hecate nods. “Great choice.”

I feel Ares press his lips against my forehead, then he comes off the bed. “Rest. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Nisa?”

“I will check on her, but she will wake up tomorrow,” Ares says. Hecate gives me a small goodbye, and Ares nods as he closes the door behind him.

My room drops into silence, and I throw myself back onto the pillows. “Marrying Ares. What the hell am I doing?”

ARES

“What the fuck are you doing, Hecate?” The moment I enter my office, I feel like screaming. Aric changes with me.

Hecate drops onto the sofa and kicks off her heels. “I did nothing that you didn’t want me to do. Plus, Aric said yes. Are you saying no, Ares?”

Was I saying no?

“How can I marry someone who I will be hurting in the future?” I walk to my liquor cabinet and pull down the crystal decanter and pour it into a glass.

“Pour one for me too. I have to refill my wine cellar.” Hecate places her legs over the sofa arm.

I pour her a glass. “Hecate, this is serious.”

“So is my wine shortage. Guess which one I am fixing first?” She grabs the glass from me and sips.

“Hecate. I have two personalities. I need her dead to free a dead lover’s soul. This is not going to end well.”

She lifts her hand to signal to me to wait as she drinks her port. “Wow, that is good.”

“Hecate,” I warn.

“Ares. Live with her. Love her. When she gets old…” She shrugs.

I shake my head in disgust. “That’s your fucking solution? Keep her until she is 80 and kill her then.”

Hecate moves her legs to the floor and stands. “During those 80 years, heal, learn to love, and forgive. Maybe we will find a loophole.”

I begin to rub my forehead. I didn’t think I could have gotten ahead until I met Hecate millennia ago.

“Good night, my friend. See you tomorrow; I have a wedding to plan.” With that, she leaves the room, and the empty glass drops to the floor.

I pace my office.

“We can’t marry her, Aric.” I stop mid-pace. “Aric?”