Captured (Shadow Guild Hades & Persephone #3) - Linsey Hall Page 0,19

turned to my aunt. “I’m sorry, that was strange.”

“He is god of the Underworld. Of course he is strange.” Her eyes softened. “But he is made uncomfortable by family. By affection.”

“That’s the truth.” I shook my head. “I can’t believe I was separated from you for so long just to hide me from him, and now we must work together.”

“You were never hidden from him,” Aurelia said. “If you thought that, you were mistaken. In truth, we were hiding you from Chronos.”

My jaw slackened. “Really?”

“Yes.” She went to the counter and began to unpack the picnic basket. “It was fated that Hades would find you, but he couldn’t be allowed to find you too soon, because Chronos would also find you when that happened. You needed to be old enough. Strong enough.”

“Hades was fated to find me, so I never had a chance.”

“A chance to what?” she asked. “To avoid your destiny?”

“I suppose when you put it that way, it sounds bad.”

“You are capable of great things,” Aurelia said. “With any luck, you will have a chance to do them.”

Fates, I hoped I lived up to her expectations.

“Come,” Aurelia said. “Help me prepare dinner.”

I smiled, glad for the distraction. Glad for the opportunity to spend time with my family after we’d been separated for so long.

7

Seraphia

Later that night, long after we’d finished dinner and retired for the evening, I heard the storm finally fade. I lay in the small bed in one of the guest rooms, the window cracked slightly to let in the sound of the rain.

Hades was out there, somewhere. Likely in the workshop. I’d tried to bring him dinner, but he was nowhere to be found. The fact that I cared was annoying, but at the end of the day, expected.

No matter the complications, I had feelings for him. Really freaking complicated feelings, and I couldn’t help but worry about him.

I climbed from bed and went to the window, pushing it open to reveal a bright night. The clouds had moved on and revealed a brilliant moon hanging heavy in the sky, scattering the sea with diamonds of light.

I heaved a sigh. The moon pulled at me, a feeling so fierce that I couldn’t resist it.

Silently, I left the room, climbing down the stairs and escaping out into the night while my family slept. Whether it was Hades who called to me or just the beautiful scenery, I couldn’t be sure. But I knew I wanted to feel the moonlight on my face. To stand at the cliffs and look out at that sea that glittered so fiercely.

I gave the workshop where Hades slept a wide berth, though I couldn’t help but wonder if he was in there. Was he sleeping on the ground? Even though he was essentially royalty, he seemed to find such hardships easy to endure.

Finally, I reached the edge of the sea cliffs. Far below, waves crashed. I stared down at them, entranced.

As I watched, they broke open, shifting away from something that gleamed golden and bright. In the blink of any eye, a figure rose from the waves. Golden armor clad his muscular form, and he bore a three-pronged trident. His brilliant eyes met mine, and his magic nearly sent me to my knees. The sound of crashing waves and the feeling of surging water was nearly overpowering.

I gasped and stepped back.

Poseidon.

Last time I’d seen him, he’d nearly killed us.

Heart pounding, I called upon my magic. Gathering as much as I could, I reached for the weeds deep in the sea, determined to use them to drag Poseidon back to his realm.

When he had risen to my height on the cliff, he held out a hand in a placating gesture. “Be calm. I am not here to attack.”

“Really?” I kept calling upon the weeds down below, forcing them to grow and rise to the surface. Poseidon stood upon a pillar of water. The weeds could grow up and through it, grabbing him by the ankles and dragging him back down.

“Really.” His jaw was set firm. “I was opposed to Hades achieving his goals—I still am. But at present, I am more opposed to Chronos achieving his. You are attempting to stop that, are you not?”

“I’m attempting to stop both of them.” I raised a hand before he could speak. “Though I am not planning to hurt Hades. So don’t think you can convince me to aid you there.”

“You still think he can be saved.”

After the light I’d seen in him and the