to make sure we gradually introduce her to our world.”
“Just be careful with her, Hades. I’m reminding you again, she’s not like the others.” Hecate lifted a brow. “Especially not like that last nymph you brought home.”
“I understand Minthe isn’t well liked in the Underworld.” There was nothing he could do about it. He’d promised her a life here, and even though they were no longer enjoying each other’s company, that didn’t mean he would go back on his word.
Minthe was just a nymph to the rest of the world. And a nymph could be used and abused by anyone who saw fit to touch her. That’s how it had been before he had given Minthe sanctuary in the Underworld. Before he’d fallen under her spell.
She was beautiful in her own way. Lithe of body with dark hair and limpid eyes that always teared up when she didn’t get what she wanted. He hated that about her and loved it at the same time. She knew how to pull his strings, even now.
Hades cracked his neck to the side. “I’m assuming you brought up Minthe for a reason?”
Hecate shrugged. “Just a thought to keep in your mind as your new bride wanders the Underworld. You might have wooed her here, Hades. But that doesn’t equal love.”
“We’re gods,” he replied, the old words stinging even as he said them. “We don’t get love.”
The goddess’s eyes darkened with sadness. “But what if we could?”
She strode away from him, leaving a question burning in his mind. What if the gods could fall in love? He’d always thought they couldn’t. That was the price of immortality. Hades had been told that his entire life, from the other Olympians, even from the Titans deep in Tartarus’s burning fires. They didn’t believe in love for immortals either.
And yet...
He cast his gaze down the beach where he could see the slight beacon of her light. A small woman, just a speck on the horizon, but so pale and lovely she almost looked like a ghost.
He knew if she wanted the world at her feet, he would lay waste to the lands for her. And if she wanted the stars in the sky, he would rip them apart just so she could smile at him. That amount of emotion for another person was startling in such a short amount of time.
That fear warned him to take it slow. He didn’t care if she hid in her room, because he didn’t know what he’d say to her either.
“Love,” he said with a snort. “That’s impossible.”
But was it?
He put his fingers to his lips and whistled sharply. At least if he was going to let her wander, he wanted someone to watch over her. He wouldn’t have time to help her if a spirit lunged at her again.
Or worse, if another god decided they wanted to come down and visit Hades, a slim chance but still a possibility. He didn’t want to risk Demeter knowing who had taken her daughter.
Not yet, anyway.
His new mother-in-law would have a heart attack when she realized Kore had married her sworn enemy. If she didn’t try to choke him with plants, the first time they saw each other again, she absolutely would try to steal Kore away from him.
There would be time to figure all of this out. But first, Hades wanted her to fall in love with their new home.
Cerberus padded up to his side, leaving his post at the gates of the Underworld. All three tongues lolling, the dog glanced from Kore to Hades, then back again.
“I’m going to give her time to herself,” he murmured. “Keep watch over her, boy. Make sure she doesn’t get into trouble.”
Cerberus narrowed his eyes and seemed to give a sharp nod before loping off toward Hades’ bride. There were many differences between his dog and the mortal animals who roamed the lands above, and the largest was that Cerberus understood the language Hades spoke. If his tongues were shaped differently, the beast might have even talked.
His father certainly did.
Snorting, Hades padded along the Lethe at a leisurely pace. He wanted to see what she would do with Cerberus this time. Would she scream again? Faint? He didn’t know what to expect from the woman, because a part of him still thought she was brave enough to face Cerberus head on.
After all, she’d fought with the god of death.
And won.
Chapter 18
Kore walked down the Lethe to the place where it met the Styx. It was strange