The words shattered through her mind. Lady of the Underworld.
She’d only ever been called Kore, Maiden, Daughter of Demeter.
As the boy clambered onto the ferry with Charon and they took off across the boiling river, she wondered at the new name.
The darkness in her chest crowed with pleasure.
Chapter 19
Hades watched her send the souls off with Charon. She’d given them a gift, likely one that the mortals would never understand. Most of them would end up in the Asphodel Meadows, that in between place that was neither good nor bad. They would be happy there. Perhaps family waited for them and they would continue on with their lives like death had never touched them.
But he didn’t care where they ended up. Even though he was king of these lands, he cared little for the mortals who feared him. What Hades was most interested in was his wife. Her magic burned through his land. The inky shadows reaching out for the five souls she’d selected.
Charon left and the other souls grew restless. Though Hades would have liked to wait and see what else she would do, he knew better than to tempt fate. He straightened the edge of his chiton over his chest, then took off his helm of invisibility.
He shimmered into view and even the spirits flinched away from him. “The Lord of the Underworld,” they murmured.
It was the same as always. The mortal spirits thought he was here to punish them, but that wasn’t Hades’ job. He didn’t care what they did as long as they didn’t disturb him. Even then, he was more likely to send Thanatos than he was to deal with the issues himself. He had to make sure the entire Underworld ran on its own, and smoothly. Why would he be the one to hunt down the spirits that misbehaved?
He strode through them all the way to the dock where Cerberus waited. His dog whined, two of the faces staring at Kore where she stood at the end of the dock. The third face stared up at Hades with a worried expression.
He patted the concerned head. “It’s all right, boy. I’m here now. Good job.”
All three tongues lolled out, and Cerberus sauntered off. The gates stood open while Cerberus wasn’t there, and though very few mortals ever found the openings to the Underworld, Cerberus still worried.
Wind whipped through Kore’s hair. Her waist length curls were left free to tangle today, and he wanted nothing more than to sit her down and brush the unruly locks. The urge was so sudden and powerful he had to curl his fingers into fists at his side.
Her expression was one of complete and utter hope. She watched the souls being ferried across like she’d saved them. He didn’t have it in him to tell her that the souls still had quite the journey once they were over the river. He’d tell her someday, but he couldn’t ruin the moment.
“You gave them solace,” he said, his voice catching on the breeze. “It was kind of you.”
“I found coins.”
“Yes, I heard,” Hades chuckled. “You’ve made quite the impression on my two guards.”
“Guards?” Kore looked over her shoulder and the soft smile on her face nearly sent him to his knees. “Unruly guests, at best.”
“I’d agree with that observation.” He stepped closer. “Have you come out of your exile?”
Perhaps the jest was in poor taste, but he was still stinging from her rejection. Hades should have been used to it. He wasn’t one of the favored Olympians, by mortal standards or gods. He’d thought his eventual wife would be more interested in him than the spirits on the dock.
Hades waited to see if she would grow angry with him. Would she scream like she had at the men in the temple? Would she try to tie him up like Thanatos?
Actually, he wouldn’t mind if she tried to tie him up.
Kore merely tilted her head to the side and replied, “I think I’m finished with it. Thank you for giving me the time to adjust.”
Well, he hadn’t expected that reaction at all. He was used to at least a little snark from Hecate, or worse, from Minthe. This woman never ceased to surprise him.
Hades frowned. “That’s it?”
She blinked up at him with those wide, beautiful eyes. “What do you mean?”
“You aren’t going to...” He gestured wildly with his hands and then realized he might be inadvertently asking her to have a fit over this.