Hades was the only one who could still contact their parents. In a way, he shared his home with them.
As if they knew his thoughts, the entire Underworld rumbled. Tartarus was below their feet. It was the Titans prison and quite possibly the most dangerous place in any realm. But he had kept them there, as his brother bid, no matter how much he wanted to release them.
Hades sighed and snapped his fingers. Cerberus bounded to his side and sat down beside his foot. “Are you going to the party?”
The bright grin on Hermes’ face was all the answer he needed. “Of course I am. Have you ever known me to miss a chance to drink Zeus’s wine? He has some of the best of any god, you know.”
“That’s because the humans sacrifice it to him and he doesn’t give any of those sacrifices away.” Unlike Hades. He kept nothing the humans offered. Everything went back to their own kind, although none of them would ever know. They needed to think the gods took their offerings so impossible things would happen.
Although, he supposed their offerings to him weren’t the same. Mortals asked for blessings from other gods.
They asked him to stay away.
“Fine,” he muttered. “If you’re going, I suppose I can make it.”
“Lovely!” Hermes clapped his hands and the wings on his feet fluttered. “I’ll go tell Zeus that you’re coming. He’ll be delighted.”
“He won’t.” Hades gave his brother a look. “You know, an order like this makes neither of us happy. He doesn’t want me there. I don’t want to be there. But everyone will expect me to be, and if I’m not, then everyone will talk. And not in a good way.”
“Ah yes. Zeus always needs his ego stroked.”
Hermes was one of the few gods who could get away with saying that. Still, Hades braced for a lightning bolt to shatter the sky of the Underworld.
When nothing was sent hurtling toward them, he could only assume Zeus wasn’t listening. Odd. He always listened in on the conversations when he sent someone to the Underworld. He liked to know Hades was angry and upset.
The perks of having a brother, he supposed. Zeus never left him alone.
Grumbling under his breath, he waved a hand at Hermes. “Ego or not, I’m not looking forward to seeing the rest of the family.”
“Neither am I, brother. And yet, we must entertain the masses who don’t want us there.” Hermes clicked his heels together and rose into the air like an angel in flight. “Don’t be late this time.”
His brother soared into the air and disappeared in the blink of an eye. If only Hades could do the same. Well, he could, but he lacked the winged shoes that dramatically shot Hermes through the sky.
Hades burrowed through the ground when he needed to go to the mortal realm. Like a rat. Like some kind of blind, rooting mole wanting to see the sunlight one more time. People were disgusted by moles, and they certainly were disgusted by him.
A wet nose pressed against the palm of his hand. Then another against his wrist.
Sinking to his knees, he buried his hands in the longer fur around Cerberus’s neck. “Hello, boy. I’ll be fine. You know how it goes with the gods. They just want to see my face and make sure I’m still alive.”
Cerberus huffed out a wet breath and pressed his remaining nose against Hades’ neck.
At least someone enjoyed his company. Even if his family only invited him for the spectacle of seeing the Lord of the Underworld, he’d always have his people here.
And a good dog.
A good dog could fix a lot of ailments.
He stood up and resolved to the long walk up the black sand beach. “All right. I suppose we need to get ready then.”
With a sharp whistle, he summoned Cerberus to his side and together, they marched toward their home.
Chapter 3
Kore stared up at the golden gates of Olympus and her breath caught in her throat. They were so beautiful. It made her eyes hurt to look at them.
Or maybe that was because they were finally standing in front of Olympus. The one place she’d always wanted to go since she was a little girl. The place her mother told her stories about. Even the nymphs and naiads talked about it nonstop. How the entire city was made of gold. How all the gods rested their heads there with individual palaces for each of