lean forward and then whispered, “If you want something, take it. You have more than enough power within you to do so.”
Kore supposed that was better advice than her mother would have given her. Although, it didn’t soothe the nerves in her stomach.
Standing, she twisted her fingers in her himation’s fabric. “Thank you for the advice, grandmother.”
Rhea smiled, and the expression was so sad it would have made even the coldest heart weep. “You are so young, little one. You have much to learn.”
Thus, Kore turned away from her grandmother and started the trek out of Tartarus. She supposed it was time to have a chat with her husband.
Chapter 25
“My Lord, Cerberus saw the queen entering Tartarus. We thought you’d like to know.”
The words repeated through his mind even as he raced to the gates of the pit. Why? Why would his new wife think it was a good idea to walk into Tartarus alone?
Of all the ridiculous, foolish, stupid ideas, this was the one she acted upon? He would rather have her strip down naked and walk through the castle than go into Tartarus. Ever. But especially not alone.
He didn’t know what emotion to linger on. Anger that she would do so made his entire body shake. But worry also made his palms sweat and the hair on his arms stand on end. What if one of the Titans grabbed her? What if their chains weren’t as all binding as he thought they were?
Hades realized that was foolish. No Titan had ever escaped Tartarus, although a few of them had thrown off their chains. Even then, he doubted any of them would be so foolish as to attack his bride.
They would know she was his. His scent was all over her and he knew they would focus on that first. No matter how much they liked to portray themselves as equal to the Olympians, the Titans were far more animalistic.
Worry, he decided. That was the emotion to settle on because no matter how many times he eased the newest problem that arose in his mind, there were a thousand more to take their place.
She could so easily die in the grips of Tartarus.
He wouldn’t let her. Determined to never let a single Titan touch her, Hades hit the ground outside the mouth of Tartarus with a solid strike that blasted the surrounding sand. He pressed his fist into the dirt, hoping when he looked up that she would be there.
When he glanced at the opening, he was disappointed to find it empty. Pale mist swirled and there was no image of his wife there at all.
What was he to do? Hades had to stride into the forbidden place where he would then be tempted beyond all recognition. The Titans would try to convince him that there was so much more he could do if he would just let them go.
He could take Mount Olympus for his own.
He could overthrow his brother and take over as King of the Olympians.
Hades didn’t want any of that though, and he needed to remember who he was. Who he wanted to be.
In the midst of his struggle, the waves of gray parted and revealed a young woman walking through them. Kneeling as he was, Hades was already at her feet as she walked out of Tartarus, unscathed. She was beautiful and powerful all at once. Chestnut curls perfectly in place and not a single mark on her body from the Titans who must have been hungry to devour both her and her power.
In fact, Kore looked less troubled than he’d seen her in awhile. Her expression was one of serenity and a quiet calm that disturbed him to the very core.
“Kore?” he asked. For a moment, he wondered if the woman who walked out of Tartarus wasn’t his wife at all.
“Hello, Hades,” she replied. “What are you doing here?”
The rage surged back to the forefront of his mind. How dare she ask such a question? He was here because she had taken it upon herself to put herself in danger with the most untrustworthy gods in the entire realm. She walked into the one place he’d told her never to go and then had the gall to ask him what he was doing here?
“Saving you!” he shouted.
The words echoed, banging off the teeth of the great head that led into Tartarus. Only once his voice had disappeared did Kore blink and reply, “I didn’t need saving, but thank you for your concern.”