would use the knowledge to avoid it.”
But given her history, he did not trust her.
“You think I want to visit your torture chamber?”
“I think you are curious and eager to prove I am as the world assumes—a deity to be feared.”
All things that would probably be confirmed if she found her way to his eternal torture chamber.
She gave him a challenging stare. “You’re afraid I’ll write about what I see.”
That made him laugh. “Fear is not the word, darling.”
He feared for her safety. He dreaded her assumptions.
She rolled her eyes. “Of course you fear nothing.”
Oh darling, you know nothing, he thought as he reached to pluck a flower from her hair. He twirled the stem between his fingers and asked, “Did you enjoy Asphodel?”
She smiled, and the honesty of it left him breathless. “I did. Your souls… They seem so happy.”
“You are surprised?”
“Well, you aren’t exactly known for your kindness.”
Hades lips flattened. “I’m not known for my kindness to mortals. There is a difference.”
“Is that why you play games with their lives?”
He studied her, frustrated by her question and the way she asked it—like she forgot that mortals came to him to bargain, not the other way around.
“I seem to recall advising that I would answer no more of your questions.”
Persephone’s inviting lips parted. “You can’t be serious.”
“As the dead.”
“But…how will I get to know you?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “You want to get to know me?”
She looked away, glaring. “I’m being forced to spend time here, right? Shouldn’t I get to know my jailer better?”
“So dramatic,” he muttered, and fell quiet, considering. He wanted to answer her questions because he wanted her to understand his perspective, but he wanted control. He wanted the ability to limit, to explain until understanding was achieved, he wanted to be able to ask her questions, too.
“Oh, no.”
Persephone’s voice drew his attention, and he raised a brow. “What?”
“I know that look.”
“What look?”
“You get this…look,” she explained, and paused, like she did not quite know how to explain. He liked watching her search for the right words, brows knitted together over her pretty eyes. “When you know what you want.”
“Do I?” he asked, and couldn’t help teasing her. “Can you guess what I want?”
“I’m not a mind reader!” His question flustered her, her cheeks turning crimson. She might be more of a mind reader than she thought.
“Pity,” he said. “If you would like to ask questions, then I propose a game.”
“No,” she said flatly. “I’m not falling for that again.”
“No contract,” he promised. “No favors owed, just questions answered. Like you want.”
She lifted her chin and narrowed those lovely eyes, and he had the fleeting thought that he would like for her to look at him like that while she rode his cock, hard and fast.
Fuck me, he thought.
“Fine,” she agreed at last. “But I get to pick the game.”
His instinct was to reject her offer, and the words were on the tip of his tongue. No, I hold the cards. But as he considered the consequences, he thought it might be a chance to show her he could be flexible.
Finally, he grinned. “Very well, goddess.”
He led Persephone to his office, where he had watched her walk with Hecate earlier. He left her alone for a few minutes, long enough to change, and when he returned, she was standing near the windows. At his appearance, she looked at him over her shoulder.
His steps faltered, and he paused in the doorway, staring.
She was beautiful, wreathed in the landscape of the Underworld.
“This is a beautiful view,” she said.
“Very,” he breathed, and then cleared his throat. “Tell me about this game.”
She grinned and turned fully toward him. “It’s called rock, paper, scissors.”
She explained the game, demonstrating the various shapes—rock, paper, and scissors—with her hands. Despite her enthusiasm, Hades was not impressed.
“This game sounds horrible.”
“You’re just mad because you haven’t played,” she countered. “What’s wrong? Afraid you’ll lose?”
Hades laughed the question off. “No. It sounds simple enough. Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock. How exactly does paper beat rock?”
“Paper covers rock,” Persephone said.
“That doesn’t make sense. Rock is clearly stronger.”
Persephone shrugged. “Why is an ace a wild card?”
“Because it’s the rules.”
“Well, it’s a rule that paper covers rock,” she said.
Hades smiled at her retort. He had smiled more in the last hour than he had in his lifetime.
“Ready?” she asked, lifting her hand, and forming a fist. Hades mimicked her movements, and she giggled. Clearly, this was amusing for her, and he groaned internally.