Bringer of Death (Cruel Gods 1)

Chapter 36: Hades

Hades knees were bouncing up and down over the edge of the bed as he bit his nails. A habit he'd long since gotten rid of. He continued to push himself into the crown but she'd somehow managed to shut him out. With every call that didn't get answered he'd grown more impatient. More restless. More... fucking angry.

He trusted her but that didn't mean he was giving her the couple of days she asked for.

After completely destroying his office, he'd gone to Kores room. He wasn't entirely sure why. Her apple scent was everywhere. The book of prophecies was open to the page he was hoping she'd read. The Birth of Persephone. The one prophecy tied to his own.

He'd looked around but it was simple. She'd had her clothes put away, the scissors and sewing things he had brought to her room were sitting on the vanity with a dress torn a part. A plate with bread crumbs was left on the nightstand.

The mess would normally drive him crazy like his tidiness annoyed her, but all he could think about was getting her back. Every book could lie on the floor open to pages she left off of and he'd gladly buy her more if it meant she was back here, safe.

She can't die there.

Macaria would have told him if it was dangerous for her to go there. But she also didn't know what the heavens looked like. She wouldn't know the room of torment that drove his own mind crawling deep within itself for years.

Hecate stopped him in the hall on his way to see Macaria. She forced him into his room locking him inside until she came back with what he needed. Sitting on the bed wasn't helping though. All he could think of was how he'd taken her in this very bed through their connection.

He'd kept his promise and sent Meg away with Charon. His only regret was not doing it in front of Kore so she could see the look on Megs face when he told her.

It's been hours since he last heard from her. He'd felt the terror and pain coming from the crown when he'd been rangling a few of the lost souls back into Thanatos side to take care of. He knew something was wrong immediately. And then she tried so hard to sound okay when she asked him to trust her but her voice was shaking with each word she tried to stiffen.

Fucking Hermes. Where was he? How could he let something happen to her? He was already planning on torturing him when they got back for touching her, and now... he was as good as dead for letting anything happen to her.

Dionysus? That prick was probably deep inside a muse not knowing his sister was even in trouble.

He should have went with them. Even if he just waited by the door so he could jump through to grab her at the first sign of trouble. But that wouldn't work either, because he didn't have his abilities anymore. If there was any time that he needed them it was now, so why weren't they returning?

The door opened and no sooner was Hades on his feet toward it. Hecate stepped in shaking her head.

"Fuck!" He turned back around rubbing his jaw.

"I couldn't see her but I could see the door. It's a trap. He has guards all around it. I think we need to trust her." Hecate's face softened. He hated that look. Pity, but she was also worried which made him hate it even more.

"I trust her! But I also know her." He sighed. "She knows it's a trap and she's trying to keep us away."

"He can't keep her there for long with the oath in place."

"I don't care how long he plans to keep her there. She's not staying one fucking night."

The door slammed open again, hitting the wall so hard it bounced and almost shut back before Dionysus pushed it back open. His eyes were wide with panic. "They took them!" He pulled his shirt over his head and turned around. "My back started burning and I didn't think anything of it until Zeus made me take my shirt off to see it." A lightening bolt symbol surrounded by a double circle imprinted the center of his spine, like a deep cut made with a knife.