What would've been a quiet summer turns into a globe-trotting adventure when an incident in Olympian High's campus garden gets the attention of resident Chosens Amelia Kingston and Zeus Olympian. To their surprise, the culprit is none other than the...
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A tall, auburn-haired woman with a billowing green dress and a golden staff appeared in the middle of the grassy meadow where the sun never slept. The place had been the lady's sanctuary whenever she wanted away from her responsibilities as queen for a short period of time.
She was alone, away from the prying eyes of her husband. Hopefully. She wasn't going to take long, but privacy was necessary if she wanted to meet him one last time.
A column of smoke erupted in front of Hera, and Hades appeared. With his long black robes, an even longer dark cape, and pale skin, he stood just inches from her. His troubled expression turned soft the second he saw her.
"I apologize for the tardiness," Hades said. "I made final arrangements in my realm, and you know how busy it can get—"
Hera closed the distance between them, stopping his words with a deep kiss. Hades didn't argue and let her do it. She looped her arms around his neck whilst he held her at the small of her back.
Inappropriate. Scandalous. Unholy.
Hera had those words repeating in her mind whenever she and Hades met in secret. It had been years, and she had a good job repressing those thoughts but they always remained in her like a little tick.
Not anymore. Surprisingly, when the end was nigh, the voices decided to give it a rest. All of it didn't matter.
Hera pulled away. Hades gave her a wide grin. She returned the smile, though she imagined it was more of a pained grimace than a genuine show of teeth.
"How are you, my pea?" asked Hades, leaning his forehead against hers. "Is it done?"
"Yes," Hera murmured. "Hecate gave me the last instructions for the Ritual, but she won't be able to assist us."
"Mhm. Her presence is needed elsewhere, it seems."
"Indeed," she said. "I wish you can be part of it too. At least we will see each other's eyes for the last time while doing so."
Hades sighed. "I wish that as well. But I'm not an Olympian anymore, my sweet. And don't get any ideas—you know how Zeus will react if you propose to him about reinstating my position."
Hera bit her lip. As much as she hated Zeus, he was right. There was no use convincing Zeus to do anything for the greater good, except for this last stand of theirs. It was the only time she was able to defend her argument to him about finding a way to stop Gaia.
"Besides," Hades continued, "I'm still not done with my arrangements. The Underworld needs to function on its own after we–I pass on, and I believe I am almost done with the magic I have cast. After all, death remains when life departs." He let out a chuckle. "The only good thing I see for what's about to occur is that finally, after millennia, the current inhabitants of the Asphodel Fields will be cleared away with us. There will be quite more space for the next. . . endless number of mortals to reside on when you succeed."
