Hades

Prologue

Prologue

"Brother, listen to me."

The dark-haired man slowly swiveled around, his midnight-blue gaze empty. His reply was constrained by years of unending turmoil.

"What?"

His brother let out a long breath, his voice heavy. "Do not look at me like that. We are as upset by this turn of events as you are."

Disbelief flashed through the dark-haired man's eyes. "How can you say that? How can you look me in the eye and say that?"

"How were we to know?" The other's wizened features furrowed in frustration. "You did not show any indication you had feelings to be hurt. Even now, after everything that has happened, you have barely revealed your true thoughts. It is a rather frustrating quirk of yours."

"Forgive me then. I did not realise it was all my fault."

"Come now, Hades. We do not deserve your anger. We have acknowledged that this is not completely your fault. What more do you want?"

"You know what I want, Zeus." Hades turned away so his brother didn't see the pain flashing through his eyes. "It is more than a worthless acknowledgment."

Zeus' shoulders dropped, as if those six words bore a burden heavier than the world on his shoulders.

"And you know we cannot do anything about that, Hades. She is gone. To force her to return after she..." He shakes his head. "It is too unkind."

"Yes, I am well aware of that fact." Hades' voice clouded with anger. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat to prevent himself from doing something he would later regret. Blackened clouds started to roil around the two, boiling as violently as the fury seething through the dark god's veins. "I unfortunately had the luck to witness her escape, to watch as her eyes filled with unfiltered hatred the moment she saw me walk through the door. It is not a moment I will ever forget."

Zeus paused, his eyes flickering up and down his brother's hunched form. Understanding dawned on him; it was almost like he was seeing him for the first time. Moments passed. When he finally spoke, it was with slow, calculated precision, like one does when they're talking to a snarling beast. "We may never be able to understand your pain brother, I realise this now. But we do hope we can alleviate it somewhat."

"How?"

"We have a proposition."

"Yes, because your propositions end so well." Hades' voice dripped with venomous sarcasm.

Zeus gave him a look. "Come now, Hades. You know we never intended for it to end the way it did. The new proposition is not without consideration to that. If it bodes any reassurance to you, it is not one constructed by myself or any of the other twelve."

All muscle activity seized in Hades. His head slowly rose. "The Fates?"

"Yes." Zeus affirmed. "The Fates. They have a new prophecy, and it is for you."

Hades twisted to face his brother. Zeus was shocked into silence by the dangerous look darkening his features. A low rumble echoed around them.

"I trust the Moirai's propositions even less than yours." Hades spat.

"Hades—"

"No." Hades snapped. "They are the reason I am in this situation. They planted the seed of doubt in her mind. They are the last creatures in the universe that I would trust to prophecise the outcome of my future."

"You do not trust anybody Hades." Zeus replied sharply. His tone lost its hard edge when the clouds surrounding them began to rumble menacingly, growing thicker and darker than tar. "You know better than anybody that you cannot ignore their prophecies. The future they have seen will happen, whether you accept it or not."