A Goddess Unraveled

~57~

"This time, you have gone too far, Hades!"

Z's obstinate bellow echoed across the gorge, and Hades ducked his head to avoid the lightning strike by inches, getting a taste of the electricity it carried. Z seemed determined to behave like a royal pain-in-the-ass, and Hades felt compelled to point this out to him. He swung his team around, plotting a course alongside Z's chariot so he could have a few words with the pig-headed lout.

"No, brother. This time it is you who has gone too far. The harder you grip that staff of power you wield, the more tyrannical you become."

"If you would stop thinking with your dick for once, you would understand why I'm doing it!"

Hades bit back a curse. If anyone thought with his dick, it was Z. "Are you telling me I don't know how it feels to lose control of a child when they follow their own path? How many of my offspring currently reside in Olympus with you? Tell me that, then rethink your reasons for chasing after Lexi."

His rebuttal had Z's anger ebbing, and Hades watched the menacing gleam fade from his brother's glare as they maneuvered their chariots in a circle, speaking across the gorge. "I don't want Lexi living out eternity in the underworld. She has been part of my life for eighteen years, and I care for her deeply. Tell me why you are pursuing her when you have only known her three days. Then prove to me you are not thinking with your dick."

Hades refused to believe this was anything but love. Lexi's spirit thrilled him. Her wit challenged him. And both were matched only by her eyes, which bewitched him. Glancing at the rock where, moments before, Lexi had vanished, Hades recalled his relief, knowing she had entered his domain and he could claim her. No matter how he might try, Z would never be convinced of his depth of feeling for Lexi. And he didn't need to prove anything to Z, so long as he, himself, believed it to be true.

"Lexi's decision to enter the underworld was her own," Hades said. "But she did it because you gave her no choice. By her own admission, she has been controlled by others all her life, and she refuses to continue the practice. I believe she saw this as her only way to escape the strong will of her father. She's a bit like him, in that regard."

Wishing for the conversation to be over, Hades made a final pass by Z on his way toward the exit. He didn't want Lexi to be alone when she met Thanatos at the gates. "I told Lexi she can leave if she chooses. She is a goddess, with the same rights as the rest of us. It will be up to her to decide if she wants to make the underworld her home."

A stubborn calm washed over Z's face as it morphed like a stone shifting under the ripple of a stream. It was an expression Hades remembered from far too many years ago. "Do I have your word you will not deceive her with trickery?"

"Yes, you have my word. And I am sure Hecate will keep a close eye on her. In the meantime, why don't you find some creative outlets for that temper. Perhaps, it is time the palace hosted another orgy."

Hades offered a wily grin he knew would annoy Z as he snapped the reins and directed his team home. Over his shoulder, he watched Z's silver chariot sail away, charging toward the sea. Despite their differences, nothing could break their bond of brotherhood. Still, he knew Z hated losing battles, and there was no doubt the mighty ruler of Olympus would find a way to get even.