Hades

personal business

Stella

The following day I explored the outsides. There was a pond, and I was out there for so long Hades got home, and scolded me for disappearing.

So the day after that, I went back to the attic.

I pulled the trapdoor shut and explored the attic. It was just one of the towers. Yet it was stuffed with furniture with drawers.

I found another set of drawers and read a long correspondence between Persephone and Zagreus. Did Hades ever want to introduce me to his children? Or even let me know he had any?

I decided not. He didn't like me, so why would he introduce me to his children?

Another dresser consisted solely of dried flowers. That seemed to be Persephone's work more so than Hades'.

I lost myself in letters between Aphrodite and Zeus. Well, I only read his responses, but he always quoted direct passages from her letters, so I got a clear picture.

She was sent to the Underworld after the Trojan war, and she was beyond pissed.

The trapdoor was opened.

I glanced in the direction.

Dark hair, a man bun, an angry face and Hades' dark eyes glared at me.

"Stella, what a pleasant surprise." His voice was laced with venom.

I put the envelopes back into the drawer and shut the drawer. "Hades, what a non-pleasant surprise."

He was now in the attic, standing. "Didn't I tell you not to go to the attic?"

"Well, you lied to me, that's for sure." I said, not standing up.

He rubbed his face. "Listen, this is private."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was sure you'd said, or then Lucinda did, that everything I shouldn't read, I would be unable to read. Sorry." I said.

Hades look liked someone who needed to let some steam off.

"Right," he said. "Get down from here. Now."

"If you treat me like an errand child, I sure as hell will act like one." I said and stood. "But since you weren't there when your kids were little, you wouldn't know." I passed him. He grabbed my arm, causing me to stop. "What have you snooped in that is none of your business?"

His dark eyes were void of emotion, like two pitch black and empty holes.

"I believed Persephone was kidnapped, so it was a nice surprise to know she wanted to escape her mother. I can't believe you left her right after she gave birth to Zagreus, but that's none of my business."

Hades stepped closer to me. "Why did you read those letters?" He asked. "How would you feel if anyone read your personal messages?"

"I'd hate it," I said. "But according to Lucinda, I'll only see this as a vague dream once I wake."

Hades was standing way too close.

I could feel anger radiating off him.

He smelled delicious. And maybe I liked to piss him off, because that made him seem more human to me? It made me feel more like me.

"Listen, Stella," Hades said. "Keep your nose out of my personal business."

"Fine," I said. "What can I do then?"

He let go of my arm.

I didn't move.

He was still standing too close, not backing away.

I took a deep breath and went to the ladder and climbed down.

Hades followed suit.