Beneath

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Hades:

He strolled onto the beach, checking the lists once more as salty ocean air whipped its way through his hair. Same thing every day-same routine-except this time, she noticed him.

Good first step he thought, smiling a little to himself as he walked towards the lines of souls.

Hermes detached himself from Horace and Jasper, taking in Hades' joyful expression, and scowled. "You were in Portland, weren't you?"

When Hades remained silent, he cursed, low under his breath, handing Hades a tablet. "You can't keep doing this, brother! She might still be your soulmate, but she doesn't remember who you are, and won't anytime soon, thanks to the Fates. Leave her be."

"I accept your counsel on things dealing with the souls, brother, but stay out of my personal life, if you know what's good for you," Hades replied, calling the first soul forward.

"Emma deserves a life free from this chaotic, danger-filled place."

"You don't need to tell me what she deserves; I've tried to make her happy since the moment I first met her," Hades said, swiping another name off the screen.

"And you think you're doing that by continually visiting her? She's going to notice you stalking her, Hades, and start asking questions that you can't answer."

"I've been careful so far. Sticking to the shadows, surveying her apartment from across the street -"

"And today's coffee shop date? What of that?"

Damn. I knew that wouldn't go unnoticed.

"Her grandmother decided to pay her a little visit. I was simply making sure Maxine didn't tell Emma anything she's not supposed to."

Hermes gazed back at him for a long moment before shaking his head. "You can't even lie convincingly to yourself, let alone me. She's not Persephone-there's no curse to break this time-so the best thing you can do for her is to stay out of her life."

"It's not that easy."

"Try. Because I swear to the gods, Hades, if you haunt her every waking moment to satisfy your own selfish need to be near her, I'll make your life a living Hell."

"It sounds like you care a lot about her." It wasn't an accusation, and he wasn't jealous of it, not really.

"She's like a little sister to me, Hades. Of course I care. Stay away from her." He thrust his tablet Hades' direction, stomping down the beach, and Hades smiled at his retreating back.

"If you had bothered to ask my opinion-which you didn't-I could've told you that making her immortal yourself was the best way to go," Hera said primly, brushing sand off her dress. "But, as usual, you always have to be the one in control, even if someone else's advice benefits you in the long run. Look where that got you."

He handed his things to Jasper, who called the next soul forward. "I don't remember asking for a family intervention."

"This was entirely avoidable, Hades. All you had to do was ask the Fate's permission to make your soulmate immortal-something they would've granted you because, hello, she's basically a feminine version of you-and then she wouldn't've felt the need to take things into her own hands."

He rolled his eyes skyward as he entered the dining room, sitting at the head of the table and snapping his fingers for the staff, who rushed into view with platters of food for two.

"Hera, where I enjoy your presence, I'd rather be alone right now."

"That's exactly why you need me here," she said, sitting next to him. "Your pitiful broodiness is dangerous to all man and godkind alike."