“I like taking care of you and miss you when I’m with Eugene,” she said.
“I miss you when you’re with Eugene too. Even when your father was here to keep me company.”
She smiled and motioned for me to eat the cake. I leaned into the couch and watched the show she turned on.
My phone rang several times, but other than glancing at the number, I didn’t do anything about it.
I finished my cake and stood with a stretch. “You know what we should do? Since we’re going to be stuck in here for a while, we should make a game room like we did in Hell. Have you ever played basketball? I’ve always wanted to try. It looks fun.”
Someone knocked on our door.
Zotera glanced at me. I shook my head and put a finger to my lips, then quietly went over to check through the peephole.
Adira’s cold blue gaze stared back at me.
“If you want to know how I knew Hades was gone, you’ll need to talk to me. Open the door, Ashlyn.”
I glanced back at Zotera and found her standing behind me. She shook her head.
While I agreed that opening the door would be a foolish thing, I also remembered the way the ward had first reacted to Oanen and how Adira hadn’t entered. She obviously wanted to talk to me. Enough to call several times then show up when I didn’t answer. And she not only knew Hades was gone but knew I’d wondered how she’d known, which meant she was watching me.
Everything she did was from a distance, though. Why? Because she was afraid to get close or because she couldn’t get close?
“Please don’t get me,” I said softly before turning to open the door.
Zotera’s hands settled on my shoulders as I faced Adira.
“The door’s open. Talk.”
“You’re not going to invite me in?” she asked.
“I’m tempted to watch you fly off the ward, but for the sake of courtesy, I’ll refrain.”
She gave me a disappointed look.
“You have three seconds to say something meaningful before I close the door.”
“Spells to track us or bringing Hades’ memories back won’t provide the results that Megan hopes for.”
I started to close the door.
“Zeus caged Hades in Hell for a reason. As a human, you were never meant to go there. He was never supposed to wake. We allowed you to view Mount Olympus so you would understand the problem, Ashlyn. The gods aren’t supposed to be alive anymore.”
“That’s not meaningful,” I said. “It’s propaganda.”
Adira flashed me an annoyed look.
“Are the hundreds of thousands dead propaganda? Those happened because the god of the Underworld is awake.”
“No, those happened because someone tried killing the girl the god of the Underworld adores.”
“We both know you are not that girl. She died thousands of years ago. Don’t mistake his affection, Ashlyn. He will hurt you as easily as he could hurt every other human on this planet.”
She was really annoying me now.
“How do you know? You’ve never talked to him. You don’t know him.”
“And you do? The kisses and pleasure he draws from your flesh are nothing, Ashlyn. Any succubus or incubus here could do the same. Do not mistake that for affection.”
