“You vow to ensure Ashlyn’s continued mortal life—this life—without altercation in mind or body until you cease to exist. And if Ashlyn should parish, you vow to find her in her next life and bring her to me.”
“I vow it,” Thanatos said.
The gods nodded to one another, and they both glowed a little brighter for a moment. Then the ropes fell away from Thanatos.
Hades looked at Adira.
“You were supposed to be her guardian. The abuse she suffered under your care is unforgivable.”
I stepped forward and set a hand on his arm.
“It’s unforgivable? How I was treated as a human was a just punishment for how I treated you for a very long time…whether you agree with it or not. So, while she did horrible things, she also did good things.”
Megan groaned. “And that’s why she’s not wicked.”
Adira smiled.
“I think she should step down from the Council and just focus on the Academy under the guidance of the new Council,” I said. “Oh, and she should also have to submit to a tracking spell and be unable to leave the Academy at all for six months so she can understand what that level of confinement feels like.”
“Agreed,” Megan said.
“Same,” Fenris, Oanen and Eliana said.
“I agree,” Zayn said. “I can have a barrier around the building within two days. Until then—” he blew some dust into her face. “Sleep.”
She immediately closed her eyes and slumped in her chair.
“You have no idea how much I’m loving this,” Megan said. She glanced at Oanen. “Sorry, not sorry.”
“I understand,” he said. “I’ll call my mom and ask her to take her back to our place until the Academy is ready. Mom will keep an eye on her.”
We all agreed.
“Can I go visit Eugene then?” Zotera asked.
“You may, daughter,” Hades said.
I smiled at him before looking at her. “Oanen wants to go with you. He wanted to talk to Eugene about something.”
Oanen made a grumpy face while Fenris roared with laughter.
CHAPTERTWENTY
I waved goodbye to Oanen,Megan, and Zotera, who were the last ones to leave, and turned to find Hades watching me with an indecipherable expression.
“Sorry. I forgot about the no-waving rule. I promise I was mostly waving to Zotera and Megan though.”
“I understand,” he said.
Yet, he didn’t move to close the distance between us. He just continued to watch me even though he’d been touching me non-stop since the moment he’d reappeared at the lake. The absence of his touch made me feel starved and desperate for contact.
“Are you mad?” I asked.
“No.”
“Then why are you being weird?”
A small sad smile curved his lips.
