“Eliana’s mom’s house. But don’t worry. They’re completely safe. Nicolette knows Eliana’s friends are off-limits. It would probably be better if they stayed there.”
I felt a surge of guilt for my part in making Eliana uncomfortable.
“It might be better for them but not for Ashlyn,” Hades said. “Everyone should return.”
I could see the doubt in Megan’s eyes a second before she disappeared.
“What do you mean it’s not better for me?” I asked.
“Despite what you may believe, I have been listening. You care for them, and their care for you helps you feel less alone.” Anguish flitted through his expression before disappearing. “I won’t repeat the mistakes of my past with you, Ashlyn.”
“Mistakes you made with Persephone?”
He nodded once. “Isolating Persephone for my own selfish reasons did not endear her to me. Enjoy the company of your friends. But never alone, I beg you.”
That anguish returned, and I knew he was talking about my male friends specifically.
“I won’t,” I said, wrapping my arms around Hades’ waist.
The burst of light to our right signaled everyone’s return.
“I met Jason,” Zotera gushed, completely oblivious to the rest of the group's nervousness. “He is Eliana’s father and knows how to make many foods. He promised to teach me how to make whipped chocolate icing.”
I grinned at her excitement and glanced at Eliana’s black eyes.
“Thank you for introducing her. And no, I’m not thanking you because I was hit with your mojo. I promise you don’t have to avoid me.”
“I would prefer if you didn’t avoid her,” Hades said.
Eliana wrinkled her nose at him. Hades. The god of the Underworld.
I snorted a laugh.
“I’ve never felt this much—” She shook her head. “Mom once had a party with thirty people. It doesn’t even come close to this.”
“The gods and goddesses were cruel,” Hades said. “Aphrodite claimed she created her children to spread love. Instead, their appetites incited wars among men. She made Helen of Troy, a child whose beauty shook the hearts of men, in her exact image. You are exactly like Helen. She could no more change how she was made than you can.”
Eliana’s eyes returned to their normal brown. “Are you saying I look like Aphrodite?”
“Yes, but you have Helen’s goodness, something that Aphrodite, for all of her beauty, never had. Thank you for searching for Ashlyn and caring for her wellbeing.”
Hades hadn’t ever thanked anyone that I could remember. But my suspicion died quickly. After all, when Persephone had been alive, she would have used any act of kindness as a means to hurt someone and torture him. Was thanking Eliana his way of reaffirming that he truly believed I was Ashlyn? Or was he still testing me?
“Speaking of Ashlyn’s well-being,” Megan said, “Hades agreed to use Ashlyn to bring Thanatos out in the open.”
“I would prefer an attempt to track him, while Ashlyn prefers openly spending time with me,” Hades said.
“Spells take time, and I don’t think Adira and Thanatos are just going to sit around waiting until we’re ready to face them,” I said, defending my stance. “Yes, I agree that we should try to track him. But while we wait for that, I think we should also try to bait them out.
“The first time Thanatos appeared, it was in a crowded place. He used poison. The second time, Hades and I were alone, away from everyone else. Thanatos threw a knife. When neither of those times worked, he ran to Adira to try to round up help, right? So why should we stay on Adira’s turf where she has an advantage? Why not remove me from Uttira and Adira’s reach so that Thanatos loses his help?” I asked.
“It makes sense,” Megan said.
“The Council will never allow Ashlyn to leave,” Oanen said.
Menace laced Hades’ low chuckle. “I am the god of the Underworld. Your world shakes with my wrath. If Hell can no longer contain me, do you think the paltry ward surrounding this place can? We go where Ashlyn wills.”
“Right,” Fenris said. “But wouldn’t just randomly leaving with her tip Adira off that you’re on to what she’s trying to do? I thought we didn’t want to do that.”
