Zotera’s gaze flicked to Oanen.
“Is he a past lover, Mother?” she asked.
“Ashlyn,” I said as the ground shook. “I’m nother, remember? And he’s not my past anything.”
Zotera nodded and released Oanen. He stood on his own two feet as he gasped for air. He didn’t look at Zotera or me but kept his gaze focused on Megan.
“You should go,” Oanen rasped. “Release Megan after you’re out the door.”
I looked at Megan. She sat in her chair, trembling as she glared at Zotera.
Ignoring Oanen’s order, I hugged Megan tightly even though she couldn’t move and whispered in her ear.
“Persephone tricked Zotera into being raped and then disfigured her face out of jealousy.” I pulled back and cupped Megan’s cheeks like I’d done to Hades so many times. “You and I have both chosen to be more than products of our circumstances. Give Zotera a chance too. Guide her. Please don’t punish her.”
Megan let out a shaky breath.
“Tomorrow,” she said. “For now, I need to cool down.”
I nodded, grabbed Zotera’s hand, and pulled her out the door with me.
“I’m sorry I disobeyed you, Ashlyn,” she said, following me meekly now. “I only wanted to prove that I can keep you safe.”
“I know,” I said, opening the car door for her. “But Megan is my friend. And Oanen is her mate. Hurting him just to prove you were stronger than both of them was selfish and unkind.”
Looking suitably sorry, Zotera nodded.
She was quiet the whole way home. When we pulled into the driveway and crossed through the ward, my skin crawled to the point that I shuddered again.
“I just want to keep you safe,” she said finally.
“I know. And I am grateful for your protection.” I patted her hand. “We’ll find a way to make it up to Megan. She’s a fury. She would have been the first to know if your intentions were bad.”
She followed me into the house and watched as I hung the keys on the peg near the door.
My day, which had started in Hell, had taken a lot out of me. No, it had taken almost everything from me. My thoughts went to Hades and all the time I’d spent kissing him to prevent a catastrophe. I’d known, on some level, I would lose him once we reached that room. It just hadn’t been in the way I’d expected.
My chest ached painfully again, and I forced those thoughts away.
“Do you mind if I give you the full tour tomorrow?” I asked. “It’s been a really long day, and I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed again.”
“I don’t mind waiting, Ashlyn.” Zotera glanced around the kitchen. “Where would you like me to wait?”
Her words were the reminder I needed that I wasn’t the only one displaced. I couldn’t be selfish. Not with Zotera. Hades had just given Zotera her own bedroom before we’d left. Prior to that, she’d slept at the foot of Persephone’s chair. Did she honestly think that’s what I was asking her to do?
“Come on,” I said, motioning for her to follow me. “I have a double bed. Plenty of room for both of us for tonight.”
I gave her a spare toothbrush and smiled as she brushed her teeth for the first time in her life. Her expression was priceless when I gave her pajamas and again when I pulled back the covers and told her to get in.
“You wish me to give you pleasure?” Zotera asked uncertainly.
“What? No!” I said as the ground rumbled softly again. “I’m telling you there’s one bed, and we can share it tosleeptonight. Just sleep.”
Zotera clutched her hands in front of her so hard that her knuckles were white. I considered her, trying to figure out why.
“I know that everything here is different than you’re used to, but I’m not different, Zotera. I’m the same Ashlyn that I’ve always been. I’m not going to do horrible things to you or ask you to do horrible things for me.”
She nodded, but she was still clutching her hands.
