A high-pitched squeal breaks through their conversation. “Holy hell, Nyx. Hecate? What happened?”
“Persephone is attempting to overthrow the kingdom. We need to get word to Hades, please. Stop dragging me. Mercy, I beg you.” I hate not being able to see what’s going on, but until that door is unlocked, there’s not much we can do.
“Sorry, just doing my duty.”
“Excuse me! What do you think you are doing” A regal sounding voice booms, making us all pause and look at each other.
“Hades, thank the gods. Please, get me out of here.” Nyx begs. Skye’s eyes go wide scrambling to look out the carriage’s bars. If Hades is here, maybe he’ll listen and put an end to this madness.
“Someone better explain what’s going on here.” Hades thunders. The amount of authority he wields makes my dick want to jump up inside me. He’s my girlfriend’s dad. That’s not intimidating at all.
“Following Persephone’s orders, sir.” One of the guards answers, clearly seconds away from wetting himself with how hard his armor shakes. I can hear the clinking from here.
“Well, in that case, continue.”
“Wait! Hades.” Skye calls out, her hand shoves through the small gap in the bars waving to get his attention.
His head snaps to our carriage and my stomach turns to lead, watching the lord of the Underworld stalk towards us, coming into focus. It’s an intimidating sight. “Skye? What is she doing in here. Get her out. Immediately.”
A moment later, keys are being jiggled in the lock and light comes pouring into the dank carriage. I have to piss so bad, but I hold my position waiting to see how this will play out. It seems Graham and Sloan have the same idea, because we’re all frozen watching Hades look at Skye, perhaps for the first time in her life. His features are similar to Salem’s, I note, as he stares gaping at Skye.
“What has happened? Why are you here? Have you...have you passed? I worried when I didn’t find you at the Academy. Let’s get upstairs, I’m sure your sister and mother will be thrilled to see you.”
Skye swallows hard, “There’s so much to tell you. I am not dead, but Persephone and Salem aren’t here. Nyx is telling the truth. Please, let her go so we can fill you in on what’s been happening.”
He steps back, blinking at her words. His gaze locks onto mine and a frown pulls at his brows. “Why are your mates chained up with you? Guards. Remove their restraints at once. I leave for two seconds and the whole place falls apart.”
The word ‘mates’ zings around in my head, alighting every nerve in my body. What does that mean?
Two guards come barreling into the carriage making it dip with their weight. “What’s this? How are you not…” Graham comes up behind the guard and knocks him on the head. I shove him down and bust out of the holding, Sloan hot on my heels. We stand behind Skye, blocking her from the guards that surround us.
“Where she goes, we go too.” Graham says arms up and ready for a fight.
“There’s no need for that.” Hades says, clasping Skye about the shoulders. She blinks those big, beautiful eyes of hers in surprise. “Welcome home, daughter.”
CHAPTER48
Chapter Forty-Eight
SKYE
SONGS: TURNING PAGE (INSRUMENTAL) BY SLEEPING AT LAST, CRAVIN BY STILETO, KENDYLE
Hades envelopes me in an awkward embrace and I feel a rouge tear slip down my cheek. I can tell he doesn’t hug often with how stiff his limbs are, but at least he’s welcoming to me. I’d thought when my mother saw me, she’d act differently than she did. And meeting Hades now, put that into perspective. It’s like she doesn’t even care about me anymore. I’ve spent years missing her, wishing our family was still together. And I finally get the chance to see her, and she’s a totally different person. Cold and calculating. Focused on her goal. He lets me go and motions for us all to follow him up the stairs, depositing us in a sprawling living room.
“I’ll be back in a moment. I need to contact my general.” He leaves us in a wake of apprehension, settling into the plush couches and chairs that fill the room. My lips are dry and cracked after the long carriage ride. I suck my bottom lip in to my mouth and bite at the excess skin that’s sloughing off. My nerves are getting the better of me as we wait.
“Do you think there’s a bathroom nearby, or am I going to have to use a potted plant?” Lukas asks, eyes darting around the room, his leg jiggling up and down until he jumps up. “Fuck it, I’m going in. Graham, cover me.” He rushes over to the corner and the way he runs makes me crack a smile. I miss the normalcy we had in the house together. The easy comradery and silly jokes. I wonder if we’ll ever get back to that but seeing Lukas just now peeing into a fern makes me think that it’s possible.
“What are you doing?” Hades’ strides in, a look of horror plastered on his face as he takes in Graham trying to block our view of Lukas peeing on the foliage. I cringe, while Sloan busts out laughing along with Graham. “We have bathrooms.”
Lukas turns around, face red all the way up to his ears. “Sorry, sir.” He slinks back to his chair, and he looks like he wants the thing to swallow him whole.
“Now, do you want to fill me in on what’s been going on?”
So we do. The guys help to explain parts I’d forgotten, informing Hades of Persephone’s betrayal. Thankfully, Nyx and Hecate are here to back us up. Hades listens intently, his face a wall of stone, not giving away a single emotion. He’d make an excellent Poker player.
“I didn’t realize it was this bad. I’d thought you and Nyx were overreacting to her snark. I just… I didn’t see this coming.”
