“You wanted vengeance against Hades, so you attacked his Hounds?”
“I didn't, actually.” He smiled, and it was as if the sun smiled through him.
Son of Apollo. Right. Wow.
“But you're Silas. The Host is your army, right?”
“It is, but I didn't create it. A spirit who called himself Michael organized the Host. I came across him while watching the Hounds, trying to find a way to hurt Hades. And there he was. It was fate. I knew as soon as I learned of Michael's plans that it was the perfect path to justice. Attacking the Hounds would gain Hades's attention. And if my army started to win, he would be forced to enter the fight.”
“So you don't care about the Hounds?”
“No. They're just pawns. The Gods don't come to Earth often, and not many know the true reason why. The Olympians tell the lesser gods it's because they need to stay out of the path of human progress—that humanity grows better without relying on gods. But that's only partially true. The real reason theOlympians don't want gods on Earth is because they're weaker here.”
“Shouldn't they warn the other gods?”
“They're worried that the lesser gods would lure them to Earth to even the playing field and challenge them. My father told me this. So, I knew that the only way for me to kill Hades would be to bring him to Earth. I think a part of me still hoped that with Hades gone, you could be reborn, and I would find you. You'd be safe.” He shook his head. “Then Hades changed the game. He brought you back himself and put you here—the very city where you lived in your last life. I could hardly believe it when I happened upon you in that bar.”
“The bar,” I murmured. “You were hidden under magic.”
“Yes. My Silas guise. I'm not sure why, but it seemed to scare you. I knew then that I had to approach you in the form I had used the first time we met. The body closest to my real one.”
“You set me up. That whole accident was a sham.”
“I needed an introduction.” Ace shrugged. “And I knew I had to get to you before the local Cerberus.”
“How did you know about them?”
“I was watching you. I saw everything. Your run-ins with the hounds, how they started watching you, and your rebellion.” He grinned. “You knew you didn't belong with them. And I knew I had to save you from them.”
“Ace, I—”
“Saliha, from the moment I saw you in that bar, everything changed.” Ace grimaced. “No doubt that was part ofHades's plan, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that you were back. We had another chance. Vengeance was no longer my goal. Hope took its place. I returned to myself. I could think clearly again. And I came up with a new plan. This time would be different. Hades himself had ensured it.”
“Do you think he did all this so he wouldn't have to kill me?”
“Sweetheart, Hades doesn't give a shit about you. Killing you has never bothered him. But I do think he decided to change tactics. I admit, it was a brilliant plan. Bring you back and bind you to his children.” Ace shook his head. “It would have kept you from me forever. No more chances.”
“Forever,” I whispered. “Holy shit.”
“Yes. That's how diabolical the God of the Underworld is. This was his endgame. As soon as you mated a Cerberus, he would have won.”
“But I still don't understand why he'd want to do this to us.”
“I believe he coveted you for himself.”
“What?”
“I think Hades tried to seduce you. All the big gods do it. They take human form and seduce humans. It's a game for them, but it often backfires and they fall in love with the human. It's happened to my father a few times. One, in particular, he never got over.”
“And then what happens? I mean, if a human becomes the lover of a god, what happens?”
“The human eventually dies.” Ace shrugged. “But they get reborn, and if a god loves a human enough, they can find that soul in their next life. As I have found you.” He made an amazed sound. “Actually, this time, I didn't look for you. You found me.”
“You searched for me in every life.” It wasn't a question, just my way of processing what was happening. Ace—Asclepius—loved me enough to look for my reborn soul in every new life and then go against the God of the Dead for me. It kind of put the hounds to shame.
The Hounds of Hades. Their faces swam through my mind and those images made my heart shudder. I immediately felt guilty. I shouldn't have been feeling anything for them. Not after hearing about how I was tricked into being their mate. Or how Ace loved me far more than they did.
Ouch. Why did that thought cut me so deeply?
