I was the best swordsman who had ever lived. I’d had an eon to hone my craft, trained by war itself in my exile.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Persephone watching with rapt attention. Her gray eyes tracked my every move, admiration plain on her face.
I was showing off now, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted her to see me like this, mesmerized by my prowess.
Tonight, when this was over, she would reward me for it. I’d make sure of that.
The thought drew a savage grin across my face.
I disarmed Zeus with a sharp twist. His sword clattered across the stone. Before he could summon it back, my blade was at his throat.
Poseidon charged with a furious roar. I sidestepped and brought my sword down on his trident, shearing through one of the prongs.
He stared at the broken weapon in disbelief. Forged by Hephaestus, it was meant to be indestructible.
“Nothing is indestructible,” I said. “Except death.”
Then the real fight began. The one fought with power instead of steel.
Zeus called his lightning. Bolts that could level mountains struck down, seeking to char me to ash.
My shadows swallowed them whole—absorbed the fury and converted it to fuel for my own death power.
Poseidon summoned the seas. Torrents that could drown cities, waves meant to crush armies, crashed toward me with enough force to turn stones to mist.
My death magic withered them into nothing but harmless steam.
They threw everything at me. Every domain they commanded. Every trick learned over eons.
But it was no longer enough. It would never be enough again.
Shock twisted their faces—my strength, my returned power, was a revelation. They’d grown used to me at my weakest: burdened by the curse, severed from my realm, broken by grief.
That Hades was gone.
Thanks to my beloved queen, I was whole now.
My death magic devoured Zeus’s lightning and swallowed Poseidon’s floods. It ate every attack until nothing remained. Until they stood before me, gasping and powerless and hateful.
I seized Zeus by the throat and slammed him into the stone. The floor cracked beneath him.
“This is for what you did to my beloved mate.” I drove my fist into his jaw. His head snapped sideways, blood sprayingfrom his lip. “Wrong me? I might have forgiven that. In time.” Another punch landed. “But wrong my queen? Never.”
I turned and drove my boot into Poseidon’s ribs.
“This is for your lack of faith in my queen’s cleverness!” Another kick landed. “Her greatness. Did you truly believe she would ever betray me?” I laughed. “My queen played you all for fools. Led you exactly where she wanted you, but you didn’t see it coming, did you?”
Persephone came to me while I was still punishing my brothers. Her presence was cool water on burning rage.
“Are you done, my king?” She cupped my face, her touch gentle, grounding me. “I want to get out of here.”
“One kiss,” I said. “Then we can go.”
“Just one?” She smirked.
I pulled her close and growled. “For now.”
Her lips crashed against mine, uncaring of the audience—my defeated brothers on the ground, the bound elite gods, her outraged mother.
