chapter 17

Hades’ p.o.v
Again, It happened again. I almost kicked myself when I realised what I did
‘how could I be so stupid? Why did I summon her?’ thoughts after thoughts flooded my mind as I watched her leave the dinning table.
“the meal was wonderful love” Persephone said, wiping her mouth on the napkin as she stood up and kissed me on the cheek.
“where are you going?” I already knew the answer to that but for some reason, I thought asking her would at least sway her a little.
“oh… I have a business to attend to” she said, barely giving me a glance
“are you coming back this night?” I asked, barely keeping myself together
“ugh! Babe! I thought we have passed this stage! Don’t tell me you are turning to a needy child again” she rolled her eyes at me. There were days sometime back when I really wished that she would stay with me, I remember those days clearly. I would beg, offer her the best rubies and other stones of great value and carve them into the finest jewelleries just so that she could stay by my side but never.
It never worked. Shekept on taking and taking but…
“I would be back for breakfast same time tomorrow, bye love” she said not even baiting an eyelash at me.

I watched as she disappeared from my sight. I squeezed my hands
I did not plan to let it go today. I masked my powers and traced hers with in the veils. Just as I had suspected, I was in Dionysus’ house
I moved silently through the dim corridors, my footsteps soundless on the cold stone floors. It was unusual for me to indulge in such behavior, I had to know. I had to see for myself had to see that it was all in my head, to give an excuse of why I was suddenly felt this way for Valerie and why it was wrong. I had a loving wife that I had all along been misunderstanding. I followed the faintest trace of her essence, until I reached a part of the realm where mortals and minor deities rarely ventured.

The tunnel opened into a vast cavern, softly lit by bioluminescent fungi that glowed with an eerie, pale light. I halted just before the opening, my heart pounding in my chest. From within, I heard the soft murmur of voices. One was unmistakably Persephone's, the other deeper. My blood ran cold.

With a quiet intake of breath, I stepped closer, careful to remain hidden in the shadows. The scene before me was surreal. Persephone stood in the center of the room, her back to me, her hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of sunlight. She was laughing softly, her voice a melody that once brought me such joy. Now, it was tinged with a lightness that felt foreign, unsettling.

As they spoke, he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Persephone's face. She leaned into the touch, her smile widening. The easy intimacy between them was undeniable, a connection that spoke of a familiarity I had feared but never truly believed.

I strained to hear their conversation, the words floating through the air like ghosts. "I missed you," Persephone murmured, her voice soft and affectionate. Dionysius hand lingered on her cheeks

"I missed you too," he replied, his voice rich and smooth, like honey. "The days feel longer without you. It's hard to bear when you're down here... with him."

Her eyes flickered with something I couldn't quite discern—guilt, perhaps, or maybe just a fleeting shadow of sadness. She sighed, and it was the most heartbreaking sound I had ever heard. "I know," she whispered, her voice almost a breath. "But it won't be much longer. Soon, we'll have the time we need."

My breath caught in my throat, the world narrowing down to the space between them. The implications of her words were clear,
I stepped back, the movement involuntary “zeus begged us. A little while more to make sure that she does not have any effect on him anymore. You know how Hades acted the last time things went down”
“fine, but honestly, I don’t care what happens to that prick” he said leaning in for a kiss
The kiss ended, and they lingered there, foreheads touching, eyes closed. It was a moment of pure, unguarded intimacy, and it was unbearable to witness. I turned away, unable to stomach any more. My chest felt tight with relief, it was difficult to explain, as if the weight of the entire underworld was finally off of me.

I took a step back, my foot scraping against the stone floor. The sound was barely audible, but it was enough. Persephone's eyes snapped open, and she looked towards the shadows where I stood, her expression shifting from contentment to shock. He turned as well, his gaze sharp and alert.
“who is there!!!” the bastard said, having the mind to send a force my side, but my masking was better than his lesser power so I still could not be seen. I took in a deep breath, taking myself to the place where I knew I could end it all. It felt as though I could finally breath. I could not remember the last time I felt this way.
Maybe this was for the best.
“brother” zeus said, looking at me with wide eyes.
I looked at him, thinking whether or not I should confront him on what Persephone said about him being involved but then thought against it.
‘you are just going to find a way to deny it’ I knew my brother too well.
“should I assume the worst? Or you just happened to miss me so dearly, you came to visit?” he said looking at me a little guarded.
“nothing of that sort” I said taking a step towards the fountain near his throne. It was known for many things, but most importantly, severing bonds between couples.
My mind went to the time his wife took It cause she was tired of their marriage.
He snapped from his seat, looking more antsy than usual around me.
“I can’t let you do that brother”