“Oh, you don’t have to—I can open my own door,” she said.
He smiled. “It is my pleasure, Lady Persephone.”
She started to ask that he not call her that, but then realized he was using her title, as if he knew she were a goddess, yet she wore her glamour.
“How did you—”
“Lord Hades called you Lady Persephone,” he explained. “So I will, too.”
“Please...it is not necessary.”
His smiled widened. “I think you should get used to it, Lady Persephone, especially if you visit us often, as I hope you will.”
He shut the door and bowed his head. Persephone wandered into her apartment in a daze. This day had been long and bizarre thanks to the God of the Dead.
There was no reprieve from it, either, because Lexa stood in the kitchen when Persephone came inside and pounced.
“Uh, whose Lexus dropped you off in front of our lame apartment?” she asked.
She wanted to lie and claim that someone from her internship had dropped her off, but she knew Lexa wouldn’t believe that—she was supposed to be home two hours ago, and her best friend had just watched as she’d literally been chauffeured to their home.
“Well...you’re never going to believe this but….Hades.”
While she could admit to that, she wasn’t ready to tell Lexa about the contract or the mark on her wrist.
Lexa dropped the mug she was holding. Persephone flinched as it hit the floor and shattered.
“Are you kidding?”
Persephone shook her head. As she moved to grab a broom, Lexa followed.
“Like...the Hades? God of the Dead Hades? Owner of Nevernight Hades?”
“Yes, Lexa. Who else?” Persephone asked, irritated.
“How?” she sputtered. “Why?
Persephone started sweeping up the ceramic pieces.
“It was for my job.” It wasn’t technically a lie. She could call it research.
“And you met Hades? You saw him in the flesh?”
Persephone shivered at the word flesh, recalling Hades’ haphazard appearance. “Yeah.”
“What does he look like?” Persephone turned away from Lexa and grabbed the dustpan. She was also trying to hide the furious blush staining her cheeks. “Details. Spill!”
Persephone handed Lexa the dustpan and she held it as Persephone swept up the shattered mug. “I...don’t know where to begin,” Persephone said at last.
Lexa smiled. “Start with his eyes,” she said.
Persephone sighed. It felt intimate to describe Hades and part of her wanted to keep him all to herself. She was well aware she was only describing a toned-down version of the god because she had yet to see him in his true form. There was a strange anticipation that followed that thought, and she realized she was eager to know the God in his Divinity. Would his horns be as black as his eyes and his hair? Would they curl on either side of his head like a ram’s, or reach into the air, making him even taller?
“He’s handsome,” she said, though even that word didn’t do him justice. It wasn’t just his looks, it was his presence. “He’s…power.”
“Someone has a crush.” The smug smirk on Lexa’s face reminded Persephone that she was too focused on what the god looked like and not enough on what he did.
“What? No. No. Look, Hades is handsome. I’m not blind, but I cannot condone what he does.”