A Touch of Ruin (Hades & Persephone 2)

“I’ll come with you,” Persephone said.

“You just want me to drop you off at Nevernight.”

Persephone’s cheeks turned crimson.

“You’re leaving us?” Hermes asked. “What happened to sisters before misters?”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Hermes, in case you haven’t noticed, you’re a mister.”

“I can be a sister!” he argued, more vehemently than she expected. “If you don’t come back, can I sleep in your bed?” He cal

led as she and Lexa left the apartment.

Sybil’s voice followed quickly. “No, you don’t! It’s mine!”

“I’ll share.”

“Sorry, Hermes, but I’ve had one too many gods try to sleep with me.”

Lexa’s driving was a little smoother on the way the Nevernight until she parked, pressing on the break so hard, Persephone’s body strained against the seatbelt. Outside, Persephone saw Mekonnen, an ogre Hades kept employed as a bouncer for Nevernight, engaged in an argument with a woman, which was nothing out of the ordinary. People often argued with Mekonnen and the other bouncers hoping for a chance to enter the club.

“That doesn’t look good,” Sybil commented, nodding toward the two.

“No, it doesn’t.”

The girl had her finger pointed at the creature’s chest. That was one of Mekonnen’s biggest pet peeves and a good way to get banned from the club forever.

Persephone sighed and reached over the console of the truck to hug Lexa. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks for the ride.”

She climbed out of the moving van. As soon as her feet touched the sidewalk, a chorus of voices called her name and a couple of people broke from the line, ducking under red velvet ropes to approach her. Two ogres appeared from the shadowy entrance of Nevernight, flanking Persephone and creating a barrier between her and the crowd, and she smiled at them.

“Hi Adrian, Ezio.”

Their expressions were serious as they peered down at her and said, “Good evening, my lady.”

She realized she should have thought this through better, or at least called ahead to notify Hades’ staff that she would be arriving soon. She could just see tomorrow’s headline: Hades’ Lover Arrives at Nevernight in Rental Truck Dressed in Sweats!

As she approached the entrance of the club, she overheard the woman.

“I demand to see him this instance!”

Persephone remembered saying something very similar to another ogre when she’d first come to Nevernight. It did not go well—for the ogre, mostly. He’d put his hands on Persephone, an offense Hades could not overlook, and she never saw him again.

“My lady,” Mekonnen said, moving forward to block the woman arguing with him, but she pushed her way around him.

“My lady?” She demanded with her hands on her hips.

It was then Persephone noticed that the woman was a nymph. She had pale, milky skin, long white hair, and bright blue eyes that made her look ethereal. Even her lashes were white.

A Naiad, Persephone thought, which was a nymph associated with water. She was beautiful, but she also looked severe, angry, and exhausted.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

Persephone was surprised, but mostly because there were few people who didn’t know who she was.

“You dare speak to Lady Persephone in such a manner?” Mekonnen’s hands tightened into fists.

“It’s alright, Mekonnen,” Persephone held up her hand to calm the ogre, who looked like he might just grind this woman’s bones into paste at any moment.