Ever with Hades

“Oh, Hades, I love you, I love you!” She showered his face with kisses.

He laughed. “If I had known you’d be this happy—-”

She sucked on his lower lip hard, and he gasped. Pulling away, she asked throatily, “If you had known, you would what?”

“I’d have invited all immortals to our realm,” he said hoarsely, “so I can do this.” He pushed her against the wall and, throwing her skirts up to her waist, he ripped her silk panties away and ran his fingers against her wet folds.

Persephone moaned. “Hades.” Her fingers clawed at his shoulders.

His fingers entered her, and she buckled against his hand. “Harder.”

Hades pushed his fingers deeper into her.

“Yes, oh, yes.”

They made love for the rest of the night, and when the Underworld’s silvery sun rose in the sky, Hades woke up to find his queen gone from his side.

Where could she be?

After bathing, Hades strolled out of his chambers and on his way to the throne room he found Thanatos standing at the foot of the stairs, apparently waiting for him. The winged demon was the Underworld lord’s most trusted his second-in-command, and had fought and ruled by Hades side far longer than any other creature in his realm.

For this reason, Hades trusted him implicitly, and which was why Thanatos’ grim countenance was enough to have him frown. “What is the problem?” he asked immediately. It was not like Thanatos to worry about nothing.

Bowing when the king reached his side, the winged demon said, “I’ve received several rather disturbing reports from Senectus.”

Ah. Senectus was the god of ald age, the oldest among the immortal cadre of sentries that guarded the entrance of the Underworld. Realizing where this conversation may be leading, Hades asked, “What do the reports say?”

Thanatos was quiet for a moment. “I believe, milord, you already know.” He stepped away from his king. “If it is your will, lord, then it shall no longer be a cause for concern for any of us.”

“And if it is not?”

“Then the perpetrator must be punished as justice demands.”

“Even if it is your queen?”

“Even if it is you, sire.” Unspoken words hung between the two friends, and that was also the indisputable truth that Hades would rather lose his immortality than put his kingdom in danger.

Or at least the king would not do so knowingly, Thanatos thought, and there the problem lied.

Ever since Hades’ queen came to the Underworld, the king had no longer been the same.

“Walk with me, Thanatos.”

“Yes, milord.”

A silence was born between the two, strained when for innumerable years it had always been made good and comfortable by trust and loyalty.

As Thanatos followed his lord through the castle, he could not keep his mind from dwelling to the prophecy, which every subject of the Underworld knew by heart.

The lord would fall because of her.

The lady would disappear because of him.

And when these two came to be,

The Underworld would have made its choice.

“I can feel you scowling at me from behind, demon.”

Thanatos bowed his head. “Forgive me.”

“I hope there is no need for me to tell you,” Hades said as they reached the castle’s south tower, “that you have the liberty to speak your thoughts without repercussions.” In front of them was a narrow staircase, spiraling all the way until the viewing deck, built thousands of feet from the ground, and as Hades turned his gaze upwards, he added quietly, “Even if it is something you believe I do not wish to hear, you may always speak freely.”

“The Queen shows every sign of being the prophesied bride, milord.”

“Yes.” They started to ascend, their pace slow but steady.

“But I confess, milord, perhaps this is one case when...” Thanatos clenched his fists. “Forgive my impertinence, king, but as you have bidden me, I will speak freely.”

Hades turned to face Thanatos.

“Milord, perhaps, in light of what is happening, you and the kingdom would be better off with a Queen who has not been prophesied?’

Chapter Three

“Great party as always.” Apollo, the god of truth and light, raised his glass in a celebratory salute to the lord of the underworld.

It was not a compliment to be taken lightly, coming from the god who had perfected the art of throwing parties, and Hades knew this. He raised his glass in return and inclined his head in acknowledgment. “The compliment is appreciated.”

“I foresee good business for the triplets,” Hermes, Mercury’s god, declared as he joined the two.

“That is impossible,” Apollo drawled with a mock frown, “when oracles are not within the realm of your power.” Hades laughed, and Hermes, despite rolling his eyes, was also grinning. It was a common pastime between the Olympians to challenge each other on who had the most useful powers and dominions.

“How did you find this temple?” Hermes asked the lord of the underworld. “I thought this was lost to civilization.”