Tempting the Fates

Chapter 29

We reappeared in my mother's throne room, where she and my siblings were arguing. I let go of Hades and looked away from him.

"Why would he open his palace if he were dead?" Aphrodite snapped.

Their heads all turned at once to take in the sight of us. Eros took a few steps back, probably remembering what Hades had done to him only a little while ago. My mother rushed over to me and looked me up and down.

"Are you alright?" she took my face in her hands and tilted it side-to-side. "No injuries?"

"No injuries." I replied. I looked at my husband, who still looked shaken. "Not physical, at least."

Zeus seemed to have broken him. He poked and poked at his tender heart, bringing up painful memories and opening old wounds until he crumbled. The hurt he'd felt over Persephone's betrayal stung me, too, though not for the same reason. It meant he still had feelings for her, ones he had not worked through before he took my hand in marriage.

I'd married him for several reasons, but one of them had been because I'd felt myself falling for him. He was usually a calm, smart, charismatic man. But the god before me looked like someone whose heart had been broken so deeply that he was incapable of ever loving anyone that way again.

Hades wandered to the dais and flopped down onto one of the steps. He put his face in his hands. I watched him go, my heart aching. I clenched my jaw, forcing the sting of tears back. I had a responsibility to the rest of the world to protect the balance of life and death, even if my feelings were hurt. I would rebuild that wall around my heart again if I had to.

"Can we speak privately for a moment?"

I turned and saw my mother looking at me expectantly. With another quick glance to Hades, I nodded. She took my hand and pulled me across the room to a quiet corner.

"How is everything going between you two?" she whispered.

"Uh... it's okay." I sighed, not wanting to admit that I was hurting. "I mean... we get along well."

"Better than well, from the looks of it." She seemed pleased. "You can't expect me not to notice."

"That... wasn't your doing, was it?" I blanched. "You didn't put some kind of love spell on him, did you?"

She shook her head vehemently. "Absolutely not. I'm not dumb enough to mess with Hades. That man... well, I'm sure you see the good sides to him. But trust me, he has some nasty ones, too. You may get to see those if you find Poseidon."

My stomach churned with anxiety. I had been worried that the sensitive man I'd come to care for deeply was much darker than I'd imagined. I'd known of guys like that; ones who whispered sweet nothings until the love ran out... then it was all anger and fear. I buried the horrible feeling I suddenly had, and just nodded.

"Thanks for my dress, by the way." I changed the subject. "It looked beautiful."

"Of course, Calliope. It was the least I could do since I could not be present." She patted my arm with a soft tenderness she hadn't yet shown me. "Wish I could have seen you."

"Wish dad could have seen me, too." I added. "I'm worried about him."

My mother paled. The easy carefree look she had been wearing all day disappeared. "I'm worried, too." She admitted. "I know it's hard for you to believe, but I loved your father more than anything in this world once. I've had many loves in my life, but... that one was truly something special."

"How did you guys meet?" I asked. "Dad refused to tell me anything about you. The only thing I had to even prove you existed was your name on my birth certificate."