Tempting the Fates

Epilogue

My hands shook as I stared at myself in the mirror.

A year had passed since the day Hades and I said our vows, and a lot had changed since then. I'd faced some scary things over the last year- an omnipotent god on a murderous rampage, dark shadows haunting my dreams, the threat of my life on numerous occasions- and yet nothing had terrified me quite as much as that moment.

"The Master is ready for you, Mistress." Thalia called from the doorway.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "How many times do I have to tell you? You can call me Callie. In fact, I insist." I turned and left the bathroom, grateful for a distraction.

Thalia bowed. "You'll have to tell me at least once more, Mistress." She was always so proper but had become a close confidant of mine. I'd forgiven her for sharing our secrets with Zeus, and allowed her to stay in the palace, in exchange for her agreement to never break our trust again. She'd proven herself a worthy woman time and time again since then. I gave her a smile before I shuttered out and met Hades at the front steps.

Our weekly lunches out in the Elysian Fields had become a ritual of sorts. We loved the privacy it gave us, and especially the time we got to disconnect from our duties.

Hades looked as dashing as ever in his black jeans and blue button-up shirt. He held a wicker basket, which had been packed to the brim with all manner of food and drink.

"Good afternoon, beautiful." He greeted, holding out a hand to me. "Lunch awaits."

I swallowed down the lump forming in my throat and plastered on a fake smile. "After you."

We shuttered to our usual spot, and I conjured us a blanket to lay on. We settled into place on our backs right next to each other, staring up at the gray sky. We laid there for a while, and I was so comfortable that for a moment I thought I'd drifted to sleep.

"It's been a year since we wed." Hades laced one of his hands with mine and I blinked hard, waking myself. "Hard to believe. I've never enjoyed a single year of my existence so much."

"Neither have I, though there were a few parts I could have done without." I smirked, thinking of the turmoil we'd shared at the beginning of our relationship.

"We have our entire lives ahead of us, Callie." Hades turned on his side to look at me. "This past year has been so good to us that I can hardly contain myself to think of spending the rest of my existence in this bliss with you."

My stomach churned. I turned to look at him.

"Things might not always be so perfect." I countered.

He was always so quick to sense when I was feeling off. "What's got you in such a sour mood?" he stroked his thumb across my cheek.

I bit my lip. I battled nausea as I tried to find the words to say. "Hades, I'm... pregnant."

His face paled. His eyes went wide. My lip quivered as I watched his face contort into a... smile?

"A baby?" he whispered. "You're having a baby?"

A tear slipped down my cheek and I nodded. He pulled me into a tight hug, laughing with a kind of joy I'd never heard him express before.

"This is incredible. Incredible!" He let go of me and jumped to his feet. He ran in a dizzying circle around me, shouting. "Yes! Yes! I'm going to be a father!"

I laughed, totally relieved. I'd been so worried that he would be upset. We were so busy with getting our realms into order, and he'd mentioned on numerous occasions about how glad he was that it was just the two of us... I had not expected his reaction.

But our joy was short lived. Just as I stood to embrace him again, the ground shook beneath our feet. Low, wild rumbles echoed from below and a deep, wide chasm split the ground between us.

I stumbled backward, trying to avoid falling into the canyon forming before me. The earth crumbled at the edge and fell, widening the hole.

I looked around frantically for my husband.

"Hades!" I screamed his name, terror bracing itself firmly in my chest. "Hades, where are you?"

But he was gone.

END OF BOOK ONE.