Hades took a step toward the god. “You agreed to swear an oath?” he asked. Hermes’s expression grew serious. He nodded, tense. “I did.” Hermes knew the gravity of such a promise. It was not something offered to placate, though Persephone had used it in that manner. An oath such as this meant the god was bound to protect Persephone for eternity. It went beyond a single moment. “Swear it,” Hades said. “Swear you will protect her at all costs, even if it means an end to your own life.” “Hades,” Persephone said, a note of horror in her voice, but he did not look at her. “I swear it,” Hermes said.
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