The Passion of Hades (The Hades Trials, #2)

by Eliza Raine

Skop flopped down onto the bed with a massive sigh. “I could sleep for a week after that,” he said, his eyes closing. “What a strange thing to grow attached to,” said Hera, one eyebrow raised as she looked at the little dog.

“Manhattan roof gardens,” I said firmly. “You're going to make this work, Persephone. You're going to become a world famous garden designer. Not Queen of the Underworld.” But the last thing I saw, before falling asleep alongside Skop's snoring, furry little body were those desperate pools of silver.

“You were wronged, by my worst enemy, and you paid the highest price. And now only you have the power to make it right.”

“Persy, you got lifted five feet off the ground by a giant burning bird, fell and crashed into a table, and nearly got electrocuted to death. Don't you think you should be feeling a bit sore this morning?” I stared at her. “My neck aches,” I said eventually. “That'll be these stupid fucking cushions,” she said, her lip curling as she picked one up and launched it across the room.

“I can't make light either,” said Skop in my head. “You're not a god,” I told him. “I'm a god in bed,” he answered, tail wagging.

“Yes!” I pulled my hand up triumphantly, clutching a hard little seed. “What is it?” asked Skop. “A sunflower,” I said instantly, then looked sideways at him, drawing my brows together. “How did I know that?” I asked slowly. “You're goddess of Spring. You probably should know a few things about flowers,” he answered, then cocked his head at me. “Can I do some digging too?”

“It appears that you have no idea what being fated to Hades, King of the Underworld, all powerful god, actually entails.” I stared up at him, panting slightly. All powerful god. My stupid, lust addled brain allowed my thoughts to slip between my lips before I could stop them. “Does that mean magic sex?”

“Do I amuse you?” “You just... Nobody other than you has ever spoken to me like that.”

“Why did I let him do that?” “Let him do what?” Skop asked eagerly, and my fired up body jumped in surprise at his voice. Embarrassment flared in me and I looked over at him, ten feet away in a soil bed, paws filthy. “Oh gods, you must have seen everything?” I whispered, feeling my face heat. “No, he put me inside a freaking smoke bubble. You look like you had fun though,” he said, and his tail wagged. “Well, I didn't. And you're a weird little pervert,” I told him, relieved my encounter had been private. “You've got no idea,” he answered, and launched back into digging up the soil.

I had to stop. It wasn't fair, on her or me. Remember what happened. You can't keep a light that bright in the dark.

“Are they actually bigger?” I asked Hecate as I peered down at my chest. She laughed. “No. I told you when you first got here, you just needed better clothes.” “Or none at all,” Skop chimed in. I ignored him.

“Yes, Hades, I know being with me blew your mind and I know you cried like a baby afterward, but we're not doing it again. Now, please stop bothering me.” I heard his deep, booming laugh in my head as I turned on my heels and marched away from him. “Well played, Beautiful. Well played.”

“You are the same,” Poseidon hissed, his eyes glowing an intense blue. “Your wrath is no less as a human, your temper as hot and unpredictable as it ever was.” “You'd lose your fucking temper if you'd had your memories and power stolen!” Rage was burning through my blood, heating my whole body, and sending almost painful tingles across my skin.

“When you use your power to grow things, to create life, you... You become practically irresistible.”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is not to rip your clothes off right now?” he hissed. “I can't be this close to you.”

“Where's Skop?” “On the floor. This asswipe won't let me on the bed,” I heard his voice say in my head.

“I got there in the end,” I told him. “I learned, and I started to stand up for myself. In fact, until you lot showed up, I was doing pretty well.” “There is a Queen inside you, Persephone. My Queen.”

“Fine, but no magic sex,” I told him firmly. The corner of his mouth lifted. “Agreed. No magic sex.” I shoved the disappointment that he'd agreed so readily deep down and nodded.

“Woah there,” I scolded myself, jumping up from my stool and snapping the lid closed. “I have got to get better at avoiding temptation.” “You're doing a good job so far, you've managed to resist me,” said Skop. “Gnome dogs really aren't my type,” I told him. “I could try and change your mind?” “Nope.” “It was worth a shot.”

“You've seen a Spartae Skeleton, minotaurs, a freaking phoenix, and the gods know what besides. Why are merfolk a big deal?” “I don't know,” I lied. I'd be damned before admitting my deep-rooted love for children's animated movies to her.

“You will be granted the temporary ability to breath underwater, and a steed,” Poseidon continued, and my mouth dropped open. Say what? Breathing underwater and a freaking steed?

“That's a neat trick. I'm going to have to give you a name,” I told him, as we floated cautiously through the room, me scanning the ground beneath us for anything that looked like a gem. “How about Buddy? I keep calling you that anyway.” He nickered and I nodded. “Buddy it is.”

Strength born from overcoming trauma is very different to blood-born arrogance. It is true strength.”

“What a complete fucking asshole,” she breathed, still wide-eyed. “Yeah. Lord Asshole.”

“You literally created life to replace me?” she whispered. “Yes. The hole you left in my heart was impossible to fill with anything less.” “Did it work? Did it fill the hole?” “No.”

“Skop!” I turned quickly, startling the girl who had been talking to me, and dropped to my knees as the little dog bounded towards me through the crowd. He skidded to a halt and wagged his tail furiously. “Stop nearly dying! You're fucking killing me!” I laughed loudly. “I think you'll find I'm killing me,” I told him.

“Where've you been anyway?” I asked Skop. “Oh, erm, the water nymphs in the pool don't have any clothes on. I got a bit distracted.” “Right. You were so glad to see me alive that you only ogled some naked women for half an hour before coming to talk to me.” “Exactly. That's a pretty big deal. Half an hour of breasts is really not long enough to truly appreciate them.” “Huh.” “Especially when there are many breasts. In fact, now that I have ensured your safety I might just go back and check on them again.” “Check on the many breasts?” I repeated. “Yes.” “See you later,” I sighed, and he trotted off towards the pool, tail wagging.

“I'm not sure it's the right place for someone who dislikes parties, or sharing their partners,” she said. “Huh,” I answered. No. Maybe not my thing after all.

“Well that can't be a bad thing, if you're going to marry him. Although why anyone would get married is beyond me.” “Limiting the number of breasts not appeal to you?” I asked him. “Nope. Definitely not. Unlimited breasts all the way, please.”

“You told me not to trust the people around me.” “And you mustn't. But you can learn from them.”

“Feel any different? Like you wanna blow some shit up?” Hecate's eyes were alive with excitement. I swallowed. “No.” Apart from a very slight tingle, I felt nothing. Hecate's face fell. “Oh. How disappointing.” “I worry about you,” I told her. “Probably wise.”

“You said no magic sex!” I panted. “You started it!”

“Why didn't you tell me I had magic sex powers!”

“I'm gonna guess that was a result of you thinking about loverboy,” said Skop. I turned to him, too surprised to argue. He shook his little dog head, and resumed digging in the dirt. For a dog that wasn't really a dog, he sure loved to dig.

“What are we drinking?” “My specialty cocktail,” she said. “But I'm missing something. Wait here. And don't touch anything!” Hecate flashed out of the room and Skop immediately jumped onto the couch with me. “Touch the skull! Please, please touch the skull!” His tail was wagging at a million miles an hour as he looked pleadingly at me. “No! Not a chance,” I told him, avoiding looking at it. I wanted to touch it very much. “You're so boring,” he humphed, and sat down.

“You know, Skop, of the many words I could use to describe myself right now, boring isn't one of them. I have magic sex power for fuck’s sake.” “What?” “Yeah.” “I want magic sex power,” he said. “I thought you were already a god in bed.” His tail wagged. “I sure am.”

“No more hangovers? Ever?” “Uhuh.” “How the hell is everyone here not permanently drunk?” “Some are, to be fair. Me included.”

I flicked my hand and the kobaloi barked as a smoky bubble enveloped him. I wasn’t sharing this view.

“What if I deserve it?” I asked, voicing the question I was finding so hard to bury deep enough to ignore. “What if I did cause rivers of blood?” “You were born twenty-six years ago, in New York. You didn't do anything,” he said gently.

“I have my magic back. Have you seen those black vines? I'll kick the ass of anything your crappy Virgo throws at me,” I announced as loftily as I could. He didn't laugh, but when he next spoke his voice was soft. “I don't doubt it, Beautiful.”

“Yeah, he's like a giant asshole with teeth,” the dog said, and gave a little shudder. “I wouldn't want to be reminded of almost being sucked into that either.” “You're gross,” I told him.

“Empusa? Please tell me that's not the vampire who's usually on fire?” I hissed to her, pulse now racing. “Erm,” she whispered, her eyes filled with apology.

Everything stilled to nothing as I watched my Queen, my beautiful goddess, turn the dark fury of the Underworld into awesome, unbound life.

Grass rose from the churning soil at the base, daisies sprouting amid the green turf. Pink petals began to dominate the sweeping branches as they extended over the table, and I could almost feel a phantom breeze ripple past me and through them. Life. Color. Light. I had longed for this tree for twenty-six years.

I would never let her go again. I couldn't. She was light and life and love, and she was mine.

“Do you have anything to drink?” I asked Hades. “I kind of had my face filled with sewage. The aftertaste is pretty unpleasant.”

“Your Queen?” I breathed. “My Queen,” he repeated.

“I need to think about this,” I said. “It's a lot to take in, and I only just got my powers back. I don't know my place here at all.” “Your place is by my side,”

“Dionysus drown me in wine, he's a big bastard,” breathed Skop.

“Where there's a will, there's a way,” she said. “There sure is,” added Skop. “I'm only three feet tall, and you should see what I've managed to bang.” I rolled my eyes at him, but he just wagged his tail faster. “It's all down to my enormous⁠—” “Good evening, Olympus!”