“It means the price Kal pays for his power is his life,” he explained. “And the Fates say that is a better destiny than allowing him a longer one.”

Persephone swallowed, realizing again how complicated the rules of the Underworld--of Fate and Destiny really were. It was a convoluted network of bargains that all seemed to lead to a greater good, but the path there was hell.

“Are you afraid of me?” he asked after a moment of silence.

The question surprised her. She knew it was born out of fear, and yet, when she looked at him, his expression revealed nothing of his thoughts.

“No,” she answered quickly. “But it is a lot to take in.”

And an obvious example of why she couldn’t marry him.

Not yet, anyway.

How could he think of asking her to be his wife—his queen—when she had no idea about any of this? Was this not an empire she would also inherit?

Hades looked away, his throat constricting as he swallowed whatever unease had crept into his consciousness. “I will tell you everything.”

She had no doubt. She would make sure of that. She had so many questions. She wanted to know every person who entered this club, what businesses they owned, and just how much of the world Hades controlled.

Part of her wanted to ask him what he thought she’d do when she found out about Iniquity, but it was obvious he thought she’d leave.

“I think I’ve heard enough tonight,” she answered. “I’d rather go home.”

“Would you like Antoni to take you?”

She smiled a little, realizing that he thought she meant she wanted to return to her apartment.

“You might as well take me,” she said. “We are going to the same place, after all.”

His lips curled, and he put an arm around her waist, drawing her close before teleporting to the Underworld.

***

Persephone couldn’t sleep.

She lay still, cradled against Hades’ warmth, and agonized. Not over what she had learned about the God of the Dead, but over what Kal had said about Lexa.

If you thought Lexa was going to live, would you have come?

Kal was right, of course. Persephone couldn’t deny that she had sought a cure for Lexa’s injuries at Iniquity, and she’d done so out of the fear that she wouldn’t recover. The fear that, even if she did, she might not be the same.

She closed her eyes against the pain and left Hades’ chamber.

The halls of the palace were quiet and lit by the light of the night sky. Hades hadn’t succeeded to capture the brightness of the sun, but he managed the moon well. Maybe that had something to do with Hecate’s presence in the Underworld, though, she did not know for certain.