Vowed to Hades (Romancing the Seas #4)

33. Hades

HADES

H e made love to Persephone endlessly.

On the floor. Against the door. In the bed. In front of the mirror.

With each passing moment, his Persephone grew more confident.

As he worshiped her, little pieces of her memories came fluttering back until the cheeky glint in her eye was back.

She explored his body with her mouth and hands, while he did the same to her.

They became consumed by each other, lost in a tangle of limbs and panted breaths. It became impossible for Hades to know where he ended and Persephone began.

Once more, they were one. And their connection was so much more than physical.

He devoured her flesh and caressed her spirit.

She was so bright, glowing like the goddess he once knew .

When they were spent, they lay on the bed, bathing in the glow of their love.

Persephone’s eyes fluttered closed, allowing Hades to just look at her.

There was nothing left keeping them apart. He no longer cared about getting revenge on Adonis, reclaiming his bride was enough. And the world could burn.

Nothing mattered but her.

As she slipped into sleep, Hades nudged closer to her, burying his head in her shoulder. Silent tears leaked from his eyes as he finally gave in to the emotions storming inside of him.

He had lost her.

The thought ripped a hole in him. He could not bear to even think of being apart from her again, certain that if he did, it would destroy him for good.

Troubled, he slid out from Persephone’s clutches and climbed out of bed.

Hades moved quietly through the shadowed corridors of the palace, the remnants of the night’s passion still lingering on his skin, in his thoughts, in the heady memory of Persephone’s lips on his.

The Underworld was silent at this hour, the souls of the dead resting in their eternal slumber. It was a time when Hades found solace in solitude, away from the responsibilities of his kingdom.

But tonight, something gnawed at him. The peace he sought eluded him, and so he found himself drawn to the River of the Dead, a place that had always offered clarity in the mid of chaos .

The river flowed silently, its dark waters reflecting the dim light of the Underworld, carrying the souls of the departed to their final resting place.

Hades stood at its edge, staring into the abyss, lost in thought.

A ripple disturbed the surface of the river, and Hades tensed, sensing the presence of another. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“Took you long enough,” Poseidon’s voice rumbled like distant thunder as he emerged from the shadows, his form towering and imposing even in the dim light.

Hades didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the river.

“What do you want, brother?” he asked finally, his tone devoid of warmth.

Poseidon stepped closer, his trident glinting faintly in the darkness. “Is it done? Is she back?” His voice was tinged with urgency. “We need her, Hades. You know we do. The war is coming.”

Hades's jaw tightened, and he shook his head. “No. I’m not risking it. Not again.”

Poseidon’s expression darkened; his frustration palpable. “If Loki wins this war, do you really think he will not try to come for you again? Do you think he will leave Persephone unscathed?”

Hades turned to face his brother, his eyes burning with defiance. “He failed once, Poseidon. He wouldn’t be foolish enough to try and take the Underworld again.”

Poseidon’s eyes flashed with anger, the blue depths reflecting the churning waters of the river. “Love has blinded you, Hades. It has made you soft. Loki is relentless, and he is not the same enemy we faced before. He is going to destroy my daughters. Every last one. And when he is done, he is coming for Persephone. If you cannot see that, then you are beyond help.”

The words struck Hades like a blow to the face. But he remained silent, his mind racing with conflicting emotions.

He had fought so hard to bring Persephone back, to keep her safe, to protect what they had rebuilt together.

But was it enough? Could he really protect her from the storm that was coming?

Poseidon’s gaze bore into him, challenging him to face the reality he had been avoiding. “You know I’m right, brother,” he said quietly, his voice losing some of its edge. “You cannot protect her by hiding her away. She is not just your queen; she is a force of nature, and the world needs her now more than ever.”

Hades's hands clenched into fists at his sides. He had always prided himself on his strength, on his ability to control the Underworld with an iron grip. But this… this was different. This was a battle that would demand more than just his power—it would demand the strength of the one person he had sworn to protect at all costs.

“She’s not ready yet.”

A heavy silence fell between the two gods, the only sound the quiet lapping of the river against the shore.

Hades's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, his heart caught in a vice of fear and determination. He could feel the pull of the past, the memories of battles fought and won, the weight of the crown on his brow.

And he knew, deep down, that Poseidon was right.

But admitting it was another matter entirely.

Poseidon watched him closely, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. “Don’t let your love for her be the thing that destroys you both,” he said softly, almost pleadingly. “She is stronger than you give her credit for.”

Hades looked away, his gaze returning to the dark waters of the river.

The decision weighed heavily on him, threatening to pull him under.

He had always been the master of his domain, the ruler of the dead, the one who made the difficult choices.

But this… this was different. This was Persephone. His love, his light in the darkness.

How could he risk losing her again?

“Hello, Poseidon.”

Hades turned in surprise to see Persephone standing afar off, wrapped in a black robe.

“Ah, we were just talking about you,” Poseidon said, his tone pleasant .

Hades scowled at him, before meeting Persephone’s pointed look.

“What is it?” she asked, clearly sensing the seriousness of the moment.

Poseidon sighed. “Loki has made a power play. My daughters… Serena and Georgette are like their mother. They’re stubborn. I fear they will not be intimidated.”

He paused, and gave Hades a firm look.

Persephone stepped closer, worry crossing her face. “What has happened? I thought you said time does not exist here? That we had all the time we need?”

Hades scratched the back of his neck. “It’s not…that simple.”

“What do you mean? Poseidon? What is he not telling me?”

Hades winced. “Yes. Time does not exist here. But time still moves on the Land of the Living. And sometimes, it moves… unpredictably while we are down here.”

Persephone’s face scrunched up with confusion. “But it’s only been one night, how long has it been for our friends?”

Poseidon laughed. “That must have been one hell of a night… I hope it was worth it.”

Hades glanced at Persephone; her eyes flashed with anger.

“Hades…”

Before he could respond, a vast flurry of wisps appeared from the caves, and entered the River of the Dead. Wails and cries followed like distant echoes.

“What is that?” Persephone asked, edging closer to the water.

Poseidon dragged a hand over his face. “We’re too late. It has already begun.”

Hades groaned.

Poseidon was right, they could not hide in the Underworld forever. If Loki won the war, the Underworld would be his next target.

“My love,” Hades said, reaching for her hand. “I did not want to put this pressure on you so soon. I thought we could make time. But even I am bound to the universal laws. If you want to help your friends, you need to access your powers.”

Persephone inhaled with a look of purpose. Then she reached out her palm. In a flash, she conjured a red rose from thin air.

“I already have,” she said, hopeful.

Poseidon interrupted them with a chortle. “Wonderful. I suppose you plan to destroy the Scorpion Army with a barrage of daisies?”

Hades ignored Poseidon and took Persephone’s other hand. “We need you to use your… other powers.”

Persephone’s eyes narrowed on him, then stretched wide with recognition. “But I did such horrible things… Do you really want me to…do that ? ”

Hades pressed his lips together. No, he did not want her to fight. He wanted to keep her far away from the battleground.

But the truth was, if she did not, then the battleground would come for her anyway.

Suddenly, a portal appeared. Captain Stone tumbled in, carrying Georgette.

They were followed by Ava and Serena. Prince Edward and Hercules were the last to step through before the portal closed again.

Hades observed the group, they were filthy and exhausted.

“We have a situation,” Hercules said, his face grim.

“Father?” Serena said, startled as she looked at Poseidon.

Tears fell freely as she rushed into his arms.

“It’s Loki. He is destroying everything. The world has never seen so many active gods. It’s like the earth is his playground,” Georgette said.

Captain Stone handed Hades a piece of parchment. “He’s been collecting the bones, we found this in the pyramid.”

Hades gritted his teeth as he read Loki’s message.

But before he could register what was happening, Prince Edward handed him another one.

“Naturally, we didn’t listen to him. This was left at the final burial site. He has all of the bones now. And the Scorpion Army has taken over the seas. ”

Hades unfurled the second parchment, and his heart thumped harder as he read the words.

“You shall not win this war, and it is because of foolishness that you will bring about the destruction of all mankind.”