Page 16 of Wicked Warlock
“Let me tell you a story,” Hades purred. “This one,” he pointed to Nova, “killed all of them for shiggles.”
“It wasn’t for shits and giggles,” I snapped, even before I could stop myself. Their faces fell into deep scowls, and I cleared my throat, reaching for a calm I didn’t feel. “What I meant to say was we had no other choice.”
“And now you think I have no choice but to send you back?” Hades looked down at me with a smug smile. “You don’t know me very well.”
“Or your reputation,” Persephone purred at him with a chuckle.
“Hades.” Beckett met his eye and the corner of his lip pulled up in that cocky smirk. “You know if you don’t send us back, Matteaus will be displeased.”
“Maybe so.” Hades inclined his head then his eyes flared and fire danced within them. “But his displeasure isn’t my concern. Mine. Is.”
“Which should be your concern.” Persephone jabbed a finger in our direction.
Hades nodded in agreement with her. “Death is a one-way ticket.”
If I could’ve felt my stomach, it would’ve sunk into my shoes. I knew the risks, but I took the one with the lowest percentage of permanent death. “Except, you can bring us back. You’re just choosing not to.”
“Hmmm… yes.” A devilish grin spread over his face. “I don’t like being taken for granted. The kind, generous, caring death god is not on my resume.”
Not a god… but okay.
He waved his arm dismissively. “What’s to stop you from coming down here next time with a demand to go back? A ruler of a kingdom bending the rules is weak. I’d have an uprising on my hands.”
Nova moved from her place in the corner and drifted to my side. “You’ve sent me back before. Why not them, too?”
“You are the queen of death and I see things for you. Them… they’re just dead. You killed them.”
Nova shrugged. “Like we all haven’t killed something or someone at some point.”
Logan scoffed. “I haven’t.”
Hades chuckled and looked to Persephone. “Rookie.”
He was right. The rest of us couldn’t say anything. I’ve been in battles I used my powers and people got hurt and even killed. I was part of Dario’s death. When I looked around at the others, they all shifted from one foot to the other, not making eye contact. We were one in the same, and now we had to get back to help the others. And this, right here, was a waste of our time.
“Are you saying you don’t regret killing them?” Hades sat forward, watching Nova with curiosity like she was some kind of bug he was toying with.
“No.” She shook her head. “Not at all.”
“You looked panicked when you got here.”
“I’m not anymore.” She shrugged. “Dead is dead.”
“Indeed.” He nodded and sat back, slouching in the chair.
“If I may.” Persephone cleared her throat and, I swear, Hades’ full attention was on her in a second. The world around him could be on fire and he’d focus on only her. “The blond one makes a point. Matteaus won’t be pleased if we could prevent these deaths.”
Hades let out a long groan and rolled his eyes. “Always with the Fallen.”
He shot to his feet and stomped down the stairs toward us. “You want to go back? You earn your way back. Matteaus will have his precious royals, and I will have satisfaction.”
“Wait, what? Earn our way?”
Hades snapped his fingers and suddenly my body went from ghostly translucent to corporal in a second. I sucked in a deep breath and felt the air filling my lungs. I felt my pulse racing through my body. My soulmate mark burned around my wrist, but it was a good kind of burn—the kind that told me it was still there, even after Unseelie. Though I could only feel a glimmer of Beckett, he was still there buried deeply. He turned to me and winked.
Hades clapped his hands together and rubbed them back and forth. “You want out? Find the key.”
“Find the wha—”
