Page 44 of Definitely Dead

Naked,wet,cold,andexhausted, Tyr stepped through the stone archway with his mate by his side, Sunne’s hand clasped inside his own.

The rain ceased immediately, and the relentless whispers quieted, a hush settling over them as they emerged into the vast, overgrown field. There were no stars in that part of the Underworld, no ethereal clouds. Only stillness. Only a last breath of hope before the descent into madness.

In the center of the meadow, Hades had carved out an area among the waist-high weeds, a glass of port in one hand and a heavy, leather-bound book in the other. Dressed in a silk robe of deep sapphire, he lounged in a winged-back chair, the picture of ease and eccentricity.

He glanced up as they approached, his dark eyes reflecting the ambient light. Smooth, graceful, he rose, the chair, book, and wine vanishing as if they had never existed.

Tyr squeezed Sunne’s hand.“Just so you know, he can hear our thoughts.”

“Great,”Sunne sent back, his body tensing.“No pressure or anything.”

“Took you long enough,” the god said as if they had just arrived late for an important meeting. His gaze flickered to Tyr, and he looked almost disappointed. “I told you not to get lost.”

“I wasn’t lost.”

“Wait.” Sunne looked back and forth between them. “How long were we in there?”

Hades shrugged. “Three days, give or take.”

Tyr understood Sunne’s gasp of disbelief. To them, no more than a few hours had passed, even if it had felt like a lifetime.

Hades’ attention settled on Sunne, sharp, calculating. “So, you’re the one causing all this trouble.”

It took everything in Tyr to choke back his growl. Threatening the King of the Underworld wouldn’t do them any favors. Still, his fingers curled at his side, his hand forming into a fist as he fought the urge to teach the god some manners.

Of course, his reaction didn’t go unnoticed, and Hades smirked, his expression filled with challenge.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Sunne explained, tripping over the words in his rush to get them out. “I didn’t mean to cross the river. I kind of got soul-napped, and well, I guess you already knew that.”

“You’re referring to the troublesome little witch.” Hades bobbed his head slowly. “Unfortunately, thanks to your enterprising mate, he’s not here to accept the punishment for his misdeeds.”

Sunne shook his head quickly. “You make the laws,” he argued. “Aster just exploited the loopholes. So, if you think about it, this is kind of your fault.”

Torn between amusement and dismay, Tyr closed his eyes and groaned.“Maybe you should stop talking now.”

“Right.”Sunne shuffled closer to his side and hid behind his arm.“Good idea.”

Too bad he couldn’t seem to help himself, and in the next heartbeat, he blurted into the silence, “Are you going to smite us now?”

“Tempting,” Hades mused. “But no. Not today.”

“Thank you,” Sunne breathed. “You are kind and merciful. A legend among—”

“Don’t be a kiss-ass,” Hades interrupted. “It doesn’t suit you.”

“Yep. Got it. Shutting up now.”

Turning to Tyr, Hades shook back the sleeves of his robe and clasped his hands together, templing his index fingers “And you. You had one rule. Just one.”

And, for his mate, he’d break it again without a second thought.

Knowing nothing he could say in his defense would matter, he stood there silently, stoically, awaiting Hades’ verdict, and ultimately, his judgment. Even if the god banished him to the mortal world, he knew the way back. It might not be pretty, but nothing would keep him from Sunne.

“I had an inkling you’d feel that way,” Hades said, plucking the thought from his mind. “Which is why I’m not banishing you to the mortal world. I’m banishing you from ever returning to it.”

“Done.” It wasn’t like he had anything waiting for him back there anyway.

“What? No.” Releasing his hand, Sunne stepped forward, his voice trembling but his spine straight. “He’ll be dead. That’s what you’re saying.”

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