Page 84 of Raising Hell
“Why doesn’t Zotera have her own room?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the feel of him beneath me.
“You didn’t want me to feel confined to one place like you were, Mother,” Zotera said. She quickly sat at the base of the stairs.
“Would you like your own room?” I asked. “A place to call your own?”
She shrugged. “I like it here. It looks like a garden now.”
I glanced at all the beautiful sculptures lit by the sunlight streaming in through the upper windows.
“I’ve summoned the furies,” Hades said, drawing my attention back to him.
I wasn’t sure if he was telling Zotera, me, or warning us both.
Zotera’s worried gaze flew to mine.
“Were you hurt?” she asked.
“No. We were at the viewing pool and saw the man who I think is trying to kill me.”
“You think?” Zotera asked.
“I know someone is trying to kill me; I’m just not one hundred percent sure the one we saw was the right guy. I didn’t get a good look at him either time he was here. In both the festival hall and the gardens, I was focused on Hades.” I could feel the heat creep into my face at my admission.
“If you were thinking of the one who attempted to harm you twice, that is who you saw in the pool. It does not make mistakes. And while I will always gratefully bask in the attention of your gaze, it would be wise for our focus to remain on your safety until—”
Hades’ hand fisted against my stomach.
“His name teases my mind but slips away. Why can I not remember it?”
I twisted to look back at Hades.
“You knew who that was?”
“Yes.” But he frowned like he wasn’t sure.
“Well, you are pretty old. Memory issues aren’t uncommon at your age,” I said, hoping to tease him into a more relaxed mood.
His slightly offended gaze swept over my face.
“I am ageless and do not suffer mortality’s pitfalls.”
“No?” I asked. “Did you take a dip in the Lethe then?”
Zotera made a choked sound and coughed. I grinned.
“No one swims in the river Lethe,” she said when she recovered.
“It requires drinking the waters to forget. And it doesn’t work on gods,” Hades said.
“I was only teasing,” I said, leaning into him. “I don’t want you to get angry again.”
He dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “I will not forget my vow.”
Megan and her family arrived a few moments later.
“If you can portal us into the castle, why not just portal us into this room?” Megan called. “It’d save time and walking.”
A patch of script flared to life on his shoulder.
