Page 129 of Hell On Earth
“Ashlyn!” Zotera yelled. “Mother!”
I sobbed harder, recalling how many I’d wronged. The ground shook beneath me as Thanatos appeared before me. He grabbed me by the shoulders and lifted me to my feet as if I weighed nothing.
His lifeless dark eyes swept over my face.
“You remember, my love? Tell me you remember.”
“I remember,” I said, choking on a sob.
“Then die. I beg you. Undo what you’ve done.”
Undo? There was no undoing the terror I’d rained down on Hell during my time there.
“It can’t be undone,” I said.
“It can.” His fingers bit into my hair on the back of my head, keeping me in place as he started to lower his mouth to mine.
“The pain will be brief,” he said.
A memory surfaced of another time he’d said those words. It had been the first time I’d lain with him, and the memory of it had me flinching. I didn’t love Thanatos, and what I’d done with him repulsed me in so many different ways.
Megan appeared behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. They disappeared in a burst of flames that left my skin hot.
Panting and disoriented, I looked around the shore. More mermaids had emerged, and I watched Zotera backhand one that was trying to come at me. Adira was once again fighting Eliana’s thrall.
I covered my ears as thoughts continued to collide. I was no one; yet, I was many. A lost goddess without a home. Alone. Abandoned. Unlov—.
An ache grew in my chest for the one person whohadalways loved me. Who had never left me even when he couldn’t be by my side.
I looked at the rippling waters and knew only one safe harbor to weather the storm raging in my mind.
“Hades,” I breathed just as Thanatos reappeared in front of me.
“No!” Thanatos yelled, reaching for me again.
Hades materialized next to me and grabbed the God of Death by his throat.
“You dare touch what is mine.”
Hades’ fist connected with Thanatos’ nose, and I heard the crunch. I barely registered the devastation of that one before Hades landed three more in rapid succession.
A thousand whispering voices in my head overlapped with one message.
This isn’t just.
“Wait,” I said, setting my hand on Hades’ back.
Chest heaving with his rage, he turned to look at me.
“I remember,” I said. “I remember it all.”
Hades howled in pain like the time I’d taken a knife to his chest and cut out his heart. My tears, which had slowed, started falling faster.
“No, no, no!” he said. “You are not her. You are Ashlyn. You are kind and good.”
“I am not only Ashlyn. I’m also Persephone and a thousand others.”
“You are mine!” Hades raged.
