It doesn’t matter that she couldn’t hear him tell me that he loves me.
I have only proven myself a liar to her, and she has no reason to believe me.
“Persephone,” I try once more, but the rest of my words are trapped within my mouth as a series of vines snake up my body; one wrapping tightly around my head, effectively silencing me.
Tears stream down my face as the guards grab my arms, and. Persephone doesn’t so much as a glance in my direction as I’m taken from the room.
No sooner than the doors have closed behind us than another voice demands the men carrying me to stop. My heart pounds in my chest as Deimos steps into view.
“Where are you taking her?”
“The dungeons.”
“For what reason? Has Hades order this?”
“No, my lord,” one of the guards answers hesitantly. “The queen—”
“Hand her over, the king has final say over what happens to these women.” The men hesitate for a second, and Deimos’ face darkens. “That was an order! Hand her over at once! She is to be brought before the king.”
The next thing I know, Deimos’ hand wraps around me, and I’m being hurried through the palace … toward Hades.
24
Eros
Iwake to the throbbing of my head. Fingers dig painfully into my arms, and it takes me a moment to realize that I am being dragged down a hallway.
For one moment, I consider putting up a fight, but then I hear the rattle of chains against the floor. They must have re-shackled my hands and feet after leaving Persephone’s little training grounds.
I let out a groan as they drag me roughly down a flight of stairs, alerting them to my growing awareness and their hands tighten on my arms.
“Let me go,” I command, grateful they at least forgot to gag me.
Of course, the guards ignore me.
They ignore my words. Struggling against their grips only makes their grips tighten, deepening the bruising that already covers my arms.
Not that they care. I am not the god they serve.
Still, I find annoyance building steadily within me as I am once more dragged down, down, down into Hade’s cold dungeon.
I am tossed unceremoniously into a cell, where I land in a heap, the very air knocked out of me.
I do not move for several moments, letting my breath come back as I try to sort my thoughts. I need to come up with a way to save Hazel. Things are far more dire than even I realized.
Again, this is all my fault.
I should have known better than to play around with the forces of love. Obviously, I have proven to be a poor guardian of it.
As much as I wanted to give in to the mortal’s touch, I could not. I have never felt the love that Hazel feels for Death until tonight, and it broke me that even when touching me, she desiredhim.
My brother and I have had our differences when it comes to love and lust, but even I will not bed a woman who does not wish me to.
Anteros.
Sitting up slowly, I realize that I have a plan, or at least something that could loosely be called that. Death would most certainly disagree, but he is not here.
I am.
