Аполлион

As we headed down a long, dark hallway covered with black velvet tapestries, Caleb watched Aiden and me, a strange look on his face.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head. “You guys are really doing this—the relationship, out in the open and all?”

Aiden’s hand wrapped more firmly around mine. “I think right now the world has bigger problems than a pure and a half being in love.”

My heart did a happy dance at the last part. Just hearing him say that—the L-word—could chase away all the dark shadows and expectations.

Persephone’s throaty chuckle drifted back to us. “Isn’t that the truth? Besides, they are not the first, nor the last.”

Caleb’s sky-blue eyes settled on Aiden. “And you’re not going to try to hide the relationship once everything settles down?”

The challenge in his tone had me smiling.

“Not going to happen,” Aiden told him. “It won’t be easy, but we’ll find a way.”

“Good.” Caleb’s eyes hardened. “Because if you do her wrong, I will haunt your ass until you die.”

I burst into laughter and so did Aiden, even though we both knew Caleb was being serious. Letting go of Aiden’s hand, I wrapped my arm around Caleb. “That won’t be necessary.”

The goddess stopped in front of a bronze door. With a wave of her hand, it sprang open. Good thing she was helping us out, because I had no idea how Caleb would’ve pulled that off.

At the rush of cold air, we stepped into the circular chamber. There were so many weapons on the wall - battle axes, spears, swords, and pikes. There were morbid items too, like the heads of long-forgotten animals slaughtered in the hunt and an entire section dedicated to cutoff ponytails.

I cleared my throat. “Nice… room.”

“It’s Hades’ war room.” Awe filled Aiden’s tone. “Damn.”

“The weapons are my husband’s, but…” Persephone slid a dismissive glance around the war room. “These are mostly Ares’ trophies, not my beloved’s. Hades does have a tendency to swing a little on the morbid side, but the hair…” She gestured at the sheared ponytails tacked onto the wall. “Those belong to Ares. He likes to cut the hair of those he’s conquered and then strings them up for all to see. It disturbs most of the other gods, so he keeps them here.”

Caleb’s brows rose. “Nice decorative touch, I guess.”

There was something eerily familiar about the hair. Not the whole cutting it off and hanging it on walls, because, thank the gods, that was strange to me. But there was something that poked at my memory.

“You know Ares,” Persephone said, drawing us further into the war room. “To him, everything is about war and its spoils. Peace practically emasculates him. He believes one should never turn his back on war…” She trailed off and gave a dainty shrug. “He should be thrilled now, with everything on the brink.”

“He’s probably a happy camper,” Caleb said, sliding a WTF glance my way.

I shrugged, but that weird sensation was there, nagging at me. Did Persephone mean never turn their back on Ares, a.k.a. “Mr. War,” or just on war itself?

“Here we are.” She stopped in front of a marble pedestal. Demonic faces were etched into the marble of the basin and ruby-red water filled it. “All you have to do is stand before it and call for the soul you wish to speak to—any soul—and they will be summoned here.”

“Any soul?” My breath caught as an image of my mother filled my head.

“Yes, but I can only allow you to use it once. So choose wisely.” Persephone giggled. “I feel like I’m in Indian James and the Lost Ark.”

Aiden cast his gaze to the floor, jaw flexing to hide his grin.

Caleb rolled his eyes. “It’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

“Oh.” She shrugged. “Same thing.”

My gaze dipped to the basin. My mom’s name was on the tip of my tongue, and I knew without looking at Aiden that he was thinking about his parents. Either of us would probably give anything to see them, especially after how wrong the spirits had been at the portal.

Persephone’s gaze turned knowing. “Ah, the chance to see a loved one is a hard one to pass over.”

“You would know,” Aiden said quietly.

Her smile slowly faded. “I would. Perhaps some find me selfish for the decisions I have made and the impact they have had.”

Recalling the myth of Persephone, I shook my head. “No. You were smart. You made sure that both could have you—Hades andyour mom.”

If she felt smug for how it all turned out in the end, the whole splitting of time and the seasons, she didn’t show it—surprising, since the gods weren’t a humble bunch of folks.

Turning back to the basin, she clasped her hands in front of her. “It is time to make your choice, and then you must leave.”

I looked at Aiden, who nodded. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes, reflecting what I knew shone in mine. Caleb placed his hand on my shoulder. As much as I wanted to see my mom, as much as I wanted to gift Aiden with the chance to see his parents, neither of us could be that selfish.

Stepping up to the basin, I stared into the still red water that reminded me of blood. Actually, it was thick like blood, and there was a faint metallic scent. Ew.