AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why are you telling me this now?” I asked, my voice cracking with the weight of my feelings.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if gathering the strength to speak. When he opened them again, they were filled with something that made my heart stutter.
“Because I almost lost you tonight,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “And I realized that nothing—no prophecy, no power—could ever compare to what I feel for you. I’ve already lived so long in darkness, Aria. I can’t bear the thought of living in it without you.”
Tears pricked at my eyes, my heart wrenching at the sight of this powerful man brought to his knees before me. This wasn’t the Hades I had feared, the king who ruled with an iron fist. This was the man beneath the crown, the man who had fought for me, who had saved me, who was now offering me everything he had.
“And what if I say yes?” I asked, trembling with the weight of the decision that hung between us. “What if I choose to stay?”
“Then I swear to you, I will spend the rest of my life proving that you made the right choice,” he said with an earnestness that leftno room for doubt. “I will protect you, cherish you, and love you with everything I am. Aria, will you marry me? Will you be my queen, not out of obligation or duty, but out of love?”
His words broke something inside me, the last of my resistance crumbling as I looked into his eyes and saw the truth reflected there. He wasn’t asking for power, wasn’t asking for control—he was asking for me, for my heart. And for the first time, I realized that maybe, just maybe I was willing to give it.
Tears slipped down my cheeks as I nodded, choked with emotion.
“Yes,” I whispered, barely able to believe the word as it left my lips. “Yes, I’ll stay. I’ll marry you.”
The relief and joy that washed over his face was overwhelming. He rose to his feet, pulling me into his arms with a gentleness that belied his strength. His hands cupped my face, his thumbs brushing away my tears as he leaned in, his breath warm against my lips.
“I promise, Aria,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I will never let anything happen to you. You are my heart, my light in the darkness, and I will spend the rest of my life making sure you know just how much you mean to me. I know I don’t deserve you. I know that I’ve made mistakes, that I’ve hurt you in ways I can never fully atone for. But I swear to you, I will give you everything I have, everything I am. I will prove to you that I’m not a monster.”
He took a deep breath, his voice lowering to a whisper. “I love you, Aria. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. You’ve become my world, my everything.”
Before I could respond, before I could tell him that I loved him too, he leaned in and kissed me. This kiss was different than any kiss before it—deeper, more intense, filled with a love so profound it left me trembling in his arms. I could feel his devotion in every touch, every brush of his lips against mine, and it was overwhelming in the best possible way.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes were soft, filled with a tenderness that made my heart swell.
“I’ll never let you go,” he whispered, his voice fierce with determination. “I’ll protect you, cherish you, and love you until the end of time. I swear it.”
I smiled through my tears, my heart full to bursting. “I love you too, Hades,” I answered.
CHAPTER 24
Helheim
Hades
She loved me too.
I felt something inside me shift, like the final piece of a puzzle falling into place. It was as if the darkness that had surrounded me for so long was beginning to lift, replaced by the warmth of her love, a love I never thought myself capable of deserving.
I gazed at her, my heart pounding with emotions I could barely contain. She was everything—my light, my salvation, myqueen. And I knew in that moment that I would spend the rest of my life making sure she knew just how much she meant to me.
Gently, I placed my hand over the gash on her arm, the warmth of my touch mingling with the cool shadows that began to swirl around my fingers. My magic seeped into her wounds, knitting the torn flesh back together. I moved my hand slowly, guiding the healing energy to each bruise, each cut, until her skin was once again smooth and unblemished, the only reminder of herordeal the memory that I would never allow her to face such danger alone again.
Without another word, I swept her up into my arms, cradling her against my chest as I rose to my feet. Her eyes widened in surprise, but a smile played at the corners of her lips, her arms wrapping around my neck as she nestled closer. I couldn’t help but smile back, my heart swelling with a fierce protectiveness.
“I’m taking you somewhere special,” I murmured as I carried her through the tunnels, her soft warmth against me a comfort I never wanted to let go of.
She tilted her head to look up at me, curiosity shining in those golden eyes I had come to love. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” I replied, the corners of my mouth lifting in a secretive smile.
I carried her out of the tunnel exit, and we stepped out into the open, the endless twilight casting its ethereal glow over the landscape. Gently, I set Aria down on her feet, my hands lingering on her waist as I looked down at her.
“Stay close,” I said softly, my voice tinged with affection.
Her hand found mine, our fingers intertwining in a gesture that felt both intimate and reassuring. With a slight nod, I took a step back, letting go of her hand as I allowed the transformation to take hold.
