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Poseidon
Later that day, I appeared in front of Hades’s dump. Apollo came to tell me what Elyse had said to him and thought I’d do a better job of getting more information out of my brother. I wasn’t sure it would work, but Hades would more likely speak to me than Apollo.
If my brother wasn’t at fault here, why didn’t he help us stop X? I couldn’t stand that my brother hurt as much as he did. First Persephone, and now X’s atrocities on his conscience? If it was true, of course.
“What do you want?” Hades blurted when he opened the door.
“We have to talk,” I said.
He rolled his eyes but he let me in. “I don’t really want company.”
“Too bad,” I grumbled. “What’s going on with you and X?”
Hades groaned. “Why does everyone think I’m the one to blame for this?”
“Because it’s X, Hades,” I said. “Because he’s always been a part of you. But Persephone doesn’t seem to think so.”
Hades’s frustration morphed into a glare almost immediately. “You talked to her?” he snarled. “What the fuck made you think it’s okay to chat with my ex? God, nothing is sacred with you people, is it?”
“Calm down. She’s my family too, so of course I’ll talk to her if I need to.” Fuck, his irritation was getting to me because I felt jumpy, as if I wore a straitjacket and just needed to break free. “But this time, I didn’t talk to her. She came to Earth and looked up Elyse.”
Hades blinked at me, as shocked about the news as I’d been.
“You’re kidding me, right? You’re just here to fuck with me.”
I sighed and walked to one of the couches facing the television. The inside of the house was fit for a king, with lush furnishing, paintings on the pearl white walls, and exquisite rugs. It was just the outside that resembled a crap-heap. But I understood what Hades was trying to do. I glanced around, and I wondered if it was the case with him as a person, too. Was he a dick on the outside but nice on the inside? Did that mean Persephone’s message was real because she truly cared for him?
There was no way I’d know if his good side was real. He was so damn shut off from the rest of us. Had always been that way.
“Trust me,” I finally said. “I wouldn’t go out of my way only to fuck with you. I’m serious. Elyse is a little unsure about what to make of the visit.”
“Well, she should just reject anything that witch said about me.”
I pushed my shoulders back. “She said you’re not to blame for what X is doing.”
That pulled Hades up short. He flopped down in an armchair, his legs planted wide, his elbows on his knees. His face was incredulous.
“She said that?” he asked in a softer voice, his gazed fixed on the rug under his feet.
“Yeah. She’s coming to your defense, believe it or not.”
“Why the fuck would she do that?” he questioned.
It was a damn shame he was so used to being treated badly that he couldn’t fathom someone wouldn’t want to hurt him.
“Look, I’m sorry about all of this.” The words were hard to say, but what if I’d been wrong this whole time, blaming my brother unjustly?
Hades narrowed his eyes at me. “What do you mean, you’re sorry?”
“How many meanings can an apology have?” I asked. “Seriously, I thought you were a dick, looking for attention. I was wrong. I didn’t realize that this thing with you and Persephone was so serious.”
“Did you think we were playing happy family for centuries to humor Hera after she cursed me?” Hades sneered, straightening his posture.
I sighed. He was so angry, but who could blame him?
“That’s the point I’m making,” I said carefully replied, articulating each word. “I realize now how hard the breakup had to be. I want to be here for you now because I wasn’t before.”
