She brightened like he had given her the stars in the sky. “Thank you, Hades.”
Hades snapped his fingers, and the two teleported to the Ruby Suite upstairs. It was one of several rooms Hades used when bargaining with mortals. They were all named after precious stones. He chose this one intentionally, as a bit of a jab at Aphrodite. Ruby was passion—something she lacked these days. The walls were red, and black fabric was draped from floor to ceiling, framing sensual monochrome photos. A pack of unopened cards sat at the center of a table, which was positioned under a pool of muted light.
As Hades took his seat, he offered them to Aphrodite. “Would you like to deal?”
“No.” A smile curled her lips. “I’ll let you retain some power, Aidoneus.”
He glared at her. He did not like that nickname. Mortals used it out of fear. She used it now to taunt him.
“Blackjack, then.”
“Five hands,” Aphrodite said. “Whoever wins the most, sets stakes.”
Hades agreed, dealt the first hand, and lost. His fingers curled into a fist on his thigh.
“What do you see when you look at my soul, Hades?” Aphrodite asked offhand, pursing her lips as he dispensed the cards again.
The question was not all that surprising. It was one he received often, but never from Aphrodite.
“Why do you ask?”
When she met his gaze, he saw she was serious and that she also feared the truth. It was present in her eyes, a shadow that flickered across her expression. She did not look at him long before focusing on her cards.
“Hit me,” she said, and Hades gave her another card before revealing their hands—Hades had two aces and a twelve of diamonds, Aphrodite, a bust. She frowned at her loss but continued to speak as Hades dealt a third hand.
“I just wonder if I’m as horrible as Hephaestus seems to think.”
Aphrodite was not horrible, but her union with Hephaestus had hardened her heart and broken her spirit. What was left was a spiteful and cynical shell.
Hades had been bitter once, too, but unlike Aphrodite, who dealt with her anger and loneliness by entertaining herself with mortals and gods, he had isolated himself further and further, until the only thing people could do was make up stories and tales about the elusive God of the Underworld.
“Hephaestus does not think you are horrible, Aphrodite. He’s just afraid to love you.” She offered a mocking laugh, so Hades challenged, “Have you ever told him you love him?”
“What relevance does that have to my question?”
Everything, Hades wanted to say.
“You were a gift to Hephaestus at a time when you flaunted your lovers. From his perspective, you were a reluctant bride.”
It did not matter that Hades knew the truth. Aphrodite had always been enchanted by the God of Fire. In ancient times, on the rare occasions Hades had gone to Mount Olympus, he had caught her watching Hephaestus, mostly frowning because he did not give her the time of day.
But Hades knew Hephaestus well, too. The god was of a different sort. He was not eager to be under the spotlight, less eager to speak. He took pleasure in solitude and innovation, and in his heart, he felt…unworthy, mostly due to his treatment in antiquity. As a god with only one leg, he was often—and wrongly—mocked. Overtime, Hephaestus adapted, fashioning prosthetics, and now sported one made of gold.
“I’m not surprised Hephaestus is not interested in forcing you into monogamy.”
Aphrodite was silent for a moment, focusing on their game, and as they turned their cards, Hades bit down on his tongue—a bust. He had dealt himself one too many cards.
Aphrodite was in the lead.
Finally, she admitted, “I asked Zeus for a divorce. He will not grant it.”
Hades’ brows rose. “Does Hephaestus know?”
“I imagine he does now.”
“You want Hephaestus’ love, why ask for a divorce?”
“I will not pine after him.”
“You are sending mixed messages, Aphrodite. You want Hephaestus’ love, but you ask for a divorce. Have you even tried talking to him?”
“Have you?” she snapped, glaring at Hades. “He might as well be mute!”
Hades grimaced. He had a feeling Hephaestus kept quiet because her temper was a short fuse.
“You haven’t answered my question, Hades.”
The god watched her for a moment. He did not particularly like answering questions about the soul. Often, god and mortal alike were not ready to hear what he had to say. Aphrodite was no different. Parts of her soul were a garden, full of roses and lilies and sunshine, dreamy and quiet. Others were a storm, raging over a churning sea—furious and devastating. She was broken, split in two like a cracked mirror, straddling a line. One day, she would choose a side.
“You have a beautiful soul, Aphrodite. Passionate. Determined. Romantic. But you are desperate to be loved and believe yourself unlovable.”
He spoke as they played their last hand, and when Aphrodite flipped her cards, a wide smile broke out across her face. Whatever she felt about Hades’ comments was lost in her excitement.
“It’s time for terms, Hades.”
He scowled and sat back in his chair, glaring. Aphrodite threw her head back in laughter.
“Someone does not like to lose.”
Her words were like a poker in his side. Hades did not actually mind losing. He lost all the time when he bargained with mortals, but he had not wanted to lose to Aphrodite.
The goddess pressed a finger to her chin and offered a soft hum, as if she did not know what to ask of him. She was wasting his time. She knew what she wanted, but just as he was about to bark at her, she spoke.
“Fall in love, Hades. Better yet, find a girl who will fall in love with you.” Then Aphrodite clapped and exclaimed, “That’s it! Make someone fall in love with you!”
Hades’ jaw tightened, and Aphrodite stared back as if she wished to see to his soul in turn. Her terms were insulting. If it were that easy to fall in love, he would not be alone now.
“Is this your idea of a joke?” he asked, his voice quiet and calm, despite the anger twisting his insides. He was going to have to torture someone just to release the tension in his body.
“Not a joke,” she said, raising a thin blonde brow. “You’ve offered love advice. Follow it.”
Not a joke then, but retribution. She was frustrated with him for offering his opinion on her marriage.
“And if I can’t meet those terms?”
Her smile cut across her face wickedly.
“Then you will release Basil from the Underworld.”
“Your lover?” Hades could not keep the disgust from his voice. They’d just spent the last few minutes discussing her love for Hephaestus, and here she was asking for a man—her hero, to be exact. Basil had fought and died for her in The Great War. “Why? Don’t you want Hephaestus to admit that he loves you?”
She glared at him. “Hephaestus is a lost cause.”
“You haven’t even tried!”
“Basil, Hades. He is who I want.”
“Because you imagine yourself in love with him?”
“What do you know of love? You’ve never loved in your lifetime.”
Those words did not hurt, so much as embarrass him. He leaned toward the goddess.