by Bella Klaus
Healer Iaso cleared her throat.
I turned to her and asked, “Shall we begin on the panacea?”
The dryads emerged from behind a clump of banana plants, with one of them holding the bowl of pyramid-shaped seeds, and the other with the pot of sandy soil.
After she placed the pot on the ground, I sifted through my memories of the garden and found one of me sitting cross-legged in front of an aloe vera plant with my fingers clutching its serrated leaves. Blood streamed from my hands as I pushed my magic into it, making me realize the missing ingredient.
I shook off that thought. The blood of one god was poisonous to another. There was no way I could infuse a healing plant with something I needed to give Hades.
He placed a palm on my back. “What’s wrong?”
I told him through our link, adding, “What if Persephone made it poisonous?”
Hades didn’t reply for a long time. I was about to ask what he was thinking about when he sent me an image of the first time he’d been invited to her garden. “She had fortified the wards with her magic so that nobody could enter without her permission,” he said, his voice bitter. “It was more beautiful than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.”
In the memory, Hades walked side by side through the paved paths of a wild garden bursting with more color than an impressionist painting. A thick bramble rose from within the flowers and scratched Hades’ arm, its thorns releasing a green venom.
Hades stared from the wound to the flowers, where the bramble had disappeared, but Persephone took him by the wrist and offered him something that would help.
He followed after her, still glancing over his shoulder into the tall flower bed, only stopping when Persephone sat him on a rock and stroked his cheek.
As she walked to the panacea plant, Hades stared at her ass, seeming mesmerized by the thinness of her gown.
My lips formed a tight line. “She was distracting you.”
“Yes,” he growled.
Persephone broke off a leaf and sauntered over to him, her beautiful features warmed by a smile. Green liquid oozed from the panacea leaf, which she drizzled on his wound with the same loving attention Hades had paid me in Persephone’s garden when I’d gotten attacked by a plant.
I held my breath, waiting to see what would happen next, but the venom streamed out from the cut, which healed itself.
Persephone stared from the pristine skin to Hades’ eyes, her features stricken. I swallowed hard. She was disappointed that he hadn’t died.
Pain flooded our bond, both from me at the realization of what my former self had tried to do, and from Hades. “This is a new revelation,” he said. “I thought she had been mortified about the thorns.
“When did this happen?” I asked.
“About seventy-five years into our relationship,” he replied.
“Before she fell in love?”
Hades nodded.
I hesitated for a few moments before plucking up the courage to ask, “What do you want to do about the panacea?”
“Use your blood,” he said. “If that’s the missing piece that will restore my health—”
“Wait.” I placed my hand over his. “What if this backfires?”
“Explain.”
“She made panacea as a weapon to use against you, but I love you with all my heart. If I pour my affection into the plant, what if that turns it into something else.”
Hades cupped my cheek with a warm hand. “You’re a goddess. As long as you’re thinking purposefully about your creations, nothing will go wrong.”
“Your Majesties?” The healer positioned herself behind the dryads. “We are ready to commence.”
“Do you have a knife?” I stared into her lined face. “The seed needs a drop of my blood.”
Her features loosened with a surprised gasp, and she slipped her hand into the pocket of her cloak and extracted a small scalpel. I pricked the tip of my finger and poured a few drops into the soil.
“Why not on the seed directly?” Hades asked through our link.
“I can’t bring myself to take the risk. The roots can suck up the blood and turn whatever is poisonous into healing power.”
Hades didn’t reply, and I pushed my magic into both the seed and the soil, letting the plant grow to full size. This one looked identical to the previous panacea I’d grown, except the power radiating off it vibrated against my skin.
Healer Iaso broke off a leaf and drenched it with white power, which stripped off its thick rind and exposed the gel. Her magic turned the green substance liquid, and it dropped onto the floor in the form of IV bags.
“Wonderful work.” She walked to Hades’ current container of panacea and was about to swap it for the darker one. “This will be even more potent than before.”
“What if he reacts badly to this batch?” I asked in a small voice.
“We still have plenty of this morning’s panacea,” the healer replied with a frown. “Do you have any cause to worry?”
“None whatsoever,” Hades said before I could speak. “Continue with the new batch.”
I gulped. After everything he’d shown me, I was surprised that he had any faith in me at all. The old Persephone had shown him nothing but contempt.
Even though part of me understood why she’d been so resentful, even though these were the early days of their relationship, I couldn’t help but feel that she wasn’t worth two thousand years of pining.
Healer Iaso turned to Hades. “Please lie on your back so that Her Majesty can deactivate the pollen.”
Hades lounged on the bed of moss and cracked open an eye. “Do I need to do anything?”
I shook my head. “The process is quite simple, but I’d like to keep the pollen in a jar in case we need it for something else.”
The healer reached into her cloak and extracted a glass container. “I’d be happy to levitate the plant matter as soon as you extract it.”
“All right.”
I went through the same process as before with the convicts, first commanding the pollen to stop consuming Hades’ lungs and then pulling it out with my magic. As it streamed out through Hades’ parted lips, Healer Iaso collected it for me in the jar.
He jerked forward, coughing out a spray of blood that made my stomach tighten with alarm. The healer eased him back onto the moss, and he exhaled a long breath.
“What now?” I asked.
“His Majesty’s magic levels are too depleted at the moment to heal his lungs, but the panacea will do the job for him.”
We waited in silence for several excruciating moments as Hades’ chest rose and fell. While the dryads and Healer Iaso were probably concerned about the pollen, I couldn’t stop thinking that Persephone had made the panacea to be a poison.
When he exhaled a rattling breath that made my heart jump to the back of my throat, I clutched my chest and spoke through our bond. “How is it?”
“There’s no more sensation of ants crawling through my lungs,” he said.
“Anything else?” I clasped my hands and stared down at his prone form.
He was still paler than usual, seeming a little diminished compared to his exuberant self. It was a wonder that he was still going after Mother had turned him into food for a ravenous configuration of roots.
Hades took another breath, but this one was much smoother than the last. My tongue darted out to lick my dry lips. This had to be a good sign. I turned to Healer Iaso and asked, “Can you check on him?”
“Give the panacea a few more moments to do its job.” She turned to the IV bag, which was still nearly full.
“Can you give him some to eat?”
Hades wrinkled his nose. “Have you tasted Panacea?”
I rolled my eyes. “If it saves your life, who cares if it’s bitter?”
He sat up on the bed of moss and pulled me onto his lap. “When I kiss you, I want to make sure I don’t taste of pungent vegetation.”
My heart flipped like a crêpe. “Hades?”
“In the flesh, and feeling infinitely better than before.” He turned to the dryads and Healer Iaso. “Will you excuse me? I would like to reward my wife for her tireless commitment to restoring my health.”
Chapter Sixteen
My gaze darted from the departing healer to Hades’ flaming eyes, and my lips parted with a shocked breath. We needed to conduct tests on his lungs, make sure I’d removed all the pollen, and check that the panacea wouldn’t have any negative effects.
Before I could protest, Hades grabbed my hand and teleported me to the side of a great lake surrounded by rolling green hills. To our left was a limestone pagoda surrounded by the kinds of columns I’d seen within the memory of Mother and Persephone sitting by the pool. Trees I’d never seen before formed a dense forest, their trunks wrapped in vines of multicolored flowers.
I placed a hand over my mouth, marveling at all these unknown species of plants we couldn’t possibly get in the Human World. Not with such beautiful turquoise skies streaked with soft pink clouds.
A floral scent filled my nostrils, and I tipped my head up to find us standing beneath the overhang of a wisteria tree with pendulous mauve flowers. Something on the left squawked, and I glanced down at a muster of peacocks strutting around the stone pagoda. Their plumage blended perfectly with the landscape.
“Are we in Heaven?” I asked.
“This is a chunk of the Elysian Fields,” he said. “It’s the Fifth Faction’s ultimate seat of power.”
I turned to him, my brow furrowing. Hades still wore the black pajamas the healer had dressed him in for his final treatment, and his hair was still tousled as though he’d just gotten out of bed. It took all the willpower I could muster to focus on persuading him to return for a test.
“If we didn’t remove all the pollen—”
He placed a finger on my lips. “I’m fine.”
I stepped back. “How could you possibly know? And why should I believe you when you clearly just want to have sex?”
His face split into a grin of dazzling white teeth, and he snaked an arm around my back, bringing our bodies close. His hard length pressed into my belly, making me clench the muscles of my core.
“But I always want to have sex with you,” he said in a deep voice that make my skin tingle. “All night, all day, and in every way imaginable.”
“Ha.” I tried to keep the excited tremble out of my voice, but the effort was futile. “I knew this was a ploy. How about we return to Healer Iaso, get the tests, and return here when we’re sure your body can handle the strain.”
His laugh made my nipples tighten, and all the fine hairs on the back of my head stand on end. It was dark, wicked, and promised endless pleasure. “Request denied.”
I pressed a palm into the center of his chest, trying to pull back, but Hades held onto me with a firm grip. “Why are you being so stubborn?”
“Because I’ve wanted to do this with you since Caria told me about your lightning power.”
My head snapped up. “What are you talking about?”
“This place is where we power the wards.”
I took another glance at the idyllic landscape. “How can this be the Fifth Faction?”
“This was put here by our angel overlords. Each monarch has their own slice of home, where they can relax, charge the wards, and maintain the integrity of their Faction.”
“Why didn’t you bring me here before?” I whispered, trying not to sound betrayed.
Hades wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. “First, you needed to be crowned, and secondly…”
I tilted my head up, meeting his eyes. Eyes that shone with love instead of lust, eyes that looked deep into my soul and accepted every part of me, including those that had shunned him in my previous life. My throat thickened, and I swallowed hard, already knowing what he would say next.
He hadn’t been sure about me. Why would he, when I’d resisted him at almost every stage of our relationship? First, I’d seen the Devil’s Ball as a means to escape Hell. Second, I hadn’t forgiven him for not telling me about Persephone’s body, even when I knew we were the same person. Third…
Tears stung the backs of my eyes as I recalled the memory of Hades standing in the corner, watching Persephone badmouth him to the coven. It had been one thing to do this while she still despised him, but to continue the charade long after they’d fallen in love had been unforgivable.
I placed a hand on his cheek. “It’s all right. I already know why you hesitated before showing me this place.”
The smile he gave me was crooked. “There was only the smallest window of time where I felt our relationship was secure before Demeter animated this body.”
“Oh.” I bowed my head.
“Earlier, I said you could keep the magic from the Devil’s Ball, but I want to know if you’re ready to release some of it into the wards,” he said.
I raised my gaze, looking him full in the face. “Just show me how to do it.”
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“Of course.” I gave him a firm nod.
“Because pushing the power into the Fifth will join you to this Faction for life.”
“And you?” I asked with a smile.
He nodded. “It’s almost like a marriage, except with magic instead of vows.”
“I’m more than ready.” I raised myself to my tiptoes and pressed a kiss on his soft lips. “Is there some sort of ritual?”
He threaded his fingers through the back of my hair. “Do you remember earlier when you accused me of bringing you here for the sole purpose of sex?”
My eyes narrowed. “Yes?”
“You were wrong. I brought you here to perform sex magic.”
“What’s the difference?” I slid my hand down the column of his neck, enjoying how he shivered under my touch.”
“Do you remember how we connected power in Persephone’s Garden?”
An image of Hades’ skin covered in lighting scars filled my mind, and all the moisture left my throat. “Yes?”
“This time, when we join power, I’m going to channel it into the wards.”
“Will it fill up your battery?”
He chuckled. “What a delightful phrase. Yes, it will power me just as much as it will reinforce the integrity of the Fifth.”
I licked my lips, and Hades’ irises flared with a burst of desire. “What are we waiting for?”
“How do you want to do this?” I rocked forward on my heels.
Hades took my hand and guided me to the pagoda, making the peacocks flare their wings and fly away. One of them made a honking sound that made me huff a laugh.
“Bugger off,” Hades muttered.
“Are they planning on bothering us as we have sex?” I gave a particularly large bird a sideways glance, and he flared out his impressive plumage.
Hades ascended the structure’s steps, released my hands, wrapped an arm around my waist. “Not unless they want to get blasted by all the power we’re about to generate.”
The peacock in question crept toward us, but one fiery hiss from Hades had him leaping into the air and flying away on wings that were almost as impressive as his tail.
“Nuisance managed.” He pulled me into his front, so his erection ground against my belly. “Now, do I have your attention?”
Heat surged between my legs, and I pressed my thighs together. Slipping my hands beneath the silk of his pajama top, I ran my fingers up his hard abs.
“What’s next?” I placed a soft kiss on his lips.
His deep chuckle made my nipples tighten. “Eager, Kora?”
“Whenever it comes to my husband?” I gave his lips a little kitten lick. “Always.”
Hades swiped his tongue across his lips and hummed. “As usual, you are exquisite.”
I pulled his pajama top off, revealing golden skin and a bellybutton devoid of lotus flowers. Licking my lips, I trailed my hands down the waistband of his pants.
“You do realize you’re a goddess,” he drawled.
A giggle burst from my chest. “You want me to undress you with my magic?”
He leaned into me and ran the flat of his tongue along my neck, sending ripples of pleasure across my skin. “The sooner we’re both naked, the sooner we can connect our power.”
I blinked, and all the clothes vanished from our bodies. My gaze racked down the planes and contours of his shoulders, his chest, his taut abs, and settled on the huge erection standing to attention.
My throat dried, even though saliva flooded my mouth. “Ready now?”
Hades pressed a kiss on the side of my neck, making my eyelids close. “I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. No matter which shell you occupy, you will never stop being the most desirable woman in all the worlds.”
I sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. “There’s only one god for me.”
With a satisfied growl, he traced a path of kisses down my neck, over my breasts, my ribcage, and my belly. I bit down my bottom lip and tried to stop my legs from trembling, but this body was too sensitive to Hades’ touch.
Maybe it was immortality. Maybe it was muscle memory. Maybe it was the fact that we’d finally found each other after so long. But right then, I felt like this was the moment that would finally make us both whole.
He knelt between my legs, parted my thighs, and pressed his face into my sex. “I want to bury myself into your tight, wet pussy.”
A moan spilled from my lips. “Please.”
“First, I want a taste.” Without so much as a warning, his tongue flicked out and grazed my swollen clit.
It was like being hit by lightning. Electricity traveled through my every nerve ending, making me cry out. I stumbled forward and caught myself on his broad shoulders.
“Careful.” He held my hips steady. “Perhaps we should have you lying on a bed when I eat your pussy.”
“That might be for the best,” I said with a chuckle.
Hades lowered himself to the ground and sat in the lotus position, his thick erection standing flush against his belly. He reached up and pulled me onto his lap, making sure to adjust my legs so they were curled around his back.
