Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 74198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
In the hallway, Persephone loops her arm through mine with her other hand on my forearm and stays close to me while we walk, guards ahead of us and behind. Her hip brushes against me. As if she cannot part from me either. I focus on that. On her desire to be at my side. I sink into that gratitude and the pride she has of being the righteous queen she is.
“You know it would not stop me,” I whisper by the shell of her ear.
“What would not stop you?”
“The guards. The daylight. Take your pick, my queen. None of it would stop me from having you here and now.”
Persephone gasps, mockingly she questions, “You would let them watch?”
My tone lowers as I respond coldly, “They would not watch if they knew what was best for them.”
“You could not punish them for watching if you chose to do such a thing.”
A bark of laughter leaves me. The laugh catches the guards ahead of us as they share a glance. Perhaps even a subtle smile. I do not watch them for long. I am far more interested in watching the color deepen in Persephone’s cheeks.
“Promise me you wouldn’t,” she demands, nudging me with her elbow.
“You have my word.”
Persephone purses her lips. “I suppose I will have to trust you.” The lightness between us is pleasing. I carry it with me as we walk, leaving behind whatever had come over me.
I lean down to speak into her ear again. “I would not punish them for watching. But they would not watch, either. You are their queen, and not one of my guards would look at you in a private moment unless you asked them to.”
She is quiet for too long.
“Truthfully though, I don’t care about the guards,” I say into her ear, like this is the most salacious thing I could imagine. “I don’t care who is watching. All I care about is you. Unless it bothered you.”
Persephone meets my eyes.
“I don’t care about who fucking sees us, Hades. Let them watch, so long as I have you.” She does not know how strongly she draws me to her. Tipping her chin up like that is nearly too much. I want to guide her into an alcove, push up her gown, and fuck her until she falls asleep from sated exhaustion.
Desperation is unbecoming, I know.
“Careful, my queen,” I tease and then allow her a gentle kiss in front of the guards.
It’s been too long since I held court, and it’s important to Persephone that I remain the ruler of my realms in more than name. That means passing judgments. That means hearing what the souls who dwell here would ask from me. Answering whatever questions they have with honesty and transparency.
The guards, donned in blackened iron armor with skeletal etchings and dark red capes the color of blood, pull open the wide doors before us, and we walk into the court.
Persephone stands taller as we make our way through those who have gathered for today’s session. The room, grand as it is, is crowded, but it is silent. The crack of the doors closing and the armored boots of the guards clinking is all that can be heard. Anticipation and fear mingle in the air. A twinge of guilt at their fear stirs in the pit of my stomach. Surely, these souls do not think I would destroy them at court.
Do they?
I resign myself to the idea that they must. Their fear is sickening. It troubles them to a maddening degree. I’ve sent demons to the mortal realm. Purely out of anger, I’ve torn souls apart in nearly every part of my realms to make space. I must show them that I will not lose my temper here. That court is still a place of fair consideration. I will stand as their righteous king, and they will come to trust me again elsewhere in my realms as well.
The whispers begin as Persephone turns to face them before taking her seat.
Gracefully, Persephone takes her seat next to me, and that is when it happens. The wave of souls kneeling begins at the front of the room and floods backward until every person there is on one knee, bowing their heads for my queen. The sight is chilling in the most delectable of ways.
They bow for our queen. The pride I feel is a sinful thing.
“Oh,” Persephone whispers, and extends a raised hand to them, acknowledging the gesture. “You may rise,” she says finally, her voice thick with emotion. Her wide beautiful eyes turn glassy, and I reach over to place my hand over her hand that rests on her lap. She’s quick to turn it so we’re palm to palm and she squeezes my hand in return.
“We will begin,” I say, raising my voice so all can hear, and the gathered crowd shifts its weight. Souls rearrange themselves, shuffling on the spot. I wait for the doors to open and the first soul to be judged brought before us.