Heph: Modern Descendants 3, page 10
“Are you okay?” he breathed. His black hoodie, open at the chest, exposed a dark T-shirt underneath, accessorizing dark jeans and heavy boots.
“I…I’m fine.” My stutter was a new thing, but I didn’t know how to respond to the stranger before me, piercing me with sapphire eyes, shades darker than his skin. A white scar cut his face from forehead to chin at his hairline and a slice over his lips matched. His eyes narrowed in concern.
“Are you one of Hestia’s girls?” Surprised that he knew her, or potentially recognized me, I didn’t answer as I slowly rose, ready to take aim at him with my hands. My arrows remained in my room. The beautiful new set matched a new bow Heph had forged for me. My heart couldn’t think of him, in my fear. My eyes did not leave the stranger.
“Who are you?” My voice sounded stronger than I felt, my palms flat as the need for protection took over my broken heart. My blood boiled, fueling the flame as it rolled through me for its destination. A spark at my left hand let me know I was almost there. His eyes didn’t miss the sharp light.
“Fire.” His eyebrow rose. “Definitely one of Hestia’s girls.” My shoulders dropped as I stared. My head tilted just the slightest in question. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m nearly family. My name is Hades.”
+ + +
We walked in silence after introductions were made. My eyes continued to shift to the blue creature, human in every way but color, who stalked beside me. We cleared the trees to see people gathered around the fire pit. More chairs were added to accommodate the growing number of guests, but quiet murmurs did not present a rowdy celebration. As we drew closer, Seraphine screamed: “Hades!” Springing from her seat, she ran for the man we were anticipating, but I did not expect. No one had mentioned his color, or the fact that he would arrive by way of the river. Seraphine surprised me further by lunging at the man beside me. He chuckled as he caught her, and she muttered something into his neck. Staring in wonder, the greeting was not what I expected, either. I had imagined another girl approaching him in such a manner.
As if on cue, the side door opened and slammed shut. Blonde hair effervescent in the night slowly moved toward the couple embracing. Her motions calculated, her grace refined, Persephone kept her eyes forward as she moved evenly to Hades and Seraphine. Hades released Seraphine instantly, my blue-haired sister stepping back as Persephone approached.
“I’m sorry, I’m late,” Hades greeted his girl, who stared unblinking at him in the dark.
“You’re here. You can be here? At Hestia’s? At my aunt’s home?” The questions surprised me as I eased away from them, but not far enough to miss their conversation. They definitely had an audience, as all eyes were on them.
“I can be here.” He reached out to brush back a loose hair in the evening breeze and held his hand behind her ear. She nodded slowly, her head lowering, and Hades bent at the knees to look up at her.
“You aren’t excited to see me.” The question, stated as a comment, came so quietly only those closest could hear him. Seraphine stepped further away. I turned away from them.
“I am,” Persephone said quietly. “Yes, I am.” Arms encased her hips, and he lifted her to his height. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and they stood in an embrace that broke my heart. Love radiated from her, encircling his dark presence, and my eyes swung to Heph’s without thought. He sat in the same chair where we slept nights ago. His posture the same: an ankle crossed over his knee, a hand propping up his chin. He hadn’t acknowledged me.
“Phyre, come join us,” Veva called out pleasantly. Heph remained closed off.
“I think our new friend has had quite the shock in meeting me,” Hades spoke, and his voice sounded like water over river rocks.
“You have gravel in your hair. Are you alright?” Ember asked and my hand rose to find small bits of pebbles stuck in my hair.
“What happened?” Heph sat forward, finally looking at me.
“She was my welcoming committee; I found her by the river.” Hades’ tone remained cheerful, attempting to cut through slices of tension. He stood with his arms wrapped around Persephone, holding her to his side. Shivering with the cold that seeped through my jeans, I smiled falsely.
“If you’ll excuse me, I seem to have gotten wet by the river and need to warm up from the chill.” Heph moved as if I might sit with him, but I walked on the outside of the circle, suddenly feeling like I’d never fit in, and headed toward the house for my room, to burn a small candle and release my heartache.
phyre
I had missed dinner and returned to the kitchen as the late-night thief that I was. Most people gathered in the living room now, which was easy enough to avoid as I exited the main staircase and turned left for the dining room. The breakfast room with the giant hearth held voices, too.
“Why can you be here and not other places?” Persephone’s voice whispered. “Why do I not know these things?”
“Because Hestia is like family, and the river connects here. It simply never crossed my mind to mention it.”
“But a river connects to my home, too.” Her voice turned argumentative, and I knew I shouldn’t be listening. I walked to the entrance of the dining room, and found Solis and Veva kissing in the dark. Turning about, I crossed the kitchen for the sink, feeling hostage to the spectrum of relationships—lust and arguing.
“You aren’t at your home. You’re in California now,” Hades tone soothed. A heavy sigh fell after the comment.
“That was quite a greeting.” Persephone’s tone turned edgy, and I wanted to close my ears. I knew nothing of Seraphine’s friendship with Hades, but Seraphine had been here for years.
“She’s an old friend.”
“Old friend,” Persephone snapped. “That was more than friendship.”
“I kind of like it when you’re jealous. It’s sexy.” Hades chuckled, and my heart snapped at the laughter. Somehow, I knew Persephone did not appreciate the compliment.
“I’m not trying to be funny or sexy. I’m serious. Who is she?”
“Persephone,” he warned. “Don’t do this.”
“I knew there would have been others. I mean, look at you, but still, I haven’t had it put in my face.”
“There aren’t any others,” he sighed, and I smiled, but then I thought of Heph. How many others had he had? At least two and that was only in the last year. He’d hinted that he was much older than he appeared which only meant more time to experiment and appreciate others.
“I…” Persephone’s voice hung and I knew I really didn’t want to hear what came next. “I kissed someone. Well, he kissed me.”
The silence weighing from the right outweighed the embarrassment of walking in on Veva and Solis kissing to the left. I took the risk they were still making out in the dining room and crossed to the entrance. Thankfully it was empty. If I slipped quietly, I could wrap around the dining room into the hall and hit the stairs without anyone noticing me.
“Okay, boys. Where is Hades? Time to get out.”
“What?” Solis chuckled as I hit the first stair and climbed slowly, listening to voices filled with love.
“No men in the house. You know the rule.”
“Then Veva can go with me.”
“No girls in the barn, same rule applies.”
“Hestia,” Solis admonished, a tease to his tone, and I imagined him batting his eyes in flirtation. He seemed like a man who knew his way around women. That must be the Cronus’ brothers’ inheritance.
“Unless you’re married, no.” I could picture Hestia shaking her head, not falling for the charm of Solis Cronus.
“We’re engaged. That’s close enough.”
Squeals of excitement followed the announcement, and I was thankful I’d reached the top of the stairs, finding solace in the solitude of my room, heart shattering at the thought that I would never marry.
heph
I did not think things could get any more messed up: Veva blurting out about Lovie, Phyre running off, Adara’s accusing glare. And now, Hades in a total lather about something Persephone did.
“She said she kissed him.”
“Were those her words?” Solis asked as the three of us sat in my small living room. Hestia’s secret stash of alcohol flowed between us. I wasn’t much of a drinker, but when I drank, it had a purpose. Tonight, it dulled my aching emotions.
“She said, ‘he kissed me.’”
“Who?” I asked. Hades swiped a hand through this dark hair. I wasn’t as close to my cousin as Solis was. They were long-lost best friends. Being more of an outsider in my own family, I didn’t visit cousins and relatives. I could hardly keep track of all our relations.
“I didn’t ask. I stormed out as soon as she told me.”
“Dude, did she like it?” Solis’ face dropped after he asked. Shaking his head, he said, “Never mind, this is messed up.”
Hades and Persephone had a strange relationship, in my opinion. They wanted each other. It showed when they were together, and yet something kept them apart. Hades was a god, for goodness’ sake, he could make anything happen. But then I thought of myself, and realized, well, almost anything. I couldn’t make the girl I loved, love me. I hadn’t made any of them love me. The past no longer mattered, though. I only wanted the one in the present to be my future.
“And you,” Solis turned on me. “You’re as fickle as Romeo.”
I stared at my brother. He knew I didn’t understand the reference. I wasn’t practiced in academics or literature. I worked with my hands. I had a trade.
“Meaning?”
“Oh Rosalind,” Hades said.
“Who’s Rosalind?”
“One day, it’s I love this hot girl at Hestia’s and then suddenly you’re engaged to Lovie. And then, I hear you banging Callie in a shower stall,” Solis admonished.
“How did you hear that?” I snorted, embarrassed and confused how he knew I took her quickly there last summer.
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is you can’t make up your mind. Two beautiful women stood there with their hearts crushed tonight. Two. Dude, you must have some serious Cronus to work that magic.”
“I don’t have magic.” I hated when Solis spoke to me and didn’t make sense.
“He means, you’re like your father, with all your women.” Hades’ took sympathy and explained, but he didn’t sound pleased to clarify. I’d never been compared to my father or the prowess he had to produce the multitude of children on the estate in California. Olympic Oil encouraged sexuality.
“I am nothing like Zeke.”
“It doesn’t look like it. Two women. Two hearts. What did you do?” Hades asked. I hung my head. I touched a girl and told her I loved her, to learn she didn’t love me. I touched a second girl and never said the words that scared me. Now, she closed herself off to me. I didn’t understand women.
“I screwed up, as Solis would say. Adara didn’t love me. Neither did Lovie.”
“I’m sorry, man. What about the other girl? Phyre, she looked devastated.” Hades’ curious tone surprised me. Had he seen something I hadn’t?
“I don’t think she’ll speak to me at the moment.” He nodded in understanding.
“Thank gods, I have Veva now.” Solis smiled brightly and tipped his drink. I’d never seen my brother so happy and my sister nearly beamed with joy.
“Engaged? How did I miss that?” I asked.
“It happened right after Lovie…” His voice faltered. Right after Lovie was caught with her rear in the air and another man taking her. “I’m sorry, dude.” He meant the apology, but the reminder stung. Cheating hurt. Lying did, too. Phyre should have known I had been engaged. How did I fail to tell her? The answer was clear. The same way I tried to avoid speaking of Adara. I was such a disaster with women.
“You need a grand gesture. You’re a god, for heaven’s sake, give her sunshine and rainbows.”
I stared at my brother. “Where have I heard that before?”
“You said that to me.” He paused, raising an eyebrow, refreshing my memory. “To get Veva back.”
Ah, I nodded. I couldn’t recall saying such a thing.
“I want to ask Persephone to marry me,” Hades blurted. Solis and I stared. How could that be possible, with where he lived?
“How will you do that?” Solis asked, lowering his glass and shaking his head.
“I don’t know, but my parents worked it out.”
“Dude, your parents are miserable,” Solis commented, offering no consolation.
“I know,” Hades sighed and wiped a hand through his dark hair. “But so am I, without her.”
The room grew silent as we each held our own thoughts.
“Didn’t Hestia want this to be festive? I don’t feel festive. I want my girl,” Solis said, slumping back and downing the rest of his drink. A hesitant knock came on my door and I stood to open it, too hopeful it would be a girl with cherry-rosebud hair. Instead, I pressed the door wider to present Persephone. Hades stood instantly, taking the two quick steps to reach her and took her in his arms. All would be forgiven as soon as they talked. Her feet dangled as he lifted her straight upward and walked her into the hall.
“This is such bullshit. I’m going to get Vee.” Solis set down his glass. Opening the door, Hades and Persephone were already gone. Solis tapped the wood and looked back at me.
“It’s going to be all right, dude. They’ll both come around.” With that, he closed the door. I only wanted one of them to come around, and I feared that one would not come looking for me.
+ + +
Foolishly, I searched for Adara first when everything happened, feeling a sense of obligation to explain myself. Adara deserved the truth. I didn’t want her to feel how I felt, despite the fact that she rejected me. The truth included how I felt beholden to my father, who took me back in after I tried to run away. In search of someone, something, I would never receive, I bore the scars of that journey in both my missing leg and my cut-up face. Zeke took me back after my mother rejected me. Twice. I owed him everything, but Adara didn’t need all those details. She only needed the ones I offered.
“You didn’t love me, Adara.” I paused watching her dark eyes widen. “My lack of return came additionally from a promise offered by my father. If I married the girl, he would give me a portion of his estate. I’m not greedy by nature, Adara, but I wanted his recognition.”
She nodded her head in understanding. She was one of the most selfless people I knew, taking charge of her sisters and bringing them here. She appreciated praise of her good intentions. It’s why it made it so hard for her to just ask Hestia to leave.
“I was a fool. Zeke felt he owed something to her mother. An ugly man would do her good, he told me.” Adara flinched at the comment and her eyes shifted away, confirming something I had already known. It wasn’t my face that attracted Adara.
“I think it had more to do with taming her. Too many men wanted her. She was beautiful and lively.” Adara’s head began to lower, and I knew I offered too much. She was equally beautiful, if not more so, but Phyre outshined them both in my eyes. I couldn’t let thoughts of Phyre cloud my explanation, though. I walked on sensitive ground as it was.
“I promised him I’d marry the girl. He thought an ugly man would not be jealous of attention she received from others.” How wrong my father was. From the moment of our engagement, I sensed Lovie’s too-sweet tone and tender flirtations disguised her true intentions with other men. Distracting me with the hope that a beautiful woman would love me, I fell for the temptation. Sensing her deceit, I faltered when Callie approached me last summer. She’d been a steadfast girl of interest. She let me take her anywhere, and her willingness confused me. Having my way with her in the shower stall confirmed that marrying Lovie was a mistake. We both lived a lie, only Lovie got caught before I could break the arrangement.
“Over time I knew she didn’t think of me as anything other than a means to an end.” Adara flinched at the mention of her own intentions.
“Heph,” she warned, but my hand rose to stop her as we sat across from one another in Hestia’s formal living room. The gathering room was her small, cozy breakfast space. This room was a formality. “Heph,” she continued, ignoring me. “You aren’t ugly. You’re kind, and you’re good. You’re gentle and sweet. You don’t understand…” Her voice drifted off, and I shook my head.
“I do. Time had passed for you and me. When you couldn’t return my love, I didn’t see the point. It hurt. Lovie’s rejection didn’t surprise me, but it only stung. I wouldn’t have returned here, knowing how you felt, but so much happened at once: meeting my mother and finding out about my sister, and then Lovie. I just needed to come home. Being here grounds me. Hestia grounds me…”
“Phyre grounds you.” Adara’s eyes sharpened.
“Adara,” I growled in warning. We weren’t discussing Phyre.
“Don’t. I see how you look at her. It’s how you looked at me. You want her, like you wanted me. You think you love her, like you thought you loved me. I only know one thing for certain in this story, Hephaestus. I was wrong. I loved you, and I didn’t know it until too late. I’d never had love like that before. I longed for you when you left. Seeing you again, it rekindled everything inside me. I missed you. I want to be with you.”
The words shocked me, but it was too late. My heart had changed.
