The eight ball fell into the corner pocket.

“I win again.” Jinx danced a jig, both hands in the air.

“I believe the humans only do that when they win football games.” Zerina sat her pool cue down on the table in frustration.

“You don’t want to play another game?”

“No, you always win.”

“Spoil sport.”

“You’ve been watching too many of the human movies Grimm gave us.”

“It’s not like I have anything better to do. You’re always reading in the library.”

Zerina looked at her melancholy expression. “Are you getting homesick?”

“I don’t have a home to get sick for. I’m just not used to being confined for so long. I’m used to going back and forth between the fairy world and court. I wonder who Athena is doing now?” Jinx gathered the billiard balls, putting them back on the table.

“Don’t know, and really don’t care.” Zerina threw herself down on one of the chairs by the chessboard. Jinx wasn’t the only one growing tired of being confined. She was wondering what Cara was doing, and what her new brother-in-law looked like. Was he kind to her baby sister? She answered her own question. Cara would never love anyone who wasn’t kind to her. How was Broni doing? What did her husband look like? All she knew about him was his name.

She was about to reach for the king when she saw a black-shrouded figure fly by the open door. It was so quick she blinked, thinking it was a figment of her imagination.

“It’s a wraith.” Jinx sat down in the chair opposite of her.

“Why haven’t I seen them before?” Zerina knew they existed, but she hadn’t seen one since being in Hades.

“They hide from you. Hades must be angry. The wraiths run from him when he is.”

“Why do they hide from me?” She hadn’t done anything to inspire fear in the dark souls who Hades had determined to live their punishment without form or substance.

“I’d say Hades ordered his servants to make themselves scarce around you.”

Zerina picked up the king, absently studying the beauty of the craftsmanship, wondering who had meticulously crafted the pieces.

She rubbed her thumb over the piece as she thought of Hades. She hadn’t seen him since she had run from him in the underground chamber. That had been two moons ago. The amount of time passing hadn’t concerned her, happy to be without his presence and still angry that he had wanted to subjugate her to appease his anger.

To herself, she refused to admit that what had started out as a way to save Jinx and Zora hadn’t been a terrible experience. It was hard for a woman to admit, especially one of her age and position, who believed herself in control of every nuance of her body and life. To find her body had desires and needs that one look at the god had her thinking one elemental need—to fuck him until every part of her was possessed by him—unsettled her.

“Do you think he thought they would frighten me?” Her hand tightened on the king as she started to set it back down on the chessboard. She was a Moirai; nothing frightened her. “Do you want to play a …?”

The hair on the back on her hair stood up as the tiny piece begged not to be put down. “Don’t, please. Help me!”

Startled, she dropped the king, seeing it roll onto a knight. The king righted himself, running toward the end of the chessboard to jump toward her.

Zerina jumped up, screaming at the sight of the king’s face that turned grotesque at his high-pitched pleas. Her flight from the room was stopped when she crashed into Hades’ chest. She nearly climbed up his body as she tried to escape the room.

“What’s wrong?” In his commanding way, Hades stared around the room.

Zerina stared back, seeing the king had returned to his place on the chessboard.

“N-Nothing.” She struggled out of his arms, smoothing her hair down and remaining by the doorway.

“Jinx?” Hades raised a brow in her direction.

The fairy snickered. “The king didn’t want Zerina to stop holding him.”

Hades strode toward the chessboard and stared down at it. Waving his hand, the board disappeared.

“Where did you put them?” Zerina still hadn’t moved from her position.

“In my office.” He grimly started past her, but Zerina caught his arm.

“What are you going to do with them?” she asked hesitantly.

“Doesn’t matter. They won’t bother you again.” Again, Hades attempted to leave.

“Wait. It was just the shock of seeing him move. Don’t punish him if it was my fault.”

“I wasn’t going to punish him. I was merely putting them out of your sight.”

“Oh! You weren’t going to punish him?”

“No. It’s been a long time since Henry has been touched by a woman. I can’t blame him. Who wouldn’t want you stroking him.” He coldly removed her hand from the sleeve of his black suit.

Obviously, he didn’t, since he left her and Jinx alone in the game room.

“Well, that was intense.” Jinx giggled, popping up just to sit on the other chair to face her.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Zerina stared thoughtfully out into the hallway where Hades had gone down to his office.

Jinx lost her amused glance. “Come on, Zerina; you left the big guy hanging.”

She shot Jinx a withering look. She had refused to let Jinx talk about what had happened in the cavern. “Which was your fault!”

“I wasn’t the one who took off, leaving Hades all hot and bothered. That was you.”

“Like you would have done anything different.” Zerina snorted. “The first play you made for Grimm, you popped out and refused to come downstairs for a week.”

Jinx swung her legs back and forth. “That’s because I changed my mind when I got close enough to look into his eyes. It wouldn’t be fair to those concubines he keeps. I would put them all to shame.”

Zerina wanted to ask how many he kept, but she didn’t want to know about Grimm’s sex life. And she certainly didn’t want talk about Hades’.

“I’m going to read a book.”

“Don’t you want to know how many Grimm keeps?”

“No.”

“Why do you always hide when you become nervous talking about it? I used to think you were fearless. You were the only one who didn’t run away when people saw me. Even though you told me you were afraid of transporting yourself, I still believed some of Fate had rubbed off on you. I was mistaken. You’re a coward, Zerina.”

Zerina’s anger rose. “Why am I a coward? Because I didn’t choose to demean myself for Hades? I’ve heard my mother and Destiny talk about Hades for centuries, making fun of the goddesses who left court at Hades’ summons after he divorced Persephone. Athena spent four moons with him, and Mother said she still complains that he hasn’t asked for her to come back. The goddesses bemoaned when he married Persephone and he stayed faithful to her. Now they line up to be summoned by him. I’m sure Hades has one of them tucked away upstairs, taking care of every need he has. Believe me, if I left him hanging, it wasn’t for long. Besides, he shouldn’t use sex as punishment. It should be exciting to share yourself with a man. Mother created sex to have children …”

Jinx gaped at her. “You’re kidding me, right? You think Mother and Chronos only get it on to have children?”

“They’re too old.” Zerina huffed at the fairy’s astonishment.

“No, they aren’t. I bet Mother and Chronos do the dirty dance every night.”

“Jinx!”

Jinx brushed away her reprimand. “She can’t hear me. Zerina, I may be a virgin, but at least I know better than that.” Jinx shook her head sadly at her. “Fate has overprotected you if you believe that. I bet if Mother were here, she’d tell you so herself. She could prevent some of the goddesses from being the sluts they are, but she doesn’t. Have you ever wondered why?” Jinx continued, not expecting her to answer. “Because at heart, Mother, like you, me, Athena, Venus, Aphrodite, are all women. We all have needs and desires. Mother doesn’t begrudge us from finding pleasure to satisfy ourselves.”

“Can we please change the subject? Talking about Mother and sex isn’t something I want to think about.”

“Why? I find it interesting to watch other couples. It helps me know what to look for when I search for my own mate.”

“So, Grimm didn’t make the cut to become yours?”

“I never expected him to become my mate. I just thought he would be a good choice to lose my virginity to. He’s sexy, experienced, and wouldn’t have taken away my freedom.”

“I’m sorry.” Zerina felt bad that many wanted to capture Jinx just to use her.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t bother me anymore.”

She didn’t believe her. Jinx desperately wanted to be loved and belong to a mate. She just didn’t want to become a prisoner to their desires. Her magic in the wrong hands could cause devastation to others, and the tiny fairy was a gentle soul at heart.

“They think I can give them control of my magic; they’re wrong. Maybe you’re wrong about Hades.” Sighing, Jinx jumped off the billiards table. “We’re never going to get out of here without Hades’ help. One of us needs to become friends with him, so he’ll want to help.”

“You have my permission. Go for it.” Zerina crossed her arms.

“I tried. He still tied me over that cauldron. It has to be you.”

“Exactly how did it go from us to me?”

Mischievously, Jinx mimicked her pose. “Do you want out of here or not?”

“Fine!” She dropped her arms. “But I’m not sleeping with him.”

“I don’t think sleeping with you is what Hades has in mind.”