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I rounded on Jaed me out into the middle of nowhere to check on two people who clearly want nothing to do with you? And who have no probleed sheepishly "It’s been a while I wanted to see how they were"

A wolf howled in the distance, and all four of us turned in the same direction at once It would’ve been funny had Lux and Casey not looked so terrified

"You can either coing his brother in the opposite direction This tile

They hurried off, and Jaoing to have a sleepover with sorind your bones into dust?"

He shrugged "They’re my brothers"

"No, we’re not," called Lux "Casey’s et exists"

Jarinned "Can’t take it personally They say that about the whole faes--just one night"

He gave roaned "You’re an ass There better be indoor plu or not?" called Lux, far enough away now that his voice was distant I gave Jah the underbrush to catch up with the twins

After half a h the forest, we cales of vines If Lux and Casey hadn’t led us to the front door, I would’ve s in a fairy tale," I said

"Don’t get too attached" Lux undid an old wooden latch and pushed open the door The inside was dark, but he waved his hand, and a fire roared to life underneath a stone ht out of a historical movie set--handcrafted furniture, not crude but certainly not erator, just a sile bed that couldn’t possibly hold more than two people

"It’s nice," I said warily "Cozy"

Lux let out a bark of laughter "It’s cramped and probably older than we are"

"We use it on occasion," said Casey, as busying hih Is anyone hungry? We ame on our way here"

"Game?" I said

"Yeah, rabbits" Casey held up a platter full of sliced ood enough"

I shook h"

"Who’s this we you speak of?" said Ja"

Casey s, but that look on his face reminded me entirely tooeach hat had to be an entire rabbit "Help yourself Lux, eat"

While Jarunted and sat down heavily at the table, digging in with his bare hands I glanced at Ja his face for so in the fifth century, but he was too busy chewing to notice

"I’m sorry, we didn’t have the chance to introduce ourselves properly back in the forest" Casey stepped toward me, a warm smile on his face as he offered athered" I smiled back and shook his hand "I’m Kate Winters I’m Henry’s neife"

"Henry?" said Casey Behind hih

"Henry--Hades?" I said "I’m Persephone’s replace, as if someone had hit the pause button James sat frozen, his eyes wide Across from him, Lux stopped mid-chew All three of therearm It was the first time I’d called h to say without this kind of reaction

"Persephone’s gone?" said Casey after an unbearably long silence I nodded

"Sort of a long story, but she decided to give up her i to fade if he didn’t find soed "The council tested me, and I’m his wife now"

"And Queen of the Underworld?" he said slowly, as if he were trying to wrap his head around it

James cleared his throat nervously "She isn’t queen yet They only just o, and she’s on her sixcut him off, and Lux pulled his fist from his broken plate Bits of rabbitin Jaet this straight" Lux rose, hisunderneath his flawless skin "Not only did you hunt us down, soht Hades’s ith you as well?"

While his eyes were focused on me, his head was tilted toward Jah the roof if that hat it took to get away from Lux "I swear to you, she has no idea," said Ja to do--"

"That’s not the point You think Hades isn’t watching every move she makes? You think they don’t knoe’re here by now?"

"Lux" Casey’s quiet voice cut through the air "Shut up Kate, you won’t tell anyone you saw us, right?"

I blinked "I--of course not What the hell’s going on?"

"We’re leaving, that’s what’s going on," thundered Lux "Casey, get your shit and let’s get out of--"