He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him.
“Are you well?” he asked, his head falling against her shoulder.
She did not answer, and the weight in his stomach felt sharp and acute. She turned in his arms, staring up at him, and he got the sense that she wanted to ask him something. Instead, she answered him.
“I’m just stressed. Finals.”
He studied her, eyes searching. “Persephone, you can tell me anything.”
She frowned, as if she did not believe him, and Hades felt the inside of his chest wilt, like a flower exposed to too much sun.
He closed his hand over her wrist, where the mark covered her skin.
“Are you worried about the contract?” he asked.
She looked away.
He didn’t know what to say; the contract was binding. The terms had to be fulfilled. He could not comfort her with promises that everything would be okay when he knew what she wanted—the ability to move between worlds. It was a reality he was coming to terms with, that his love for her would never be enough. She would need her freedom, too.
“Come,” he said. “I have a surprise for you.”
He guided her hand to his, threading their fingers together, and tugged her toward the open field outside the garden. They walked for a while, entering the forest on the other side of the field. He did not follow a set path, navigating between trees to a meadow where a blanket was spread and a basket of food waited.
“What’s this?” Persephone asked, looking up at Hades.
“I thought we might have dinner,” he said. “A picnic in the Underworld.”
She raised a brow, suspicious. “Did you pack the basket?”
“I…helped,” he said. “I even made cookies.”
Persephone grinned. “You made cookies?”
“You are far too excited,” he said. “Lower your expectations.”
But she was already racing to the blanket. She fell to her knees and opened the basket, digging inside until she located what she was looking for—a small bag of chocolate chip cookies. Hades had slaved over them. It had taken hours in the kitchen last night, and he had made a mess Milan, the head chef, had been very unhappy about.
Persephone sat cross legged and opened the bag.
“You know those are for dessert,” Hades said as he lowered himself to the blanket.
“And? I’m an adult. I can have dessert for dinner if I want.”
Hades chuckled and fished out the remaining items he had packed—meats and cheeses, fruits and breads. Last, a bottle of wine and his flask. He wasn’t keen on another evening spent drinking fermented grapes.
He popped a cube of cheese in his mouth and took a drink from his flask as Persephone bit into a cookie. It crunched loudly, and Hades flinched. They were not at all like the cookies they had made together. Hers were soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious. His were hard and kind of burnt.
“You don’t have to eat those,” Hades assured her as she continued to crunch.
“No, they are the best cookies I have ever had.”
Hades raised a brow. “You don’t have to lie.”
“I’m not.”
She wasn’t, but he didn’t understand. He knew those cookies were terrible.
“They’re the best because you made them.”
Hades snorted.
“I’m serious,” she said. “No one’s ever made anything for me before.”
Hades stared at her for a moment, and suddenly, he was the one who felt ridiculous for not taking her words for granted.
“I’m glad you like them,” he said, his voice quiet.
They sat in silence. Persephone continued to eat his cookies, and he continued to drink. After a moment, she rose to her knees.
“Do you want one?”
She came toward him and held out her hand, a cookie clasped between her fingers. Hades grasped her wrist and bit into the cookie. It was exactly what he expected, hard and bland, only slightly sugary. Still, he loved it if she loved it. As he chewed, her eyes dropped to his lips, and he raised a brow.
“Hungry, darling?”
He wasn’t sure how she would answer, given her earlier sadness, but when she lifted her eyes to his, he could see her longing.
“Yes,” she answered.
He leaned in to press his mouth to hers. For a while, they maintained their distance as they kissed. Hades enjoyed this, the feeling of desire building up inside him, resisting the urge to take her into his arms and touch her. He ran his tongue along her mouth, and just as he was about to pull her to him, he pushed her away as a ball flew between them, followed by Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus.