Several dark archways were located intermittently about the room, and Hades found himself curious as to where those led.
“This brothel looks terrible,” Ariadne said.
“I didn’t realize you were an expert,” said Dionysus.
“It’s not a brothel,” Hades said.
“So now you’re the expert?” Ariadne said.
“Megara,” Dionysus called, ignoring her.
A woman looked up from one of the seating areas. It was evident she was the same girl from the photo Ariadne had presented to Hades earlier in the week—auburn hair, round eyes, slender frame. She had been reading a book, but when her name was called, she set it aside and stood, bowing.
“My lord,” she said.
“This detective thinks you are in trouble,” he said. “Are you in trouble?”
She shook her head and answered, “I am not in trouble.”
Hades sensed no lie, but Ariadne moved ahead of the two gods.
“Do not lie for him,” she said. “If he kidnapped you, you must let me know.”
“He didn’t,” she replied. “I came here of my own free will.”
Ariadne’s brows furrowed, and Hades saw that her shoulders fell. “I…
don’t understand.”
The woman looked confused, her eyes slipping to Dionysus, who said,
“You do not have to tell her if you do not wish.”
Ariadne’s frustration must have boiled over, because she plowed ahead.
“Look, I’m a detective with the Hellenic Police Department,” she explained. It was the wrong thing to say, because every woman in the room looked up then, and Hades felt their collective apprehension, fear, and venom. Ariadne must have noticed it too because she hesitated. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“Because they don’t want to be found,” Hades said, and before Ariadne could speak, he stopped her. “Is it so hard to believe, given what you’ve seen? These women are in hiding.”
“Did anyone happen to tell you where I was before I went missing?”
Megara asked, and her voice trembled. “The hospital. It was my third visit.
I decided it would be my last.”
For the first time all night, Ariadne had nothing to say—but Hades did.
He had a lot to say.
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you’ve done this purely from the goodness of your heart,” Hades said to Dionysus.
“What are you implying?”
Hades vanished and appeared behind one of the women, who had been cleaning a knife. In an instant, she was on her feet, and as soon as Hades appeared, the blade was at his throat.
He stared at the woman, no hint of fear in her eyes.
“Right,” Hades said and took a step back. “So you’ve trained them.”
Dionysus shrugged. “Why not give them the ability to defend themselves?”
“And assassinate your enemies. Two birds, one stone, right?”
The god did not respond.
“Are you saying you have an army of female assassins?” Ariadne asked.
“Well, this has been most satisfying,” said Dionysus. “But you have worn out your welcome.”
“Only just now?” Ariadne asked.
“That mouth really is something else,” said Dionysus.
That made Ariadne smile, but in a way that communicated her disgust with the god.
“As much as I’d like to leave and never return,” Hades said, “you’ve yet to answer my question.”
Dionysus stiffened, and Hades felt everyone in the room tense around him. He got the distinct impression that Dionysus’s assassins were poised for attack.
“I’d reconsider,” Hades said. “Not even your assassins have a chance against death.”
“Fine,” Dionysus gritted out. “You want to know? I’ll tell you.”
“Fucking finally,” Hades gritted out, relieved.
It had only taken discovering one of Dionysus’s weaknesses, which he was certain were few and far between. The God of the Vine was not overt about those he cared for, because it made them targets—it was a lesson he’d learned long ago, as he was a son of Zeus and had been the target of Hera’s wrath for the majority of his life.
“I needed the location of a gorgon named Medusa,” Dionysus said.
“There is a rumor going around in the market that she has the power to turn
men to stone. As you can imagine, that is quiet a useful skill in the hands of a mortal.”
“One you want for yourself?” Ariadne asked.