Hades sipped from his cup of bergamot tea as he stared into the crackling flames of the fireplace. Nearby, at a wooden table, Persephone and Jocelyn unrolled a large, rectangular parchment, weighing the corners down with stones. They talked excitedly about the upcoming spring and the wisteria that had already filled the air with fragrance. He relished the feeling of unity at having his loved ones near. The only thing that could enhance the moment would be the arrival of the goddess who had taken up residence in his heart, keeping it ignited like an eternal flame. A light tapping disturbed his musings and a chill bristled his skin, as if he had summoned a spirit.

Persephone called distractedly to the door. "Enter."

Lexi stepped into the room, as timid as a dragonfly, which was out of character for her. But she had not been herself since Persephone arrived. When her eyes met his, a smile flashed across her face. Was she pleasantly surprised by his presence? Or perhaps she was happy to see breakfast had been brought up for her enjoyment. "You requested to see me, Persephone?"

Persephone turned to greet Lexi with a sweep of her arm. "Come in, dear. Jocelyn and I have just begun, and we thought you might enjoy seeing what it is we do."

"I appreciate you inviting me. I have a gift for you. I was going to give it to you last night, but... well, there was that little mishap. But it's fixed now, so..." Lexi sighed and shook her head at the floor as she held out the frame to Persephone.

"Oh, how nice." Persephone drew her eyes away from her beloved map to accept Lexi's offering. She inspected the pressed flowers under the glass, which Lexi had painstakingly glued onto parchment over the course of five days. As far as Hades could tell, she was quite proud of it. "I see you have chosen a spiral pattern for your design. Very insightful."

"I thought the symbol for infinity would be the most fitting, since you are responsible for perpetuating the seasons. But I won't take all the credit, Blythe provided the flowers from her collection and Sella helped me frame it."

Persephone rewarded Lexi with a heartfelt smile as she nodded her approval. "Your gift and the meaning behind it is a testament to your benevolence, and I will hang it in a place of prominence where it will remind me of such."

The glow that flushed Lexi's face could have been mistaken for the reflection of the firelight, but Hades knew better. He reached out his hand and Lexi took it as they exchanged a moment of mutual admiration, at least he hoped she admired him. The situation could be construed as awkward by some, with his mate and his lover in the same room, but the scenario had played out before, both with Macaria and Clary, only this time his thoughts were not on keeping the status quo. The risks were too great.

"Have you ever seen a map of Olympus, Lexi?" Persephone asked.

Lexi startled and released Hades' hand to walk over to the table. "Only the maps from human texts," she said. "Wow, Olympus is much bigger than I imagined."

"Many years have passed since mortals learned of our existence, and they are still working with ancient information when they print their texts. Our numbers have grown, which means our needs have increased. It is not unlike your world, well...the world you used to call home. While we employ modern methods to keep up the demand, we have not succumb to technology or corruption of nature to accomplish the task of feeding the inhabitants of Olympus."

Lexi nodded. "Yeah, humans have gotten a little weird with their methods, haven't they? I read the honey bee population is dwindling because of human interference."

Hades watched as Jocelyn's face contorted in pain, and he knew Lexi had just bought herself an hour long sermon. "Oh, the plight of the honey bees is a tragedy," Jocelyn said. "Mortals do not realize they are expediting their demise in their attempts to perpetuate their growth. It is complete idiocy."

Jocelyn's fist came down on the table and Lexi glanced at Hades, offering an eyebrow lift that he could have construed as accusatory. Did she blame him for not telling her more about Jocelyn? Was he required to relate his entire family tree?

"Are you a keeper of bees, Jocelyn?" Lexi asked.

"I am the goddess of insects and insect husbandry. Apparently, Hades never mentioned that." Now it was Jocelyn who glared at Hades, but there was no malice behind it, and he continued to sip his tea.

The morning progressed benignly, with the three goddesses speaking about the splendor of spring, while the nymphs kept Hades' cup filled. It wasn't until Kade burst through the door waving a bow over his head that the morning took a difficult turn.

"What are you still doing sipping tea?" Kade said, as he strode into the room. "You gave me your word that you would take up your bow if I paid you a visit. I have been waiting in the hunting shed expecting your arrival."

The only goddess to acknowledge Kade's presence was Lexi, but rather than look at Kade with distaste, she gave the look to Hades. "You promised Kade you would hunt minotaurs? I thought you gave that up when you were convinced what deplorable behavior it is."

Hades felt her accusation like the sting of a honey bee, and he set his cup on the table as he stood to offer his explanation, although he had a hunch it would not do much good. "I only agreed to accompany Kade to keep him entertained. It was done solely as an opportunity to bond with my offspring."

A snort erupted from the table of women, which Hades suspected had originated from Jocelyn. She, too, had an extreme view of the preservation of life, whether large or microscopic, while Persephone had actually accompanied him on a few hunts in the past. Lexi exhaled through her nose as she took a long moment to contemplate her stance. Hades noticed she made an effort to consider all sides of an argument, another trait he could add to her list of superior qualities.

"Who am I to put limitations on your life," she said, finally. "You are the god of the underworld. You're no stranger to death."

She redirected her attention to the map on the table, but Hades knew she was judging him backwards and forwards. He was used to being judged. He had two brothers and three sisters who were quite skilled at it, and he typically did whatever the hell he pleased despite their scrutiny. When it came to Lexi, however, his motives were tested at every turn as he sought her approval. He knew this unfortunate habit would end up causing resentment if he wasn't careful, and there was no better time to change that than the present. He pulled at the hem of jacket, straightened his shoulders and made for the door, feeling the full effect of Lexi's eyes burning a hole into the back of his head.