It was a beautiful morning, as all mornings were in the underworld, and Lexi rushed around the palace making sure the nymphs had taken care of each item on her list. She had prepared for this day nearly a week, and she wanted everything to be perfect. Hades had lingered most of the morning in his chamber trying to figure out which robe to wear. He was rarely asked to perform naming rites on a child, although he had the authority, as did his five siblings, being the offspring of primordial deities, but Persephone and Eros would not consider any other god for the job.

"The chariot is in sight!" Blythe shouted up the staircase. "My lady, they are here!"

"Thank you, Blythe!" Lexi called down, having seen the chariot through the upstairs window. "I will see what is keeping our honorable and often indecisive lord."

With her heart beating like a hummingbird, Lexi hurried down the hall, doing her best not to trip on her dress. She had found it in the back of a wardrobe and admired its subdued elegance. It was made from fabric in the most beautiful shade of lavender, reminding her of the perpetual dusk that colored the underworld. After confirming it was something Persephone had never worn, she claimed it for herself.

"Are you ready, my sweet?" Lexi called into the room as she pushed the door open. "Our guests have arrived."

Hades stood in front of the full length mirror, adjusting an already tidy collar. His hair could have used a bit of adjusting, but she wasn't going to worry him about that.

"You look resplendent," she said. "And if we weren't required in the foyer in less than five minutes, I would undo all the fine work you've done and have my way with you right here on the marble floor."

Her comment drew his attention away from the mirror, and he graced her with a sensual smile. "Wouldn't you rather do it on the rug? The marble is murder on my knees."

Lexi slipped her arm around his waist and tasted his delicious mouth, forgetting their engagement for a moment to savor him. "Is it strange that I want you even more when you're dressed like a priest?"

"I would be happy to christen you later."

Reluctantly, Lexi pulled away and took him by the hand. "Come, my sexy vicar. We need to be downstairs when the door opens."

With a few seconds to spare, Lexi and Hades entered the foyer as the front door opened and Persephone and Eros walked in. Their godly offspring, Alex, was tucked beneath a blanket inside Persephone's arms, his pudgy, pink face squinting through the folds of cotton. It was not the first time Lexi had seen him since the birth. She had paid Persephone a visit the day she stood before the council when they delivered their verdict about the role she would play in Olympus. That was a day she would never forget.

Lexi bowed as she greeted them. "Welcome, Persephone. Welcome, Eros. And Welcome, Alex. We're so pleased to have you here today."

Persephone smiled and Lexi felt the kindness behind that simple gesture. Was it strange for Persephone to be welcomed into a home that had been hers for most of her life? If it was, it did not show on her face. "What a lovely greeting. Thank you, Lady Lexi. How does it feel to be the first goddess to be granted unlimited access to both Olympus and the underworld? Have you settled into the rhythm of playing peacemaker to the council of the gods while playing homemaker to the god of the underworld?"

"I'm still finding my stride, but I'm most pleased about the cessation of the hunt. The minotaurs seem happy about it."

"And what of the duties you've been assigned? Have they been daunting?"

"Not so far. And, fortunately, Poseidon has only called on me twice since I was sworn in and I was able to handle things from the scrying mirror. Apparently, the temperature of the public baths is an ongoing issue with him."

"You don't think Poseidon is just making it an issue because he wants to see your face?" said Hades.

"Of course, I do." Lexi nudged him as a subtle warning to behave.

Blythe appeared in the foyer, beaming from ear to ear. "Brunch is served," she said, sweeping her arm toward the entrance to the dining room. "The menu has been especially handpicked by Lady Lexi. Please, come in and enjoy." She walked up to Persephone and held out her hands. "May I take the young god, my lady? It will be difficult for you to eat comfortably otherwise."

Persephone handed over the divine bundle then slipped her arm around Eros, walking him into the dining room. Lexi watched Hades' reaction, which came in the form of a smile as he reached for Lexi's hand, letting her know he was perfectly content to claim her as his escort. Lexi didn't know what to expect in the way of table conversation. The gods' emotions tended to vacillate as unpredictably as humans, however the topics remained light. Persephone asked about the trip Lexi and Hades were planning to Western Patagonia, an area Lexi had been interested in visiting for some time, and Hades asked Eros about the addition they were building onto their home to accommodate the newest family member. Afterwards, they made their way to the dome room for the ritual.

A baptismal font had been set up in the center of the room and filled with water from the Oceanus River, which was used to symbolize the connection between Olympus and the underworld. After unwrapping Alex from the folds of the blanket, everyone gathered around the font and Hades began the rites.

"With blessings from Gaia and the elements of fire, wind, earth and water, I imbue this divine child with the name, Alexander. May he be as mighty as his ancestors, as loving as his father, and as just as his mother."

As Persephone and Eros held their son over the font, Hades dipped his hand into the water and allowed a few drops to trickle over the baby's head. Alex blinked his eyes as a drop slid over one of his lids. Lexi watched intently, her mouth stretching into an almost painful smile when Alex looked at her. Did he recognize her? Was he thanking her for giving him the chance to experience life in the body of a god? Did he have any regrets at not being allowed the freedom to use his angel wings?

When the ceremony had ended, and Alex was, once again, swaddled in his mother's arms, Lexi spoke with Persephone. "Do you think Alex will have wings like Eros? I have read that winged gods don't earn them until their powers start to manifest."

"That is true. We will not know until he has reached adolescence at the earliest, but he has already exhibited a fierce interest in Eros' wings, having attempted to remove a few feathers. He has a firm grip."

Lexi laughed as she allowed Alex to suck on her knuckle. He was a beautiful child, and Lexi felt certain she and Hades would someday welcome their own. The subject of his marriage proposal had not come up since his initial impassioned plea, but Lexi felt he was giving her time to get settled into her new life before bringing it up again.

"Hades loves you deeply, Lexi," Persephone said, her voice reverent and maybe a touch melancholy. "Take care of him. He will need consolation when he starts to feel the loss of our bond. I have had the benefit of a baby to distract me, but Hades has a tendency to fall into depression when there is no one here to cheer him. When he is content, he is an attentive mate. I know he will do everything in his power to see that you are content as well."

Lexi nodded, feeling both cheered and saddened by her words. The goddess had an iron will. "I am looking forward to making him happy for as long as this eternity thing lasts."

Persephone chuckled. "Trust me, it feels a lot longer than it sounds. But we are gods, and we are not bound by the limitations of mortals. There are an endless number of ways you can spend eternity."

After a brief tour of the newly restored barn, wherein Lexi boasted of the decorative addition Sella and Blythe created using paints and a photograph of sunflowers as reference, Persephone and her family took to the sky in their chariot. Hades held Lexi against his chest as they stood at the foot of the bridge, watching the team of horses disappear to a speck.

"I hope the day turned out just as you had planned," he said as he kissed her cheek.

"It did, but the day is not over. Is there something you would like to do? There is still time to walk along the river before it gets dark."

Hades offered a lascivious grin. "I seem to remember something about disrobing me and putting my knees through their paces on the marble floor."

"Would you like to return to the dome room and desecrate the sacred space?" Lexi slipped her hands around his waist and kissed his mouth with purpose and passion. Even through several layers of fabric, she felt him harden against her belly.

"For a goddess who has been dubbed peacemaker to the gods, you have a wicked mind."

"Every goddess has her dark side, and if I am to become queen of the underworld, I need to fit the part."

Hades took a step back, holding her in his gaze, the gaze that made her heart flutter and her breath catch. "Are you saying you are willing to become my queen and stay by my side for as long as our souls hold this divine form?"

Lexi had not intended for the subject to come up the way it did, but she had already considered the matter and was ready with her answer as he patiently waited. "I will. Until the end of time."

 ~ FIN ~

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you, dear readers, for your passionate support of LEXI'S UNDOING and LEXI'S FATE. Now take a breath, pour a drink, and move on to book three. LEXI'S PROMISE continues the story.