Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 463

Chapter 463: Hollow Apologies

Kael

"You have to." Her blue eyes met mine, desperate and determined. "We both have to. Because the alternative—"

She didn’t finish. She didn’t have to.

The alternative was letting ourselves feel this, letting ourselves want this, only to have it ripped away when one or both of us died in the coming war.

I was being a selfish fuck.

I wanted it even if it had no future, even if one of us died and left the other aching for a life time. I watched how Danielle’s death tortured Hades... yet the possibility of something was to much to ignore.

I wanted someone to hold as the world dimmed to an end.

I wanted it.

I wanted her.

I was being selfish. I knew it. But watching her struggle against the same pull I felt, seeing the war between desire and self-preservation in her eyes—I couldn’t walk away.

"I want it," I whispered, my voice rough. "Even knowing it might destroy us both. I want you."

Her breath caught, and for just a second, her resolve wavered. I could see it in the way her fingers curled against my chest, in how her body leaned infinitesimally closer despite everything she’d just said.

The space between us had shrunk to nothing. I could feel her breath on my lips, see the exact moment she stopped fighting.

I lowered my head, and she tilted her face up, and—

"KISS! KISS! KISS!"

The high-pitched chant echoed through the elevator shaft, and we both jerked apart like we’d been electrocuted.

My head whipped toward the open elevator doors—when had they opened?—and my brain tried to process the scene in front of me.

A little girl with honey-colored hair and caramel skin stood in the hallway, jumping up and down while pumping her fists in the air. "KISS! KISS! KISS!"

Behind her, Hades stood frozen, his expression caught somewhere between absolute shock and horrified disbelief. His blue eyes were wide, mouth slightly open like he couldn’t quite believe what he was witnessing.

And next to him, Eve had her hand pressed over her mouth, but I could see the knowing gleam in her turquoise eyes, the way the corners crinkled with barely suppressed laughter.

"Sophie, no—" Hades started, but the little girl was already running forward.

"You have to kiss her!" Sophie announced with the absolute certainty only a child could possess. She pointed at Thea, then at me. "Papa says when two people look at each other like that, they have to kiss! It’s the rules!"

Thea had gone completely rigid against the elevator wall, her face cycling through about seventeen different shades of red. I was pretty sure I wasn’t doing much better.

"Sophie," Hades tried again, finally finding his voice. "That’s not—we don’t just—" He ran a hand through his hair, looking completely out of his depth. "Eve, help me out here."

But Eve was grinning now, not even trying to hide it. "I don’t know, Hades. The child makes a valid point." Her eyes met mine, sparkling with mischief. "They were looking at each other a certain way."

"You... are back," I muttered lamely.

Eve raised a brow. "You didn’t notice?" She turned her attention to Thea, "Hello there..." walking in, she grabbed her hand easily.

Despite not wanted to let her go, I had to conceed and watch Eve pull her away.

Ajax howled like he had been shot.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath.

---

Eve

I watched her get cleaned up, Sophie still looking curious at her.

Her shoulders stood tense against her frame, as she made sure not to make I contact with me through the mirror.

I understood her, in a strange pack, behind her stood the woman her sister had been killed in replacement of. Looking at me must have been unnerving and painful for her, knowing I was not her Lily.

"Thank you," she murmured, limping back towards the door.

"Wait," I called after all and watched her freeze.

I took quiet steps towards her and rounded her so I could stand directly in front of her.

"I never got the chance," I said. "To give my condolences."

She didn’t raise her head, her neck stiff as she stared hard at the ground.

I took a tentative step towards hers. "I am sorry..." The words were hollow, meaningless in the face of everything she had lost.

"I am no different from the thousands who have lost everything thanks to your fa---" she caught herself. "I am no different, I just happen to be alive to live the aftermath of the loss. And I plan to keep it that way." Her words came out monotone. "Thank you for your grace."

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