Chapter 126

[Third Person's PoV] 

Lucian managed to slip back into the banquet hall and immediately noticed Hades talking with Annabeth and Thalia. Before he could join them, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, intercepted him with a teasing greeting.

"Why hello there, fancy meeting you here," she said, smiling beautifully.

Lucian blinked a few times and tried to walk past her, but she blocked his path with her arm.

"Can't you see I just want to talk?" she said, still smiling.

Lucian sighed and called out in a whiny tone, "Daaaaad! This strange woman is talking to me! I think she wants to offer me candy!"

Aphrodite's smile twitched as veins appeared on her forehead. "Listen here—"

"Daaaaaaaad! Your boy is about to be touched in places he doesn't want tooooo!" Lucian continued, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.

Aphrodite turned to see Artemis laughing and pointing at her. Irritated, Aphrodite was about to retort when she felt a dark presence behind her. She turned to find Hades with a tired expression.

"Just leave the boy alone, Aphrodite. Can't you see he doesn't want to talk to you?" Hades said.

Before she could respond, Lucian walked behind Hades. "What took you so long? Do you have any idea how many times I could have been molested by the time it took you to get here?"

"I wasn't going to molest you, you stupid brat!" Aphrodite snapped.

"I am just as handsome as Adonis, if not more. Anything is possible. I don't want to take the risk," Lucian replied.

Hades sighed and started pushing Lucian away. "Seriously, what is the matter with you?" he whispered harshly.

"She was literally about to touch me. I am the victim here," Lucian insisted.

As they were leaving, Lucian pulled the skin under his eye and stuck his tongue out slightly with a smirk, only to be smacked on the back of the head by Hades.

"Your mother and I seriously need to have a talk about your attitude," Hades said.

"What!? Don't bring my mother into this," Lucian protested, rubbing the spot where he was smacked.

Aphrodite watched them go with gritted teeth, only to hear Artemis laughing next to her.

"It looks like someone doesn't like you very much," Artemis said, chuckling and biting into an apple.

"Shouldn't you be out there with your lesbian horde or something? What are you even doing here?" Aphrodite snapped.

"And miss the chance to see you get humiliated? Not in a million years," Artemis scoffed.

Aphrodite bit into the nail of her thumb. "I understand he doesn't like me, but it's more than that. It's close to hate. It's a very strong dislike. I wonder why. What could I have possibly done to get such a negative reaction? I've never interacted with him or anyone close to him before."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "There doesn't need to be a reason for them to dislike you. I mean, it's not that hard," she teased.

Aphrodite gave her a sideways glance but chose to ignore her.

"Not every mortal has to like you, you know. Maybe Lucian is just different and doesn't find you attractive," Artemis smirked.

"Well, that's a first. The man-hater has complimented a mortal man," Aphrodite said, studying Artemis's expression.

"And that same mortal doesn't like you. Look at that, a first for you as well," Artemis said as she walked away.

"She's running away. This is all so fascinating," Aphrodite pondered. She then turned her attention back to Lucian, who was talking to Hades with Thalia and Annabeth around him.

"So do I just follow you to the Underworld after all this is over?" Lucian asked curiously.

"Is that what you want to do?" Hades asked back.

"Honestly… a bit, yeah."

"Can we come along?" Thalia and Annabeth asked, both a bit shy and embarrassed, not to mention scared as they looked up at Hades.

Hades leaned back in a corner, his hand over his arm, raising an eyebrow. "You guys are weird."

"Huh?" both Thalia and Annabeth exclaimed.

"You want to come to the Underworld like it's some sort of vacation. The last place people want to visit is the Underworld. Why do you even want to come?"

"Well, for starters, it will be quite boring without Lucian around," Annabeth said, looking down and pressing her fingers together.

"Because she's an emo that is interested in dark and scary places, not to mention the dead," Lucian answered for Thalia.

Thalia glared at Lucian. "I've told you this a million times, my style is more punk rock. You're the edge lord, all about darkness and death."

Thalia then sighed. "I want to see if I can find my brother… or if he has reincarnated already."

"Your brother?" Hades asked, looking towards Zeus, who was giving him a warning look.

"And how old is that brother of yours?" Hades asked, ignoring Zeus completely.

"He was two years old when he died… If he was alive today, he would be Lucian's and Annabeth's age."

"Tell me, is that brother of yours your full brother or your half-brother?" Hades asked.

"Full."

"That hypocrite," Hades narrowed his eyes at Zeus, who was doing the same, his eyes sparkling with lightning.

"Huh?" Thalia asked.

"Sorry, I was talking about your father. Here he was giving me grief for breaking the vow and fathering Lucian, when he went and broke it twice at that," Hades scoffed.

"Now, as for the matter of your brother, I would have known if one of his children made it to the Underworld. There hasn't been any for the past decades as far as I'm aware. But you are welcome to look when you visit," he smiled at her.

Thalia nodded, before Hades raised a finger. "Although there is one thing you two must do first. You have to ask Chiron for permission. Lucian doesn't have to, since he's my son and all, but I can't say the same about the two of you."

Thalia and Annabeth both nodded and began walking towards Chiron. As the two were alone, Lucian looked at Hades strangely.

"What?" Hades asked.

"Why are you happy with their visit?" Lucian asked.

"Well, for starters, not a lot of people just come to visit the Underworld like I said. It's unexpectedly a nice change of pace. Not to mention Persephone would like the unexpected company. She tends to be a bit lonely. She has somewhat changed since your mother came along, though."

"Oh, I wonder whose fault that is?" Lucian said mockingly.

"Lucian."

"Yeah?"

"Don't make me hit you."

"Sorry."

"The more I interact with you, the more I realize you need some serious discipline."

"I said I was sorry," Lucian muttered.

Hades simply sighed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

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