Husband?

The boat lurched as it struck the rocky shore, jolting Aurelia forward. She steadied herself quickly, her eyes locked on the figure before them. Persephone stood unmoving, her golden gaze fixed on Hades, and though her expression was serene, there was an unmistakable tension in the air, crackling like the aftermath of a lightning strike.

"Hades," Persephone said, her voice smooth and melodic, yet laced with steel. "You've been busy."

"Persephone," Hades replied, his tone cold but measured. He stepped off the boat first, his posture rigid, a shield of composure. "You're far from your temple. What brings you to the shores of the Styx?"

Her lips curled into a faint smile, though it held no warmth. "I could ask you the same, husband."

The word landed heavily, reverberating in the cavern like a bell. Aurelia's stomach twisted as she watched the exchange, her presence feeling impossibly small in the shadow of their power.

"I have my reasons," Hades said, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "You know better than to interfere."

Persephone tilted her head, her golden hair catching the faint light. "Interfere? Is that what you think I'm doing? Perhaps I'm here to remind you that even you have limits."

Her gaze shifted then, landing on Aurelia. The weight of it was suffocating, like being pierced by sunlight too bright to bear.

"And who is this?" Persephone asked, her tone sharp but curious. "A mortal, in the Underworld? How quaint."

Aurelia swallowed hard, her throat dry. She opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out.

"She's none of your concern," Hades said, stepping subtly in front of Aurelia, his broad frame blocking her from Persephone's view.

"Oh, but she is," Persephone said, her smile widening. She took a single step forward, her movements graceful yet deliberate. "You've broken the balance, Hades. Bringing a mortal here… do you truly understand what you've done?"

"I understand perfectly," Hades said, his voice low and dangerous. "And I suggest you keep your distance."

Persephone laughed softly, a sound that sent chills down Aurelia's spine. "You forget who you're speaking to. This is my realm as much as it is yours. You cannot make decisions here without consequences."

The air thickened with the weight of her words. Aurelia's pulse quickened, her breath shallow as she watched the silent, unspoken exchange between the two gods. Hades stood tall, unmoving, but there was a tension in his posture that she hadn't noticed before—something deeper than his usual cold composure.

"Then I suppose I'll deal with the consequences," Hades replied, his voice low but unmistakably resolute. His hand tightened around Aurelia's, pulling her closer, a silent warning to stay out of the fray.

Persephone's gaze flicked from Hades to Aurelia, the subtle smile fading into something far colder. "You underestimate me, Hades," she said softly, her voice carrying an edge that cut through the silence. "I am the Queen of the Underworld. And no matter how many games you play, she will never belong here."

The air seemed to freeze around them, the distant echoes of the cavern growing quieter, as if the very Underworld was holding its breath.

Hades' gaze turned sharp, his eyes glowing faintly in the dark. "Do not test me, Persephone," he warned, the words almost a growl. "You know what I'm capable of."

Aurelia, standing between the two deities, felt the weight of their words settle around her like a storm ready to break. She couldn't move, couldn't speak; the energy between them was suffocating, oppressive. Every breath felt too loud in the silence that followed.

Persephone's lips twitched, but there was no humor in her smile now. She stepped back slightly, her eyes flicking to the shadows behind them. Aurelia shivered, the sudden sensation of being watched crawling up her spine.

"You may have the power, Hades," Persephone said, her voice colder now, "but I hold the keys to the balance of this world. And the longer she stays in it, the closer you both come to breaking it."

Without another word, Persephone turned, her golden hair shimmering in the faint light, disappearing into the shadows with a grace that was almost too fluid to believe. Her final words lingered in the air, a silent promise of danger:

"You've been warned."

Hades didn't move for a long moment, his eyes scanning the darkness, his jaw tight. Then, with a final glance toward the empty space where Persephone had stood, he slowly exhaled, the tension in his body easing just enough for Aurelia to sense the shift.

"Stay close," he said again, his voice quieter now but still firm, as if a warning to both of them. "Persephone's presence is never a good omen, and I doubt this is over."

Aurelia nodded, though her mind raced with questions, the weight of Persephone's words pressing heavily on her chest. What did she mean by breaking the balance? What exactly had Hades done by bringing her here?

Aurelia couldn't hold back the question, the words spilling out before she could stop herself. "But why is she still calling you husband? And Queen of the Underworld if she's your ex?"

Hades froze. The tension in his posture returned instantly, like a storm cloud rolling back into the sky. His grip on her hand tightened for a moment, but it was not a comfort. It was as if he was bracing himself for something.

For a long, suffocating moment, he said nothing. The air around them seemed to grow heavier, and Aurelia regretted speaking so boldly. She had crossed a line, one that no mortal should dare to.

Finally, Hades spoke, his voice colder than she had ever heard it. "Don't ask about things you don't understand, Aurelia."

The weight of his words felt like a command—no, a warning. His gaze hardened, the flicker of emotion she had seen earlier now replaced with the impenetrable mask he always wore.

"She calls me her husband," Hades continued, his voice low but tinged with something ancient, "because that's the role she still clings to. Even in the Afterlife, she cannot let go. And as for the Queen of the Underworld… she holds that title because she believes it's hers by right. But as for what we were—what we are now—it is… not something you need to concern yourself with."

Aurelia's heart raced, but she didn't want to push further. She had already seen the dangerous edge to Hades' demeanor, and she had no desire to test it.

But something nagged at her. It wasn't just the words that Persephone had spoken; it was the way Hades had reacted. There was a history there, one fraught with bitterness and betrayal, something that went beyond simple titles and roles. She had seen the connection between them—the weight of it, heavy like chains, holding both of them in a place neither seemed to want to be.

She felt as though she had stumbled upon something much deeper than she was prepared for. And yet, the more she tried to push it down, the more she realized that she couldn't ignore it.

As they walked in silence, the shadows of the Underworld seemed to shift with every step, as if even the very realm sensed the tension between the two gods. Aurelia glanced at Hades, wondering what kind of past could create such a cold, unyielding presence, and what it might mean for her future in this dark and dangerous world.