I'm sorry?"

The newcomer smiles wide, baring her fangs for a fraction of a heartbeat too long. Holding a hand close to her chest, she twists a lock of her strawberry-gold curls about one pale finger. As she comes to a stop, she flicks it off over her shoulder.

"You're starting out at Styx next week, right? The university's nice and all, but it's got nothing on this place."

"Oh," I breathe, wondering why I'd found her words so alarming a moment ago. "Well, I'll have centuries to make the most of it once I graduate."

Her lips purse for a moment as she considers me. "Yes, I suppose you have been luckier than your sisters so far."

Of course, I only have one sister—but I shake off the mistake, not bothering to correct her. Something about her presence makes me uneasy. Careful not to get tangled in my skirts, I get to my feet.

"Um, I'm sorry. I don't think we've met."

"I'm Minthe. I'm a student at Styx U myself, coming up on my third year. Oh," she pauses to flash that smile again. "And an old friend of Aidon's." She puts special emphasis on the word "friend," reaching out to grasp my hand for a half a heartbeat before dropping it as though I've burned her. "Pleasure to meet you," she adds. Her lips are just parting to say something else when Syntrofos steps through the trees, luminous eyes narrowed.

"Excuse us please, Lady Minthe. I require a moment with our queen."

She twists around to face him. Her acid-green eyes narrow and it almost looks as though she might refuse him...but then she seems to think better of it.

"Very well," she says, turning back to me. "Congratulations, La—" her gaze flicks sideways to Syn. "Your Majesty." She inclines her head to me in a shallow bow, then slinks off through the trees.

"You're welcome," says Syntrofos once she's gone, crossing his arms.

"So I take it you don't have anything urgent to discuss with me?"

"I do not." He grins.

"Well, I'm glad you're here. There's something that was bothering me—"

"That's exactly why I got rid of her for you."

I wave a hand. "No, not her. It's all of these plants,"

Syn frowns. "I thought you loved them. We all did."

"Oh, I do, it's just...I'm confused. If you've gotten to the point of being able to control environments in Hades to where you can keep all of these different plant species alive, why can't humans live here too? I mean, I know not everywhere here is as sophisticated as the palace, but..."

At the odd look on Syn's face I trail off.

"There were three drops of real human blood added to your wine, the night of your dinner with Rhea. Three drops. The scent of the wine was just enough to mask them. Now, imagine being surrounded by humans as a newborn Variant. Each one of them pulsing with hot, living blood." He pauses to let his words take affect as my own, much cooler blood drains from my face.

"You'll be able to attend the Renewal in Gaia only because you'll be prepared beforehand and heavily guarded. But the populations freely mingling together?" He shakes his head, smiling ruefully. "That's another matter entirely."

Just as I'm opening my mouth to pick at his reasoning, he goes on.

"Besides, those roses are artificial. The flowers and moss trail were brought in from Gaia, and are temporary. The full-spectrum panels that keep your plants alive require meticulous placement, and it only works because those plants are stationary. And the pomegranate trees and your little bird-thing? Well that's all you. It seems the changes to their DNA made them hardier." He exhales in a brief, wondering laugh.

"And certainly, we could create some habitats here that could sustain humans. But it would be at a huge material cost and for a very poor and dangerous quality of life. Besides, the secrets of Hades are for Variants alone. Otherwise, humans would live in fear of us."

I frown. Something he'd said has given me the seed of an idea, but it's too new and too big to bring to words yet.

"Well, it's good to know at least that they could survive here, if they needed to." I say after a moment. "If anything happened to Gaia, there'd be somewhere for them to go other than Dusk."

"Dusk would be safer for them."

"In the short term. But—"

"Kore?"

There's a rustling from the far end of my little grove as Aidon ducks beneath the greenery, starting towards us. He brushes a few leaves out of his hair as he steps up to me, stooping obligingly when I reach up to pluck out the one he'd missed.

"Is everything alright?"

"Mhm. I just met an old friend of yours, actually."

He arcs a brow. "Oh? Which one?"

"It was Minthe," Syntrofos cuts in before I can answer. "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I took care of it."

"What?" I look from one to the other of them. "What do I need to know?"

Aidoneus sighs. "We were involved once, before I became heir to the throne. She can be...difficult."

"Oh. She didn't seem too terrible," I say, feeling generous. I'd probably be a bit bitter too, if I'd had Aidoneus and lost him. "Not terribly friendly though, either."

"She just didn't have enough time to be terrible," quips Syn as Aidon runs a hand through his hair, looking almost flustered.

I smile up at him, offering my arm.

"Come," I coax. "The rest of tonight's dances are mine, yes?"

"All yours," he confirms with a grin as he loops his arm with mine.

~*~

My husband is true to his word, though we dance to only three more songs before I drag us away to mingle with the others. Then I hang back, letting him do most of the talking. Partially it's because big social events with people I don't know are exhausting. But, more importantly, it gives me a chance to see what and who makes his face light up or darken. To learn more about this man I've tied myself to forever.

I begin making a list in my mind of the things that interest him, make him happy. Music. Art. Architecture. Resource management and governance. Animals.

And me.

I feel it every time his eyes find me and his pupils flare wide. Every time he flashes me that crooked, fangy smile that he only ever shows a select few.

Every minute spent with him here amongst the throngs is delicious agony. His presence is a pleasure in any capacity, and I adore seeing him with others-laughing and talking and letting other facets of himself shine through. But I'm also desperate to be alone with him-and desperately nervous about that very thing.

Anticipation and anxiety coil together like a family of silksnakes in my stomach as the time draws near. When the hour strikes and Aidoneus takes my hand, I'm trembling enough for him to notice. He squeezes my palm, and the look of sympathy and understanding in his eyes in that moment washes away most of my fear and doubt-at least for now. I take a deep breath and rise for the night's final procession.