"Oh, this is bad. This is really, really bad. This is really, really really bad."

I pace back and forth, clenching and unclenching my fingers as I fret. The inside of my elbows are now littered with little red patches from where I've pinched the skin as I fretted. The three words that hit me like a bombshell an hour ago still circle my mind like frenzied hawks.

I like Hades.

I like Hades.

I, Evie Autumn, a human being, like Hades, a god.

What am I doing?

What am I doing?

What am I doing?

"Evie!" Spencer stumbles around the corner. A slack-jawed grin spreads across his lips. He throws an arm limply around my shoulders. "What're you doin'? Why are you hiding from everyone? Don't you like us?"

I stare at him for a moment, before shaking his arm off. "I'm not hiding from everyone. I just... needed some air."

"That's just a fancy way of saying you're hiding." Spencer grips my shoulders and stares deep into my eyes. "Talk to Uncle Spencey. Tell us your sadness."

"Don't ever call yourself that. Like, ever again." My nose screws up in disgust. "And I'm not sad. I just... need to process a few things."

"Well?" Spencer steps back, flinging his arms out to the sides. He grins at me. "I am your human sounding-board. Go for the best friend!"

Despite it all, I can't help but smile at his antics. "It's complicated."

"So was my relationship with Alexander the Great. You don't see me using that as an excuse to avoid having a heart-to-heart with my best friend." Spencer clicks his fingers repeatedly at me. "Talk talk talk talk talk—"

"Okay, okay!" I grab his hands and trap his fingers in a desperate attempt to stop the clicking. I sigh and rub my temple. "God, I forgot how extra-annoying you are when you're drunk."

"You're still avoiding the talking."

I sigh again. "Okay, hypothetically let's say I have this friend. And this friend of mine went on holiday to a new country. And at first, she was really upset about going to this new country because she left a lot of friends and family behind, and she wasn't sure she was going to survive without them, especially after losing her first family when she was younger. And this upset feeling didn't even take into account the fact that the guy she was staying with, well she basically thought he was the devil, because the deal he offered her for free accommodation was way too harsh in hindsight. But then, after she realised she judged him too harshly and he was actually kind of sweet, she got to know him really well and realised that she didn't want to leave when the holiday was up. And now—"

"You have feelings for Hades and you don't know how to deal with them."

"What?" I laugh nervously. "Where on earth did you get that idea?"

"I can read you like a book, Evie. You couldn't keep your crush on James Stone a secret when you were thirteen, and you can't keep your crush on Hades—"

"Spencer!" I slap my hand over his mouth. I stare bug-eyed at him. "Do you not know what a secret is?!"

"Aha!" Spencer points at me. "So it's true."

I whip my moist hand away from his mouth and shake it with a noise of disgust. "Yes, it's true, Spencer. Did you have to lick me when you said that?"

"I'm a licker, E. Accept me for who I am." Spencer boops me on the nose with a grin. His expression changes in an instant. "So you like Hades. Why does that make things complicated? When you like someone you kiss them. It's that simple. And let me tell you, kissing isn't that complicated."

"Are you kidding?" I laugh. "Spencer, it's Hades. He's a..."

"God?" Spencer finishes for me when I hesitate. I nod. He shrugs. "So am I. That didn't stop Alexander the Great. Or Cleopatra. Or you, that one time when you were thirteen. Betcha never told anybody that lil' secret!"

I stare at him. "You are on fire tonight!"

Spencer waves his hand dismissively. He drapes an arm around my shoulder. "E, lemme tell you something. Out of all of us, Hades is the most human of all. Now, I know you like him and all—"

"Spencer!"

"—but that man over there is seriously, and I mean seriously, damaged." Spencer continues, ignoring me. I follow his gaze across the room to where Hades is standing in the shadows, his expression impassive as he watches the other party-goers mingle around the room. "He's suffered more heartbreak than most of the people in this room, he's stuck down here all alone and he has to listen to dead people moan about their regrets 24/7."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "What exactly are you trying to say here?"

Spencer sighs dramatically, like I'm overlooking the most obvious elephant in the room. "I'm saying that you and Hades are a lot more alike than you think. Think about it, E. Maybe your lives are more connected than you initially thought. Maybe the Fates have woven the threads of your lives together without you realising."

"Wait, what?" I frown. "The Fates are real?"

Spencer shudders. "Oh, the Fates are real alright. They're like voodoo; and everybody knows you don't mess with voodoo."

"This conversation is confusing me."

"That's not surprising; you think your feelings for Hades are complicated." Spencer spots something over my shoulder, and grins mischievously. He spins me around in a circle and whispers in my ear. "But what do we have here? I do believe that our friendly Underworld hottie do be heading this way. And I do believe that there is no time better than the present to tell him how you feel. Let's uncomplicate this complication!"

He shoves me forward before I can even so much as think about protesting. Yelping, I stumble over my skirts and topple forward. I throw my arms forward in a desperate attempt to break my fall, but just before I hit the ground, two strong arms wrap around my waist and steady me. I falter and shyly glance up into an electrifying gaze.

"Evie?"

I audibly gulp. My heart falls into my stomach. "Hi. Hades. Hi, Hades. Hi Hades."

Hades smiles. Unabashed emotion crackles in the depths of his midnight blue eyes as he steadies me on my feet. He steps back and formally offers me an arm. "Would you care to dance?"

"If I said I couldn't dance, would you listen to me?"

His eyes twinkle with amusement. "No."

"Then I guess my answer has to be yes." I curtsy and place my palm on his forearm. I grin cheekily. "Your highness."

A small chuckle reverberates through him as he leads me to the middle of the room. I try not to focus on the stares that prickle my back as we walk past the other guests, blushing a little when I hear Spencer wolf-whistle. A soft, lilting orchestral melody starts up, but when I search the room for the swelling sounds of the violins and piano, the source eludes me. I smile a little to myself.

These gods sure love their elaborate displays of mystique.

Hades pauses in the middle of the dance floor and steps back into a bow. He looks up at me, his lips turned up at the corners, and offers his hand.

"Miss Evie Autumn, may I have this dance?"

Smiling, I nod and place my hand in his. His own smile grows. He places a hand softly on the small of my back and effortlessly sweeps me into a dance. Shyly, I glance up to meet his gaze, and my heart stutters. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little shocked by how open and warm his expression was. It was as if the walls that had always kept me at arms length had finally crumbled to the ground, and he was finally allowing me to see the beauty of his soul.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Hades asks softly, his tone mild. He releases my right hand and steps back, before spinning me out in an elegant flurry of skirts. My light laughter bounces around the room.

"I am." I smile up at him as he spins me back into his arms. He smiles back, ever so slightly, and twirls me forward. We move across the dance-floor as elegantly as a pair of ice dancers, our feet barely seeming to touch the ground as we glide around our sparkling stage. "The real question, though, is whether you're enjoying yourself. Are you?"

Hades shrugs lightly. "My enjoyment is not needed for this night to be successful. So long as the rest of my family are content and adequately entertained, my role as the host has been satisfied."

"Just because you've done your job as host doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy yourself." I chide. "When was the last time you actually enjoyed yourself?"

Hades thinks for a moment. Then he smiles. "Are you assuming that I am not enjoying myself currently?"

The smile that turns up my lips in return is so big it makes my cheek hurt. Until suddenly, it doesn't. My mood slowly deflates, and my smile fades. Hades doesn't miss the small change in my expression. His grip on my fingers tightens ever so slightly, and I almost swear he pulls me closer. Concern creases his handsome features.

"You are sad." He states, not unlike the way he had all those months ago. "Why are you sad?"

"Because I have to leave soon." I swallow back the lump in my throat. "And I..."

"And?" Hades' eyes search my own. His brow creases. "What is upsetting you, Evie?"

I hesitate again as the logical and wanton parts of my brain war for control of my mouth. It doesn't take very long for the wanton side to win. My next sentence comes out as a jumble of nervous words.

"I don't want to leave, Hades. That is what's upsetting me."

Hades stills. The music and chatter of the ball fades along with our movement. His expression suddenly closes off, his eyes growing very heavily guarded. His next words are carefully chosen. "And why is that?"

I open my mouth, the three words I'm desperate to say dancing on the tip of my tongue. But then the sounds and chatter of the ballroom wash over me with a crashing roar, and the words catch in my throat. I glance down.

"I don't think this is the place to tell you."

Rare confusion darts across Hades' features, but then he nods, catching onto the insinuation hiding behind my words. "Very well. If you leave now, I will soon follow. I will meet you in the library."

I smile weakly and nod back. The song finishes with a rousing violin crescendo, and Hades ends the dance by twirling me away from him, standing back with a bow.

I curtsy back and turn on my heel, walking to the door as nonchalantly as I can. Just as I'm reaching the door, Spencer steps in front of me with a questioning look.

"Where are you going, E? What happened to our elaborate plan?"

"I'm really tired." I lie, faking a yawn. "It's probably best that I leave before I fall on the ground in an extremely inelegant heap."

"You're gonna leave your own party?" He quirks an eyebrow. Then he spots something over my shoulder. A sly grin spreads across his face. "Oh, you're not leaving alone are you? I see you, Evelyn Autumn."

I glare at him. "My name never has, and never will be, Evelyn, Spencer. Now please move, I have to go."

"Yeah you do!" Spencer's grin widens. He starts chanting. "Evie and Hades, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S—"

My cheeks burn. I slap my hand over his mouth. "Stop that!"

Spencer snickers. His eyes twinkle impishly as he pulls my hand away. "Would you rather I do this?"

He holds his bottle of wine aloft and starts making kissing faces at it.

I'm out of the door faster than you could say "Dionysus is an idiot".

Ironically enough, I find the library much quicker than I have in all my past wanderings. It may have had something to do with the fact that I practically ran the whole way there, but I was too consumed by the panic and worry of what I'm about to do to connect those dots.

By the time I slip inside the library and sit myself down on my favourite green couch, I'm practically hyperventilating. I, Evie Autumn, hated being vulnerable, and the thought of going out on a limb scared me to my very core, especially when it came to telling people I had feelings for them. Yet here I was, throwing myself out onto a tightrope without considering what would happen if I took one wrong step. Was I really about to tell Hades that I liked him? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Leia had slipped something more than 'liquid courage' into my drink.

But she couldn't have... right?

"Evie?"

I squeak and leap to my feet. Hades is standing less than a metre away from me, his eyes full of silent questions. He steps forward and rests his hand on the back of the couch.

"Are you alright? You are looking awfully pale."

I laugh nervously. My fingers clench tightly at my sides. "I'm more than alright, actually. That's what terrifies me."

His forehead creases ever so slightly. "Why does that terrify you?"

I swallow back the nerves rising up in me and smile minutely. "Because now I really, really want to do this."

Before I can think about it and psyche myself out even more, I step forward, reach up and press my lips to his.

I've only ever kissed one person — because I refuse to acknowledge the time I kissed Spencer when I was thirteen and stupid — in my life. It was when I was fifteen, with my first real boyfriend. We'd only been going out for a few weeks, and when we were walking back to my house in the pouring rain one day, he suddenly spouted some cheesy nonsense about 'living in the moment' and kissed me. The kiss itself, was, in one word, average. His lips were all slimy from the rain, and his cold nose sent all the wrong kind of shivers down my spine. I'd be lying if I said that that one experience hadn't put me off kissing (well, that and the ridicule I'd received from Spencer, who had unfortunately witnessed the entire slippery endeavour from the window of my house) for the rest of my short life.

But the kiss with Hades was much more like the movie kiss I'd always dreamed about. Sure, lightning bolts weren't tingling right down to make my toes curl under, and fireworks didn't go off in the background, but the feeling of his lips on mine spread such a crazy feeling of euphoria through my body that I felt like I was on cloud nine, and I never wanted to come crashing back down.

All too soon, however, Hades pulls away, and the cloud of euphoria I had been hovering on dissipates underneath me. I come crashing down to reality. The gravity of what I've just done hits me like a tidal wave, and my heart drops into my stomach. I suck in a deep breath and hesitantly glance up to meet Hades' midnight-blue gaze. He raises an eyebrow.

"Well, that was unexpected."

My heart stutters.

"Good unexpected, or bad unexpected?" Hades doesn't respond straight away. I groan, hiding my burning cheeks in my hands. "Oh god. It was bad unexpected, wasn't it? Oh my god, I completely misread the situation, didn't I? I'm so sorry, I just—"

"Evie." Hades' tone is uncommonly gentle as his hands pull mine away from my face. "Do not assume my silence is a bad omen. Believe me, it was not bad unexpected."

My whole body freezes. I stare at him. My words stutter out. "It-it wasn't?"

"No, it was not." Hades smiles. "I am, however, confused by the unexpectedness of it all."

"I confused you?" Disbelief colours my tone. He nods. My fingers instinctively move to clench, and I suddenly become extremely aware of the fact that he hasn't let go of my hands. I pull away. "You confuse me constantly, do you know that?"

"How so?"

"Because you are painfully hard to read, and I get emotional whiplash trying to keep up with you!" I exclaim. His eyes widen. "First you're this cold, reserved god who terrifies me and never gives me the time of day, and then you're this funny, sarcastic person who likes making fun of me, and then you're doing this, and then you're back to being extremely emotionless and glacial and it's not fair! All I'm trying to do is understand you and get to know who you are, and all I get in response is this confusing, unreadable enigma who seems to love to hide behind icy walls when someone gets too close to one of his secrets!"

I pause and take a deep breath, looking back up at him. For the first time, I can completely read the emotions on his face: pure shock.

"And somehow, within all this confusion, I think I might actually be falling for you, and that terrifies and confuses me even more, because I don't want to leave in a months time, but I also don't know what I'm going to do if you're like this all the time, because it breaks my heart every time you shut me out. So yes, Hades. You confuse the hell out of me."

Hades stares at me, the final words of my rant hanging in the air between us. The seconds trickle by. I swallow hard.

"Please say something."

Hades sighs, letting the weight of the world out in one breath. With that one quiet sound, my heart, and my gaze, sinks into the floor.

"I am sorry you feel this way." He starts, and my heart sinks even further. His fingers graze my chin and gently push it up so I'm looking into his deep blue eyes. "Not the way you are thinking, Evie. I am sorry that you feel I am shutting you out, as that is the last thing I want to do. There are some secrets that must stay hidden until one is ready to share them, and the knowledge I am burdened with is not something I want to bestow upon anybody. Most of all you."

My face crinkles up in confusion and hurt. "What? Why? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Evie." Hades brushes my hair behind my ear. His hand lingers on my cheek. "The only reason that I am choosing to be so reserved is because I don't want my demons to get to you. I promise that you will learn my secrets in time, but for now I implore that you trust me. I am only trying to protect you."

I hesitate for a moment, my fears getting the better of me.

You know what happened the last time someone kept a secret from you. Do you want the same thing to happen to Hades?

Ellie.

No. I shove my fears back inside their box and lock them away again. I lock eyes with Hades and nod.

"I'll trust you if you promise to break down some of your walls and trust me." I say softly. "I care for you Hades, but I know I won't be able to survive putting all my trust in you if you keep acting like this."

"I promise to try." Hades tells me quietly. "Forgive me Evie, but I cannot change my behaviour straight away after having strengthened the walls for so long."

"That's okay." I smile up at him and squeeze his hands. "I could never expect you to."

He smiles back at me — a genuine smile that makes his eyes crinkle at the corners — and leans down to press his lips to mine.

The kiss lasts much longer this time, and I'm pretty sure I fly much, much higher than cloud nine; so high that my head fills with fog and all I can think is 'I must be dead, because this kind of feeling is not human'. For a moment, I physically lose the ability to think, as I lose myself in the feeling of his body pressed up against mine.

Hades is the one to pull away again, and an involuntary whimper escapes me as he does so. Hades chuckles softly and shakes his head.

"Remember those walls, Evie?"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." I smile weakly, even though internally I'm pouting. "I couldn't help myself."