"Baby, I'm sorry. Please, let's talk."
Hades' voice came through the closed door of Zeus' master bedroom, low and full of pleading as he knocked gently, as if he were afraid that too much force would only push her farther away.
"I didn't mean to hurt you."
Even without seeing him, Evadne could hear the pain in his voice. She sat on the bed, staring at the door, biting her lower lip so hard it trembled. Tears kept sliding down her face no matter how many times she wiped them away.
She wanted to get up.
She wanted to run to the door, open it, and let him in.
But she could not.
Because Casadin was standing guard by the door, watching her intently. But more than that… because she knew how badly Casadin was hurting too.
If she stood now and went to Hades, it would only prove Casadin right... that she loved Hades more than she loved him.
Evadne wished, for the first time, that she could block not just Casadin's thoughts but most specially his feelings.
Because now she truly understood just how unfair she had become when it came to him.
She had always told herself that Casadin understood her better than Hades. And that was true. But because he understood her so well, she had also forgotten to understand him in return. She had been so focused on Hades' insecurities that she had neglected... or perhaps, more honestly, ignored... Casadin's.
Was she really wrong?
Was it truly impossible to love them both equally?
Could a person not love two men at the same time?
If that were true, then why did she feel this way toward them? Why did she feel incomplete without both of them in her life?
Or was she really just selfish?
A sob tore out of her before she could stop it.
Then another.
Evadne covered her face with both hands and cried harder, shoulders shaking.
She had never wanted to hurt either of them.
And yet here she was, hurting them both.
"Princess…"
Casadin finally moved. He crossed the room, knelt in front of her, and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Don't cry."
"I'm sorry," Evadne whispered between broken sobs as she clung to him. "I'm sorry for being selfish. I didn't mean to hurt you. That's the last thing I ever wanted to do. I'm sorry."
Casadin's arms tightened around her.
"It's okay if you're selfish," he murmured, one hand slowly stroking her back. "You deserve to be selfish."
Evadne stilled slightly against him.
"You were selfless in your previous life," he continued softly. "You suffered too much because you loved people too much... even when they didn't deserve it. That's why I was fine with you being selfish this time. Because you deserve your happiness. And I will gladly shield you from pain and hurt. I will keep hurting, if I have to, as long as you are happy."
His voice roughened, but he did not stop.
"That's why I cannot accept it when you get hurt because of Hades. Because of his insecurity." He pulled back just enough to look at her, eyes burning with fierce devotion. "I'm okay being your second choice, as long as you're happy. I mean that. I don't need you walking on eggshells just so you won't hurt people... won't hurt me, won't hurt Hades. I want you... no, I need you... to stop giving a damn about what other people will say, or how they'll feel, as long as you are happy."
His hand came up to cradle her cheek.
"Because your happiness is my happiness. My pain is nothing compared to your happiness, Princess."
He wiped away the tears on her cheeks with his thumb, one by one.
"I love you so much, Evadne Persephone Monteverde," he said. "I love every version of you."
A sad smile touched his lips.
"But I miss the Evadne I first met. The one who didn't care what people thought about her. The one who always got Hades into trouble... but still helped him somehow in the end." He gave a small, shaky laugh. "I know you're stronger than me. Stronger than Hades too. But you do not need to be the one protecting us, Princess."
His eyes softened.
"Damn, you already protected an entire world once without them even knowing it. So let us be the ones to protect you now."
He took a slow breath.
"Maybe that's one reason Hades can't outgrow his insecurity. Because deep down, like me, he knows you're the one protecting us. And it scares him." Casadin's voice dropped lower, gentler. "He's scared because you don't depend on him. And if you don't depend on him, then maybe that stupid mind of his... those childhood insecurities of his... keeps screaming that one day you'll walk away from him without ever looking back."
Casadin kissed the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Then he kissed her lips softly.
"It's okay if you love me less. It's okay if you love Hades more," he whispered against her mouth. "As long as you love yourself above anyone else... above me, above Hades... it doesn't matter to me."
He pressed his forehead to hers.
"Because you and your happiness are the only things that matter to me."
"I told you before... you can break my heart into a million pieces as long as you are the one holding it. I do not mind you hurting me," Casadin continued, his voice turning softer, more painful. "But what I cannot accept is when you are the one hurting. Because when you are the one in pain, it kills me."
His words only made Evadne cry harder, no matter how gently he kept wiping her tears away.
Casadin let out a slow breath.
Through their bond, he could feel exactly how his words were only deepening the ache inside her. She was still blaming herself for everything that was happening.
Without another word, he carefully lifted Evadne into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. He set her down slowly and gently inside the bathtub, then removed the jacket he had wrapped around her earlier and turned on the water, letting the tub begin to fill.
"You need to calm down. Stay here. I will talk to Hades," Casadin said.
"Cas…"
"No, Princess." Casadin cut her off before she could continue. "I think it is about time he and I talk man to man. He cannot keep doing this to you. He cannot keep doubting you."
Evadne bit her lower lip again, but stayed quiet.
"Do not worry," Casadin said, kneeling beside the tub. "I promise I will not hit him. But this conversation between us is long overdue. There is too much history between me and Hades... more bad than good... and we need to smooth it out now. We cannot keep standing at each other's throats. Not now."
His expression hardened for a moment.
"We have angels lurking around us who are more enemy than ally. If he and I cannot trust each other, then how are we supposed to protect you?"
Casadin took one of Evadne's hands and pressed her knuckles to his lips.
"Princess… you trust me, right?" he asked, with just the smallest trace of hurt in his voice.
"Of course," Evadne answered immediately. "How can you even doubt that?"
"Then give me this chance to talk to Hades alone," Casadin said. "He needs to hear me. And I need to hear him. We cannot keep avoiding the things we all know could destroy the three of us."
Evadne fell silent, thinking.
"Are you going somewhere?" she asked at last.
That made Casadin smile faintly.
"I will ask him to talk in his penthouse," he said. "But you have to promise me that you will stay here and not even try to eavesdrop."
"I am not sure I can do that," Evadne admitted. "I can feel you."
"Yes," Casadin said, "but you can block my thoughts, can't you?"
Evadne said nothing.
"If I knew how, I would block you from my mind myself," he continued. "But since I cannot, you have to do it instead. So promise me... no matter what you feel from our link, you will not tap into my mind, Princess."
Evadne had no choice but to nod.
Casadin leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"I love you. And I will come back," he said.
Then he stood, walked out of the bathroom, and shut the door behind him, locking it from the outside as he left.
Hades' soft knocking was still coming from the bedroom door.
"Baby, please… do not shut me out. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."
His voice was low, but with Casadin's new heightened senses and physical changes, he could hear every word clearly.
Casadin drew in another deep breath, then crossed the room, unlocked the bedroom door, and pulled it open.
Hades nearly fell forward from the sudden movement because his forehead had been resting against the door, but he caught himself quickly.
"Baby," Hades said at once, trying to step around Casadin to get to Evadne.
Casadin stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"She's in the bathroom," Casadin said. "Let's talk."
"No. I need to see her first," Hades said immediately, trying to force his way into the room.
Casadin pushed him back.
He had not meant to push that hard.
But he still had not gotten used to the new strength in his body, and that small shove sent Hades stumbling violently backward, almost flying all the way to the center of the living room.
"What the fuck, Casadin?!" Hades shouted, anger flashing in his eyes as he caught his balance.
Casadin closed the bedroom door behind him.
"I did not mean to push you that hard," he said, his voice thick with both guilt and irritation. "It is your fault anyway. I told you we need to talk."
"What? Trying to show off your strength now?" Hades snapped as he straightened.
"Shut up," Casadin said flatly. "Vee is crying. She is hurting, Hades, and your self-pity party is not helping her right now."
He took a step closer.
"So let's talk. You think I am your enemy now? Fine. The feeling is mutual. You hate me now, and I hate you even more. But we cannot afford to turn on each other right now."
Casadin's jaw clenched.
"Did you forget? There is a bigger enemy than me standing right outside our lives. We have someone else trying to take Evadne away from both of us. Are we really going to make enemies out of each other and hand Michael the perfect chance to steal Vee from us while we are busy tearing each other apart?"
Hades fell silent.
For the first time since Casadin had opened the door, something in his face shifted. The anger was still there, but so was the first hard edge of reason.
Because Casadin was right.
There was a bigger enemy than Casadin.