"I've known her since the age when we could barely speak," Gerald said at last, his voice losing its edge. "We've been close for so long… I truly believed she would wait for me."
Hades leaned forward slightly. "You… are in love with her?"
Gerald's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Why else do you think I left the tribe, left my home, and wandered across this realm?"
Hades fell silent. He remembered how Gerald had looked when Peri introduced Hades as her husband—shocked, then disheartened.
"I had everything she could have wanted, except strength," Gerald admitted, his tone low. "Yes, my family was powerful, but on my own, I wasn't worthy to stand beside her. So I left. I believed that if I gained strength, built some connections, I could return to her. But… well." He gave a bitter chuckle before lifting his eyes. "So tell me—how did you two meet?"
