She kissed the lord of the dead and rose from the sofa. Hades watched her walk

upstairs as if her every step away caused him pain.

 

A moment later, he tensed. The children stopped playing as if they sensed

something too.

 

"No!" Hades said. But even his godly powers were too slow. He only had time to

erect a wall of black energy around the children before the hotel exploded.

 

The force was so violent, the entire mist image dissolved.

 

When it came into focus again, I saw Hades kneeling in the ruins, holding the

broken form of Maria di Angelo. Fires still burned all around him. Lightning

flashed across the sky, and thunder rumbled.

 

Little Nico and Bianca stared at their mother uncomprehendingly. The Fury Alecto

appeared behind them, hissing and flapping her leathery wings. The children

didn't seem to notice her.

 

"Zeus!" Hades shook his fist at the sky. "I will crush you for this! I will

bring her back!"

 

"My lord, you cannot," Alecto warned. "You of all immortals must respect the

laws of death."