"Hades,” Chiron says with a smile, “welcome back.”

The car’s front door opens and literal smoke pours out. Honestly, I don’t know how he can breathe in there.

I don’t know what it is about Hades, but at the mere mention of his name, my face contorts into an ugly grimace. I swear, it’s an involuntary reflex to his name.

As I stare at Harper’s palm, her armour begins to move again. But it’s shifting more slowly this time, almost as if it needs time to think.

“She’s not going to hurt you,” Harper whispers to me from the other side of the table.