As he stepped further into the room, his eyes landed on Lilith, still asleep. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, her parted lips soft with breath, her brows drawn together in a faint frown.
Hades moved toward her slowly and sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to wake her too abruptly. But the moment his weight shifted the mattress, her lashes fluttered open. For a brief moment, her gaze was unfocused, lost somewhere between dreams and waking.
Then she saw him.
"Hades…" Her voice tired and hoarse, but it made his heart ache.
In one breathless motion, she sat up and threw her arms around him, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. Her hands clutched at his shirt, fingers trembling ever so slightly. He held her without hesitation, his arms wrapping tightly around her as if she might vanish if he loosened his grip.
"I'm here," he whispered into her hair. "You're safe now, darling. I've got you."
