Hades studied Evangeline carefully as she looked at him, torn and conflicted in a way she had never allowed herself to be before. The sight unsettled him. For a brief moment, the calculating sharpness in his eyes faded, replaced by something more honest, something unguarded.
"You said you wanted a friend," he replied evenly. "So I chose one for you."
"Someone dangerous," she whispered, the words slipping out before she could stop them. Her throat tightened as she continued, softer now, "It's as if you didn't want me to befriend anyone at all."
The faint widening of Hades's violet eyes was subtle, but she caught it. That single reaction was enough to send her heart racing, as if she was getting close to some hidden secret she shouldn't, just like when she realized her family's biased love toward Serena was for a reason.
