Page 87 of Hateful Prince

“It’s a persona.”

“Like you having a southern accent?”

Hades sighed. “Sure.”

I watched in awe as my big, strong god of a man knelt down in front of his dog and patted him on the head.

“You’re a good boy,” he murmured. “I’ll see you when I see you. If you come back, it’s steak dinners for a week.”

Asshole couldn’t yip with his mouth full, but his little tail wagged enthusiastically, and then he trotted forward. Between one doggy step and the next, he vanished.

“Wow, that was pretty impressive. Although I sort of expected a door to form in the wall, you know, like it did in Beetlejuice when the minister guy appeared for the wedding.” I was full ramble when Hades’s words finally caught up to me. “Wait. What do you mean ‘if’?”

“What do you mean, what do I mean?”

“You said ‘if’ Asshole returns. Why wouldn’t he return?”

Hades turned serious eyes on me. “He was sent here the first time. His purpose was to protect me and help me find out who I was. He’s done that. We may never see him again. Not until we return to the underworld.”

My jaw fell open, and I punched his arm. “And you just let him leave without allowing me to say goodbye? Rude!”

“Hit me again, and you’ll see exactly who your daddy is, baby girl.”

Heat curled low in my belly. Should I give him a little pat? Poke the Shadow Daddy?

“Don’t look at me like that, Dahlia. I know you have an appointment with Masterson shortly. If I get you under me, you most definitely won’t make it.”

“Ugh, all right, fine, you thief of joy. But we should probably do something with that,” I said, gesturing to the now inanimate doll.

“Burn it with fire?” he offered, fingertips bright with blue flame.

“Fire is always good. But maybe this time we try tossing it in the lake?”

He nodded, then handed me my clothes since I was still only wearing his shirt. “Get dressed, and we’ll go send her to live with the lake monsters.”

“Tor will love that. A fitting end for his own personal monster.”

Session Transcript: December 19th

Dr. Masterson: This is Dr. Elizabeth Masterson. It is December 19th, and the time is 11:30 a.m. This is a recorded session with Tor Nordson.

Tor: *growling*

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Tor: Why did you summon me here? I am not scheduled for a session.

Dr. Masterson: I had something I needed to speak with you about, but we’ll get to that in a second. You look a little worse for wear this morning. Anything you’d like to share?

Tor: *annoyed grunt*

Dr. Masterson: All right, let me rephrase. What’s eating you, Tor?

Tor: There’s this haunted doll.

Dr. Masterson: *laugh* I am aware. Though she has been quite elusive. We’ve been trying to locate her since Dahlia relocated the spirit now inhabiting the doll.

Tor: Elusive for you, perhaps. She won’t leave me alone.