“Have you gained some proper admirers, then?” Hades asked with raised brows. He made a mental note to interview the offending Buduga.

Hades laughed. “You think that I haven’t thought of every eventuality by now?”

Hades pointed at a far mountain face with only the drama he himself could muster. “Don’t blink, my darlings,” he said in a near whisper as he snapped his fingers.

The mountainside carved itself into the shape of a lavish home of decidedly Amaurotine influence. Non-native trees grew and bloomed in the courtyard, outdoor lamps lit themselves, and a sheen of protective magic momentarily flowed on the surface before receding into invisibility,

“There,” he said, dusting his hands off.