Eyeing the fruit with a bitter curiosity, Hades stepped in close enough for the warmth of his breath to tingle over her cheeks. “This is no fairy tale. That fruit is poisoned and will bring nothing except an eternity of death.”
“No,” she countered with fiery intensity. “It will ensure I take my rightful place beside my husband, the king.”
Proving it was possible for a person to read all signs and signals of a situation wrong, Persephone cracked open the pomegranate and bit into the crimson gore of its innards.
Face morphing into a mask of rage, Hades seized her by the forearms, the hiss of his words escaping from clenched teeth. “You foolish infant, why would you do such a thing? Zeus put you here to shackle me to this prison. He thought that a just punishment for my love for Titonis, our brother’s wife. But the fact that he would offer up his own child proves what a twisted bastard he is. You had an out. You could have left and never looked back. Now, you’re stuck here, same as me. I will allow you sanctuary here. Thanks to your idiocy there’s nowhere else you can go. Yet, know this. There will never be anything between us. You want my kindness to continue? Stay out of my way.”
Turning on the heel of one sandaled foot, Hades strode away, ignoring the tears that fell in torrents over the peach-kissed cheeks of his young bride.
In the corner, the present time Persephone drew her knees to her chest and hugged them tight. “Every day that followed, I held on to a blind hope that something would change. That one day, he would wake up and finally see me. As time passed without such a reprieve, my own self-worth faded. Eventually, even I began to believe I was nothing worthy of notice.”
Closing the space between them, Sterling offered her his shimmering, wraithlike hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
Brow creased into a deep V of confusion, Persephone recoiled at the gesture. “As if I need a man to help lift me from this turmoil?’
His hand didn’t waver or retract. “More like you need a friend to encourage you to get over your drama and rise to your feet like the goddess you are.”
Swallowing hard, Persephone tried to force an arrogant façade from her spot hunkered on the floor. “We have yet to discover what we needed to take away from this realm. If we go now, we’ve failed.”
The green light from the Sea of Souls brightened Sterling’s irises to a glow every bit as enchanting as the Northern Lights. “I don’t believe that. I think we came here to remind you of your value. That you are a strong, capable woman who can do now what she couldn’t then.” His head jerked in the direction of past Persephone’s crumbled and sobbing form.
“And what’s that?” The goddess’s voice betrayed her by cracking.
“Stand up, walk out, and never look back. Confident that you don’t need his approval, because you hold yourself in a high enough regard.” Gold sparks of challenge swirled in the depth of his stare.
Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Persephone planted one palm on the stone slab wall and hoisted herself up. “Fine, we’re leaving. Right after I pay a visit to an old friend.”
Her gown—currently little more than vapors—swished around her ankles as she disappeared down one of the tunnels without waiting to see if the other two followed.
Tearing her gaze from the direction in which Hades disappeared, Alice rose to her feet alongside her brother. “That was quite impressive. The bumbling scamp became—dare I say—a hero?”
With an exaggerated exhale, Sterling’s shoulders sank. “That was in no way heroic. Had she actually tried to take my hand, her fingers would’ve passed right through mine. Imagine the downward spiral that would have followed! We would’ve bore witness to a royal hissy fit.”
Bumping his elbow with hers, Alice shook her head. “That doesn’t make it any less brave. Just a tad more stupid. Come on, let’s go wrangle a goddess.”
Chapter Eleven
Alice and Sterling granted Persephone her space to fume. Wherever she was headed through the twisted caverns of the Underworld, the goddess seemed to think muttering a stream of expletives under her breath would somehow get her there faster.
“She remembers you can blink us out of here, right?” Alice kept a wary eye on the River Styx that ran alongside their path, not trusting the wailing souls within for an instant.
Sterling rose on tiptoe mid-stride to keep watch over Persephone as she cut between two enormous stalagmites. “She needs a minute. Considering we’re spirits no one else can see, we can grant her that.”
“I see.” Casting a sideways glance his way, Alice chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Since we have a minute, we could discuss when you’re planning to tell her royal crankiness that you have feelings for her.”
Sterling’s head snapped from Alice to Persephone and back again. “Who? What? No! Not ever!” With each syllable he uttered his voice dialed up another panicked decibel.
Tucking her chin to her chest, Alice peered up at him from under her brow. “Really? You’re going to pretend I’m wrong?”
“Insanely wrong! And I know a thing or two about insanity!”
Clasping her hands behind her back, Alice cringed as a stone fell into the water and a swarm of vicious souls attacked it. “Even as you say that, you must realize you’re different with her. No offense intended, but when you woke me you were a mess. You couldn’t focus. Your ramblings were disjointed chaos. Simply put, you were quite mad.”
“All the best people are.” Sterling’s shoulders rose and fell in agreement.
“That’s my point exactly. Look at what you did back there.” Alice jabbed her thumb in the direction they had come from. “You saw Persephone hurting, and your thoughts cleared enough to truly be a help to her. Whether you believe it or not, she centers you. I think your flitting mind wants to focus and be where she is.”
“Maybe it’s you.” While the look on his face furthered his point, his squawky tone was far from convincing. “This all started because I couldn’t find you. Perhaps it’s your presence that fits my shattered pieces together again.”
“Really? That’s what you’re going with? Did you not see yourself back there?” Puffing her chest, Alice held her arms out from her sides in a defensive pose and launched into a horrible impression of Sterling. “Rise to your feet like the goddess you are.”
Pulling up short, Sterling raised a finger between them. “First of all, that sounded nothing like me. My cadence is far more nasal. Secondly, it wouldn’t matter if I was over the moon in love with her. It changes nothing if I think every step of our journey thus far has revealed a bit more of her true, noble self. Nor does it change anything that I would be willing to face the wrath of Hades myself if I thought for a moment it would allow her to see how amazing she is. None of it matters, because she is a goddess and I…” Arms thrown out wide, he glanced down at the odd appearance his many jumps had granted him. “I am a weird little imp who could no longer pass for normal if he tried. These blatant facts can’t be ignored, and render this entire conversation pointless. What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Who’s to say?” Alice resumed her stride before they lost Persephone in the tunnels. “Maybe I treasure our banter. Or, perhaps it’s because you just furthered my point instead of your own.”
Falling into step beside his sister, Sterling let his appreciative gaze travel the length of the sputtering and rampaging queen. “Look at her. That passion. That intensity. She’s a vision, and I’m an abomination.”
Alice sidestepped around a crack in the stone that let water from the Sea of Soul’s slosh up onto the rock. “What was that story you used to jump us into? The one with the beast and the enchanted rose? That guy was all fur and fangs! If he can get the girl, so can you.”
For a moment, Sterling let himself entertain the idea.
He imagined gathering Persephone in his arms and running his fingers through her golden tresses. She would gaze up at him from under those impossibly long lashes… and cringe.
Shaking off the fantasy
, Sterling tried to blink away the sorrow he was sure had scrawled itself across his features. “This is no fairy tale. A kiss won’t turn me into a handsome prince. This is all I am, and all I’ll ever be.”
“You don’t give yourself nearly enough credit. Not many could endure all that you have, and come away without a hardened heart. That, is a true testament to your character. It’s my wish for you that someday you’ll realize all you have to offer.”
Feline eyes narrowing, Sterling considered Alice with a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his scarred lips. “You’re a very kind person. Who are you again?”
A nervous flinch flickered over Alice’s features. “And right after I sang your praises… Brother, it’s me, Alice. Remember?”
Dragging his tongue over his top teeth, he shook his head. “No, that’s not it. You have some of her memories and mannerisms, to be sure. Enough to make me believe you’ve spent a good amount of time with her. That said, the soul within isn’t Alice. For starters, the aura is a completely different color. On top of that, Alice was but a child when she went to sleep. She cared not for matters of the heart, but filled her days with books and tea parties with her dolls. The knowledge you possess shows a maturity my sweet Alice wouldn’t have mastered quite yet. I’m not cross about it, mind you. I’ve been searching for her for years. Would have been nice for that hunt to be over but it changes nothing. You seem very kind. I’ve enjoyed having you as a traveling companion. But you’re not Alice. Never Alice.”
Her mouth opened, as if to argue, only to clamp back shut.
A slow, sly smile crept across her lovely face. “You are far more clever than people give you credit for.”
“Say that louder, I’d love for Persephone to hear it. Speaking of, we need to catch up. Like the redhead warned, we venture too far and we lose who we are.” Struck by an epiphany, his steps faltered. “You know, maybe I’ve been considering that all wrong. In certain situations, losing yourself can be the very best plan indeed.” Shrugging off the momentary deep thought, he pivoted on the ball of his foot and jogged to catch up with the queen of that dismal land.
Clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Alice peered after her “brother” as if seeing him for the first time. “That odd little rascal might just outlive us all.”
“Persephone, wait up! This being the harbor of lost souls, we really should implement some sort of buddy system.” Sterling came to a screeching halt when he rounded a bend to find Persephone standing stone still with her arms slack at her sides. “Wow, I didn’t expect that to work.”
“Sterling, shut up,” Persephone muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
A chill of unease skittering down his spine, Sterling followed her stare to the obstacle standing in their way.
His hands were planted on his hips. Onyx robes draped his magnificent frame, reflecting the jade glow from the churning Sea of Souls. Hair, the hue of a raven’s feathers, fell past his shoulders in waves of chaos.
“Hades,” his name left Persephone’s lips in a menacing hiss.
“Past, present, or future, I know all that happens in the Underworld.” His top lip twitched into a snarl. “Yet, you were bold enough to come back.”
“What can I say? I couldn’t resist the chance to pop in and inflict a bit of the pain you have generously bestowed on me through the years.” Risking a bold step closer, she straightened her spine and met his glare head on. “I came down here to kill the pup version of Cerberus running around…”
Sterling’s head whipped in the goddess’ direction. “You came to kill a puppy? No one said anything about crimes against puppies.”
If Persephone heard him, she didn’t let on or let up from her continued efforts to poke the bear. “You know, like I killed the full-grown bitch mere hours ago. Come to think of it, I’d dare say their body isn’t even cold yet. Mostly, because I entombed it in a tree. It really is the fine details of a death that help it cross the line into cruel, wouldn’t you say?”
Sterling swallowed hard, wishing he was literally anywhere but there. Realm full of monster-sized sand fleas? Far improvement from being caught between two verbally sparing gods.
Nostrils flaring, Hades’ chest rose and fell in agitated heaves. He knew this woman, knew how to get under her skin like no other. Which was the exact reason he sidestepped away from her to face Sterling directly. “You seem like a sensible fellow who doesn’t want to die.”
“That may be the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“Tragic really, but we can make that work for us.” Gracing Sterling with a sinister smile, the God of Death’s voice dropped to an alluring purr. “My wife and I have a few matters to work out, as all families do. I’m sure she’s told you simply horrible things about me.”
“They have not been complimentary, no.” Nervously shifting from one foot to the other, Sterling glanced to Persephone to find her expression locked in a mask of neutrality.
“Unfortunately, we can’t resolve our differences here. Not with her like this…” Stooping down, he palmed a small pebble and tossed it through Persephone’s spectral image, causing her to dissipate in a puff of smoke for an instant. “For the true healing that must be done between us, I need her live and in person. That’s where you come in, my friend. Wherever you jump next, whichever realm you land in, simply reach out to me through that fragment of mirror you’re clinging to. Don’t act surprised, of course I know about it. You simply tell me where you are, and I will come and collect her.”
“Why would he ever do that?” Persephone spat, shredding him to ribbons with her hateful glare.
Inching himself between Sterling and Persephone, Hades turned his back to his wife as he had countless times before. “You do me this service, and you have my word that I will spare you and your other little traveling companion. However, it should be noted that if you fail to meet my demands, you’ll discover there are far worse things than death.”
“I think that’s enough pointless threats for now.” Alice entered the cavern with her fingers dragging across the stone wall and a confident half-grin curling the corners of her lips. “Hades—God of Death; Lord of the Underworld—isn’t threatening children beneath you? I mean, even though you did make the mistake of marrying one.” Sucking air through her teeth, she jerked her head in Persephone’s direction.
“Aren’t you a bold lass?” Hades chuckled, sizing up Alice’s petite frame. “Tell me, do you have a bold wit or a death wish?”
“I’m merely speaking on observation. I see before me an entity with the full power of the Fates at his disposal, yet this is how he spends his time.” Folding her hands behind her back in a demure fashion, Alice inserted herself between Hades and her companions. “Death itself bows to your whims, and here you are, terrorizing a woman whose only crime was to try to love you. That doesn’t make you a deity. It makes you a monster.”
Something in her tone caused a shadow of recognition to sharpen his features. “Who are you to speak to me in such a way?”
Holding up one transparent hand between them, Alice turned her wrist over and wiggled her ghostly fingers. “No one now. But once a friend, who knew of the love and kindness you were capable of. How heartbreaking that you gave away that slice of yourself so easily.”
“Does my husband know your sister?” Persephone whispered, stare lobbing from Alice to Hades and back again.
“I’m not sure any of us know my sister.” Sterling edged closer to the goddess’s side. If he had a material form, his hand would have brushed the small of her back. “Get ready. The second Alice is close enough, I’m jumping us out of here.”
“You would have had me do what? Hold onto the absurd notion of hope?” Pacing the edge of the River Styx, Hades spat the word as if hating its taste on his tongue. “That’s a foolish concept reserved for those unfamiliar with how cruel life—and death—can be.”
Alice planted herself firm, head held high like the enigmatic totem she was. “No. My
wish for you would have been to hold on to who you were. So when your wounds finally heal, you can find your way out of this pit of darkness.”
“I am the pit of darkness! You foolish, insolent child!” Blue flames licked over the knuckles of Hades’ fists, dancing up his forearms.
“Rain.” Alice uttered that one word, and a light spring mist drizzled down from the cavernous ceiling overhead.
Hades’ fire fizzled out, leaving him staring down at his own hands and sputtering in equal parts confusion and rage.
“We’re going to go, and you’re going to let us,” Alice explained in a calm and measured tone. “Because I know who and what you truly are. Mark my words, we will meet again. And when we do, I will take great pleasure in reminding you. Now, take a step back.”
Hades huffed, snorted, and… backed away. “Remember what I said, boy. Give Persephone to me, and I shall spare you and your friend.”
“She just scared off Hades,” Persephone mumbled, her eyes wide as saucers. “What’s scarier than Death?”
Centering himself for the jump ahead, Sterling gulped down the lump of fear forming in his throat. “In a word? Alice.”
Chapter Twelve
“What in Olympus’ name was that?” Persephone spun on Alice the second her feet settled into the grass in a new realm.
Hands on her knees, Alice stared hard at the ground, trying to steady her ragged breathing. “I was trying… to save… your life.”
“Hades couldn’t hurt me!” Persephone’s face morphed from red to purple, spittle forming in the corners of her mouth. “You knew that! And it seems you know him. That being the case, how about if we try a bit of truth? Who the hell are you?”
“I was bluffing.” Alice raised her head slowly, her eyes brimmed with tears and chin quaking. “He’s going to keep coming for you with everything he’s got. If nothing else, I gave him a reason to hesitate. To think it through before he acts.”
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