“No. I won’t believe it.”
“You should tell her about your time with Coronus.”
Persephone turned on him. “I think it would be best if I talked with my mother alone.”
Demeter wailed, tears streaming down her face, her body trembling. “Oh, my dear,
Persephone. I wanted you to be safe. Now all the gods have ravished you.”
“Oh this was worse than ravishing, Mother,” Hades mocked her.
Demeter clutched Persephone’s arm. “No, Persephone. Oh please, tell me it’s not true!”
This situation was impossible! She glanced at Hades who raised an eyebrow at her, and her husband wasn’t helping matters!
“That’s enough from you! You need to let me handle this,” she snapped at him.
He shook his head, his dark eyes smoldering. “I see how you’ve been handling it. You
haven’t.”
“She told you to leave,” Demeter shouted.
Persephone gritted her teeth, ignored her mother, and glared at him. “I have a question for you, husband. Do you care about the mortals? Will you allow them all to die so you can have what you want?”
His mouth formed a tight line. “Shouldn’t you be directing that question at your mother?”
He was right. “I asked you.”
“As King of the Underworld, I own the souls of the dead, their living bodies are not my
concern.”
She nodded and turned to her mother. “And you, mother? Do you care about the mortals?
Will you allow them all to die so you can have what you want?”
“I’m not their caretaker. I’m the goddess of the fields. Talk to Zeus if you’re concerned about their welfare. He’s their god.”
She looked from one to the other. Demeter had that anxious, pleading look in her eyes,
silently begging Persephone to stay with her. Her husband’s steely gaze commanded her to do what he wanted, come home.
She was trapped between two hardhead strangers and neither one would budge. She threw
back her head and screamed her frustrations. The shocked look on their faces was almost worth the uncharacteristic action.
“You are two of the most stubborn, selfish people I’ve ever met!” She could barely stand to look at either one of them. “I’m a grown woman. I’m a goddess in my own right. And it’s time you let me make my own decisions.”
They stared at her, as if they couldn’t believe what she said. She didn’t care. Neither one was really listening to her. Not really.
“But you aren’t,” Hades protested. “You want to be with me.”
“No, she doesn’t! She wants to be with me.”
“I don’t want to be with either of you!” She looked at her husband. “You tell me to make my own decisions, Hades, yet if they aren’t to your liking, you bully your way into changing them.
You’re no better than Eris.” She turned to her mother who was smirking at her husband. “And you aren’t any better, Mother. You’ve stolen my birthright and scared me into obedience. Be the goddess the mortals need, sustain crops, and quit your weeping. It’s sickening!”
Persephone knew it was harsh, but she didn’t care. Her fury was such that it cut the ones she loved the most, made them bleed, and danced in joy. And it would not be sedated until she said the last of it. “How could either of you be so selfish? The mother I knew and loved would never be so careless or act so callously. And the husband I love and want to be with would never be such a coward. I can’t stand either one of you.” She rested her hand over her belly, wondering if she was going to be sick again. “And I’ll not subject my child to either of your manipulations.”
Masking her energy, as Eris had taught her so long ago, she left them both gawking after her.
Chapter 34
“I’VE A fool for a son.”
Hades sighed, marked another name in the ledger and looked up at his mother. Eris stood in the Hall of Judgment, dressed in black armor, hands on her hips, glaring at him.
“This doesn’t concern you, Mother. Go back to whatever battlefield you came from.”
Eris walked the short distance and slammed her hands down on the table. The wood buckled
and spilt under the force. Hades blinked. “You’ve made your point.”
“I don’t think I have!”
“I already chased after her once. I will not humiliate myself further.”
“Then you are the worse idiot. She’s worthy of you, Hades! She’s more than worthy of being Queen of the Underworld! She is the only woman worthy of being my daughter-by-marriage!
And you forced her away!”
Hades crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his mother. She didn’t often give
compliments, and in her way, she had paid Persephone the highest compliment she could. But it didn’t matter. Persephone had shut him out of her life. He was alone again.
“She doesn’t want to be with me.”
“That didn’t stop you before.”
“She’s in complete control of her power now. Not even I could hold her against her will.”
Eris leaned across the table, hauled Hades from his chair and threw him across the chamber.
She was straddling him moments later, holding him immobile. “Blind boy! When will you
realize Demeter isn’t me? She doesn’t have the power to oppose Coronus! She did the best thing she could for her daughters! She hid them from the world!”
“It’s inexcusable!”
“It was necessary! You know what Coronus would’ve done to Persephone if he learned about
her existence? He would’ve taken her from her mother. He would’ve used her power until he drained her dry. And then he would’ve placed her in Tartarus until she healed so he could do it again and again. Zeus may be an idiot, but he’s better than Coronus any day of the week!”
Hades pressed against her power, trying to break through but it was useless; she was stronger.
“It still isn’t right!”
“Maybe not, but it was the only way she knew how to protect her daughters. I did no
different with you. I protected you by teaching you the art of war.”
He stared at his mother, shocked. The cold bitch actually cared.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
SITTING ON his throne, Zeus was assigning the other Olympians their tasks, when the doors burst open. Zeus sighed, slumped in his seat and wished he could vanish as easily as Hades and his ilk.
Hades stomped into the room like he owned the place, a weeping Demeter in tow, and a
scowl on his face. What else was new?
Zeus groaned and rubbed his temples. As a god, he wasn’t prone to getting headaches but
these two deities caused him a tremendous amount of pain. One was a whiny, self-centered
goddess. The other was an arrogant, demanding god.
Athena, Ares, and Aphrodite, who still hadn’t received their tasks, turned to watch the group as they made their way to Zeus’ throne.
Hades shoved Demeter before him. “Either she controls the weather or you strip her of her duties and appoint another in her place. This can’t go on.”
“He’s driven my daughter away,” Demeter wailed.
Hades smiled at her, reminding Zeus of a panther. “You drove her away long before I came
along.”
“Did not!”
At least he didn’t keep with the childish argument. He dismissed her and turned to Zeus.
“Persephone—”
“I will tend to your squabble in a moment,” Zeus interrupted, gaining the upmost enjoyment from cutting the supercilious god short.
Although why he should tend to their squabble at all, he didn’t know. These two needed to be banished to an island where they couldn’t cause any more trouble. They could drive each other crazy for eternity instead of those around them.
“Your daughter is out in the world, roaming in unfamiliar territory, and yo
u won’t do
anything to save her?”
“We’ve had this discussion before, Demeter. She’s a goddess. She’s more than capable of
taking care of herself…” He caught Hades’ look and glared at the daemon-god. “What?!”
“I’m surprised. You actually learned common sense in my absence. It’s a vast improvement.”
Zeus shook his head and exhaled his breath. “You know, I really hate you, Hades. Since
meeting you, you’ve brought nothing but grief to my world.”
Hades smiled.
“Now where was I? Oh, yes!” He turned to Ares. “I want you to—”
“I want my daughter back!”
HADES SIGHED and looked at the annoying woman. “Persephone is old enough and more
than capable of making her own decisions.”
“She’s a child!”
“If I haven’t missed my guess, Persephone hasn’t been a child in a very long time.”
“At least five-hundred years,” Aphrodite piped up.
Demeter accusingly glared at Zeus. “She’s pregnant with this monster’s child!” she howled, as if that was the worst thing Hades could possibly do to her daughter.
“That settles it,” Aphrodite said. “She’s bound to Hades.”
Hades inclined his head toward the goddess. He still didn’t like her, but she had her uses.
“That is not fair,” Athena argued. “It is only logical to conclude that this was not an act of the will but survival.”
“How do you figure that?” Ares asked. “She had to sleep with him and bear a child?
Goddesses aren’t like the mortals. They control their fertility.”
“Ares is right, Athena. Persephone didn’t have to conceive a child. She chose to.”
“NO!” Demeter wailed, collapsing into a sobbing heap.
Athena ignored her, continuing the conversation. “No self-respecting woman would willingly trap herself into the bondage of marriage.”
Aphrodite laughed and Hades didn’t blame her. No one could force Persephone into
anything. At least not anymore. Persephone had grown from the innocent woman he’d met in the woods and into the woman she’d become. And he’d been no better than those trying to control her and make her decisions for her.
“Honey, you’re deluded,” Aphrodite said to Athena, although she eyed Hades as if he was the most scrumptious morsel and licked her lips.. “Marriage is just as binding to a man.” He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. There was no way in Tartarus that he would ever consider taking her to his bed. “And more to the point, how could a sane woman pass up a man who looks like this?”
Athena glared at Hades. He grinned and winked at her. She blanched. “You’re a whore,
Aphrodite.”
“And you’re an uptight bitch.”
Hades agreed with both sentiments. Women like Athena and Aphrodite gave all women a bad
reputation, although the men in this room weren’t shining examples either.
“My money’s on Aphrodite,” Ares said.
Aphrodite and Athena were facing off and looked ready to fight. Despite his disgust at such childishness, he wondered which of the women would win the fight when a crack shook the
floor. Most of the gods ran for cover. Hades stood his ground and wondered why Aphrodite and Demeter thought his body was the perfect shield. With Zeus wielding the bolts, he was more than likely to be the next target.
A smiling Zeus strode toward the group, holding a bolt in his hand. “That’s better. Now, can either of you call Persephone?”
Hades shrugged. “She’s masking her energy and unless she uses her magic, I can’t sense
her.”
It was a partial lie. Persephone was masking her energy, but through their link he could sense and track her anywhere. However, he would respect her need for privacy, unless there was
trouble. Right now, she was safe along the coast of the inland sea.
“She vanished,” Demeter cried. “I don’t know where she is or when she’ll come back. And
it’s all your fault.”
“I’m not the one who lied to her, or suppressed her magic. I didn’t use an image of Coronus to frighten her into forgetting everything I didn’t like,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against a pillar.
Demeter stared at him shocked, her mouth working.
“I understand why you did what you did when she was child. Coronus would have used her
without a care. But why did you continue after?”
“I was protecting her.”
His fists clenched at his side. Aphrodite intervened before the comment on the tip of his tongue would’ve started the whole process again.
“Oh Demmie, it’s time to let her go. She’s a grown woman with a husband and a child on the way. Face the truth; no one wants to be with someone they’re forced to remain with. We want to be with those we love. A mother’s love means the willingness to let go.”
It also meant protecting their children. Demeter had done what she thought best for her
daughter. He would have done no less to protect his children. Only his methods would have been different.
“That is actually profound,” Athena said.
He agreed with Athena’s assessment. It was profound and telling.
“If Persephone slept with Hades, the marriage is binding, but the law allows her the freedom to live where she may.” Zeus glanced at Hades but continued to speak to Demeter. “There has to be a reason Persephone ran. What has she told you, Demeter?”
She stared at the floor. “She wanted to return to the Underworld. But she’s confused, Zeus.
She doesn’t know what she wants. She’s still vulnerable.”
“You allowed her to her make her own decisions four hundred years ago.” He glanced at
Hades and then Demeter and then back. “Can you let her do it again?”
“Yes,” Demeter said.
“Yes,” Hades said.
Zeus stared at him, waiting for more, but there was no more. Persephone was free to make
her own decisions and Hades would let her. If she wanted to be with him, she would come. If she didn’t, she would make a place for herself in the world. He just hoped she allowed him to be part of the life of the child they had made.
Vaguely, he heard Aphrodite speaking to Demeter about love, children, and a man named
Iasion. Athena and Ares made a quick retreat from the place and he didn’t really blame them. He would like to do the same. He would love to find his wife and apologize to her, but she wasn’t ready to see him yet. So he would be content to wait and track her movements.
“It certainly beats running away,” Zeus said. “Aphrodite, I need you to—”
“No need to tell me, Zeusy.” She patted him on the arm. “I know what I need to do.”
Hades blinked and shook his head. He’d missed something, not that it mattered. He didn’t
care what Demeter did. He felt the stab of sadness and hurt coming through his link from
Persephone. He clenched his hands and forced himself to remain absolutely still. He would wait for her to call him.
“You’re very quiet. Are you finally satisfied?”
Hades looked at Zeus. “What? Oh, yes. You dealt well with the situation. I’m sorry to have brought this squabble to you. I’ll leave you in peace now.”
“It’s about time,” Zeus grumbled.
Hades smiled. As much as he disliked the pathetic god, he found some amusement in him.
And Eris was right, he was better than Coronus. “Zeus?”
“What now?” the exasperated god asked.
Hades grinned. He knew the scar covering most of the left side of his face made him look
fearsome and not in the least bit kind. “I owe you a favor.”
He disappeared and Zeus breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, Hades would leave him alone. He felt as if
a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Now, he could go about the task of enjoying his role as supreme ruler. At least until the next time Hades wanted something of him.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
“DESTROYER.”
Persephone blinked and took in her surroundings. Another fishing village along the coast, same as the others before it and same as the ones that would come after it. They all had the same hacklers too.
She turned toward the man. “You forgot Queen of the Dead.”
He paled at the implied threat and fled. It was cruel of her to answer in such a way, but she tired of the curses whispered at her back, and the sidelong glances of hatred and accusations.
When would they understand that she wasn’t the full cause of their suffering, and she hadn’t cursed them with winter and death but the goddess who had was the same one they worshiped for saving them? When would they understand that Persephone was just another unfortunate
victim of this devastating winter, and she was trying to put the world to right by helping them rebuild their homes and their lives?
Probably never. She would be like Hades, widely misunderstood. The amusing thought made
her laugh.
Whatever mortals and gods thought of Hades, one thing was for certain: he was fair. He was kind and worthy of love and respect.
The familiar urge to return to her husband rose, but it wasn’t time yet. She needed to
understand her place in this world, not as Demeter’s daughter and not as Hades’ wife, but as Goddess of the Dead and Queen of the Underworld. She needed to find a balance between the power of life and the power of death, and know who she was and what she really wanted in life.
And then perhaps, she could return to the husband she loved without fear.
Time passed slowly for her as she walked the fringes of society, healing the crops battered by winds or killed by the frosts, nullifying her mother’s effects on the climate. Whether her mother couldn’t control the weather or wouldn’t do it, she could only guess. Either way, she wasn’t going back. Not ever. That part of her life ended the moment she met Hades.
“My Lady?”
My Lord Hades Page 30