by Melody Rose
Demeter rolled her eyes at me and shrugged. “If I must,” was all she said.
Well, that’s not going to happen, I thought to myself.
I stood up straighter now, my healing ribs aching with the effort, as I stared down at Demeter. “You’re taking this shit way too goddamn far now. If you think I’m going to let Persephone stay a prisoner, then you’re out of your fucking mind. You’ve humiliated her, you’ve assaulted her, and you’ve been gaslighting her this entire time. You think she’s going to just bend over and fucking take it now that she’s seen that the world isn’t as bad as you claimed it was?”
Demeter said nothing. Instead, she turned her back to me and started to walk back towards the crowd that had gathered in the garden. I felt a tick working in my jaw as Aphrodite stepped aside quickly for Demeter to pass.
“Demeter!” I called, hoping to get some sort of answer, but Demeter said nothing as she vanished into a haze. Everyone’s attention now turned to me as I stood bloody and battered in the middle of the garden. Aphrodite, though her eyes were apologetic, sneered at me with disdain before she made her way back into the temple.
One by one, the others followed suit. Artemis and Athena were some of the last to enter. Artemis avoided my gaze entirely, and Athena offered me an apologetic frown before she led Artemis inside. Finally, I was left standing alone with my brothers.
Poseidon, dressed in a dark blue shirt and shorts, clop-clop-clopped his way towards me in his black sandals. His face was full of amusement as he patted my shoulder. “So, you and Persephone, eh?”
I pulled away from Poseidon’s touch as Zeus ambled over with a mocking grin. “At least one of us gets to have a taste of her. Too bad her mommy cock-blocked you, huh? Man, you’re good at making enemies, aren’t you, big brother?”
Poseidon and Zeus shared a laugh as I felt my composure slipping. I wasn’t expecting sympathy from my brothers, but I also wasn’t expecting them to be so amused at my misfortune either. Before I could control myself, I grabbed Poseidon’s neck in one hand and started to squeeze.
“I’ve had enough of you two assholes,” I growled between clenched teeth.
Zeus guffawed as Poseidon struggled in my grasp. I wanted to kill them. I wanted to kill all of them. I had finally found that one thing in my life, aside from my dog and my best friend, that I didn’t loathe, and now it was being taken away from me. And all my brothers could offer me were more snide remarks?
“H-Hades… let go,” Poseidon begged as his face turned red.
I glared down at my brother for a moment. There had been a time, when we were children, where we had been forced to watch as our father sacrificed all of our siblings, over the course of a few days, in order to become even more powerful. Poseidon, an innocent child at the time, had been so scared as our siblings were torn to pieces and eaten, but I had promised him it wouldn’t hurt. He wouldn’t have to worry about the pain of it.
The evening before it was our turn to be served as dinner to our father, I had snuck Poseidon into my room. As I stared into his large tear-filled hazel eyes, I had used my growing powers to put my little brother into a deep sleep. It wasn’t long after that before his little head drooped onto my lap. As I sat in my bed, feeling the terror of what was to come next, I rubbed my hand on my brother’s back. When our father barged into my room, I didn’t even scream.
I hadn’t been worried about myself or the pain that would ensue. I just wanted to be sure my little brother would be safe. Before Zeus was born, Poseidon and I were inseparable. But here I was now, ready to kill the same man for not only his damn mouth but because I couldn’t stomach who he’d become.
“Don’t worry, Poseidon,” Zeus said, snapping me out of my memories. “He’s not going to kill you, are you, Hades?”
Part of me demanded that I kill my brother right then and there. But as I looked into my little brother’s eyes, I couldn’t help but remember his terror all those years ago. I let him go and shoved him away from me. As Poseidon hit the ground, he coughed and gasped for air.
Zeus chuckled. “Temper, temper, Hades,” he said with a grin. “It’s not the end of the world. Maybe one day you’ll see Persephone again. But by then, I’m sure I’ll have gotten a taste of her first.”
Kill him! my subconscious snarled as Zeus helped Poseidon to his feet.
No. Death would have been too generous for a man like Zeus. Before I could allow myself to get caught up in my own rage again, I vanished, leaving my brothers in my wake.
13
Hades
At the rate and speed at which I was pacing my room, it was a wonder that I hadn’t burned a hole into the ground. It had been two days since Persephone had been taken away by Demeter. At that time, I hadn’t left my chambers for fear of leveling Tartarus until it was little more than a pile of ash and rubble. I had left the Erinyes in charge of things while I confined myself to my quarter’s trying to think of a way to see Persephone. Cerberus sat on the floor, one of his heads raised and watching as I paced furiously while the other two were fast asleep.
For two days, I had been unable to eat or sleep as I devised a plan in my mind. Poseidon, Zeus, and I were the strongest in our pantheon. With this factor in play, there was extraordinarily little by way of magic that we couldn’t undo. I paused at last, surprising Cerberus. If I could undo an enchantment, I thought to myself, then that meant that I could theoretically take Persephone away with little resistance, couldn’t I?
I mean, let’s not resort to kidnapping her, my subconscious said. No, not kidnapping her. I didn’t want Persephone to be in any more trouble with Demeter than she was already in, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t whisk her away for a while, right? Even if Demeter tried to stop me, there was no surprising me a second time.
“What do you think I should do?” I asked, turning to face Cerberus. All three of Cerberus’s heads yawned in unison before staring at me in silence. I sighed. “What a lot of help you three are.”
I closed my eyes and reached out towards Mount Olympus, projecting my consciousness to the dazzling Olympian city. Evening set on the glistening marble temples that dotted the lush green mountain. I focused my thoughts on Persephone. If I concentrated hard enough on her scent, I was sure to find her temple.
After a moment, I felt a powerful force drawing my attention towards the base of the mountain. There, hidden within a forest of greenery, was a small temple with a large glass dome. As I ventured close to the temple, I could see six figures rushing through the orchard. I squinted my eyes to see Demeter and her handmaids gathering the last bit of their harvest before calling it a night. I scowled, not wanting to see that crazy bitch at this moment.
Careful not to alert her to my presence, I drifted deeper into the temple, navigating through each room in search of my prize. Finally, near the far end of the temple, I reached a small door that glittered gold with a powerful shield. Demeter had warded the room to prevent anyone from entering or leaving, I realized. This had to mean that this was Persephone’s room. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes, breaking my mental projection.
Okay, well, at least now I knew where she was in the temple. Now, what was I going to do once I got in there and got her out? What was my next plan of action?
I wondered for a moment. I wanted to spend time with Persephone by any means necessary, but I knew that if I brought her to the Underworld, where she couldn’t enter or leave without an escort, she might panic. The Underworld wasn’t an awful place, but it also wasn’t as comfortable of a place as the human world.
Did Demeter ever go to the human world, I wondered? I was almost sure she didn’t. Her handmaids did most of the work for her on and off her grounds. Would taking her to the human world be safer than bringing her to the Underworld?
Ugh…. Why was this so difficult? Okay, think, I told myself. First, I would break into Demeter’s temple. Second, once I got there, I would create a small crack within Demeter’s warding that she wouldn’t notice. Lastly,
I would bring Persephone to the human world for a…. I swallowed at the lump in my throat as my heart whispered, “Date.”
I took another deep breath to steady myself. No time like the present.
In the blink of an eye, I stood outside of Demeter’s temple. While the garden surrounding Demeter’s temple was vast and impressive, her temple was quite small in comparison. Six white marble columns lined the temple with two large sconces lit on either side of the entrance. The dome on the roof of the temple, as I had seen moments ago, was made of transparent glass. Perhaps it acted like a greenhouse, I thought to myself.
At the sound of approaching footsteps, I ducked behind some shrubbery and held my breath; the last of Demeter’s handmaids had just made a brisk entrance into the temple. I poked my head around the shrubs and examined the area to ensure I was alone. The last thing I needed right now was to be caught. When I was positive no one else was around, I snapped my fingers and glamoured myself.
I conjured up a crisp white himation and a pair of golden sandals to match as my appearance slowly began to morph. When the transformation was complete, I summoned a small hand mirror into my hand and admired my handiwork. If anyone had been walking by where I sat at this very moment, they would only see a fair-haired handmaid gazing at her own reflection.
Perfect, I thought as I mentally applauded myself.
I closed the mirror, and it vanished into thin air as I clamored to my feet ungracefully. I brushed myself off and took a deep, steady breath. It was now or never. Without another moment of hesitation, I rushed into the temple.
Once inside, my footsteps echoed as I power-walked my way down the narrow corridors. In the main hall of the temple, half a dozen handmaids were busy cleaning all the floors and statuary. They said nothing as I brushed past them, but I had no doubt several were trying to figure out who I was.
It wasn’t very long before I found Persephone’s room. The warding around the room pulsed quietly like a steady heartbeat as I took a step towards it. I reached up and placed a hand on the glittering bubble. Almost immediately, the warding warmed the palm of my hand before zapping my flesh. I looked down to see my actual hand poking through the illusion. Demeter had made this warding quite powerful. Just that small surge of energy had eliminated the glamour from my hand. I forced back a laugh as I turned over a large male hand that was still attached to a small female arm. That was kind of freaky.
I shook the thoughts away as I concentrated now. I looked down the left side of the hall and then the right. When I saw no handmaids in sight, I placed both hands on the warding and summoned black flames. Much like a paper catching fire, the warding began to burn in the middle slowly. Once the hole was large enough to slip in, I ducked down inside and repaired the damage before Demeter felt the disturbance.
By now, my entire glamour had faded, but it no longer mattered. Quiet as a mouse, I stepped closer to the door and pushed it open. I held back a gasp of surprise at the inside of the small room. Well, perhaps it wasn’t as small as I anticipated, anyway. The inside of the room was a lovely shade of blue to mimic the sky. The ground was entirely made of earth and grass.
In the center of the room, there sat a large pool with unnaturally blue water and white trees along its edge. Persephone and two water nymphs sat on the edge of the pool in deep conversation. I slipped closer, closing the door behind me. Persephone was distraught, her shoulders heaving with every breath and sob.
“I just don’t understand,” she told the water nymph on her right. “How can my mother treat me like this? I’m over a thousand years old. Why does she still insist on treating me like a child?”
“There, there, my lady,” the nymph on the left said as she wrapped an arm around Persephone’s shoulders. “I’m sure Lady Demeter has her reasons, but you won’t be here forever. You know how your mother can get when she’s in a mood. Just give it time.”
“I’m tired of giving it time, Astrid,” Persephone wailed. “I just want to leave. I want to see my friends, and I want to have fun, I want to see--”
“Persephone?” I said, cutting her off mid-sentence. Persephone turned to me with large red eyes before the two nymphs screeched and dove into the pool. Wide-eyed, I averted my gaze as I realized both nymphs were completely nude.
“H-Hades?” Persephone said, wiping away at her snot and tears. I nodded and smiled softly, then patted myself down jokingly.
“I mean, I think I am. If I’m not, then this is kind of awkward, isn’t it?”
Persephone chuckled and climbed to her feet. Even with eyes swollen from crying and tear-stained cheeks, Persephone was positively beautiful. Small red and pink rosebuds laced her hair, and she wore a soft yellow himation with embroidered blue butterflies. Her lavender eyes twinkled with joy.
“What are you doing here? How did you get in? My mother--”
I raised a hand before she could continue. “First of all, your mother can go fuck herself. Demeter may have set that barrier to keep you in, but that doesn’t mean it’s strong enough to keep me out.”
Persephone smiled broadly before she ran towards me and threw her arms around my waist in a tight embrace. I flushed as the nymphs giggled in the water. I shot the two of them a “get lost” look before smiling down at the crown of Persephone’s head. Slowly and quite nervously, I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her to my chest.
She was so small and soft, and every single curve of her body blended perfectly into mine. I lowered my nose to her hair and took a small breath. My body crooned as the scent of violets permeated my senses. A delightful shiver ran down my spine as we hugged in silence for a moment.
“I’m sorry,” Persephone finally said at last.
I pulled away from her, looking down at her heart-shaped face. Her gaze was glued firmly to my stomach, and her brows pulled together with worry. Placing a finger under her chin, I lifted her gaze to meet mine. When she finally locked eyes with me, I sighed softly.
“Why are you apologizing?” I asked.
“For the things that my mother said and did to you. You didn’t deserve it.” Persephone frowned deeply, and I could tell that she blamed herself for what happened the last time we’d met. I shook my head to dispel her worries.
“Persephone,” I said with a small reassuring smile, “I’m fine. Your mother was angry, and she caught me off guard. It wasn’t your fault. Please don’t apologize for anything. Besides, I’m here to take you away with me for a little while.”
Her eyes lit up almost immediately. Her joy brought a feeling of warmth to my heart. Persephone, whether she knew it or not, held an incredible power over me. For two days, I had been feeling as though a part of me was missing. When I tried to eat or tried to sleep, all I could think of was how empty I felt without her near me. Now that we had one another like this, I was afraid to let her go, or she would be lost to me again.
I didn’t want to be alone again. Thinking back on how miserable and distant I had been two weeks ago, I could scarcely believe that that had been me. When Persephone was with me, I felt alive and ready to take on anything. And that smile melted every part of me. I wanted to do nothing more than live within her smile, within her heart for the rest of my immortal life.
“You’re taking me out of here?” she asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nodded.
“I want to get to know you better, Persephone. I want you to know everything about me, and I want to know everything about you. You deserve more than a prison sentence,” I replied quietly. The nymphs muttered a collective “aw,” before diving into the depths of the pool to give us privacy. Persephone bit her lip and giggled cutely.
“I’d like that, too. But how are we going to get out of here without my mother sensing me?” She raised a brow. “How is she not sensing you?”
“I’m much stronger than your mom. Don’t worry about that. I’ve got it covered,” I said as I stepped out of Persephone’s embrace and extended a hand to her. “Do you trust me?”
Persephone hesi
tated for a moment. She looked down at my hand and then up to my eyes. What was she thinking about, I wondered? I held my breath.
“Yes,” Persephone finally said, as she placed a small hand in mine.
14
Persephone
Hades teleported us to a small bar in a place he called New Orleans. The inside of the bar was decorated with all manner of animal busts, biker décor, alligator hides, and country music memorabilia. But the most intriguing part of the entire establishment was that it welcomed all men, gods, demi-gods, changelings, and beasts. This was seen as a safe haven for any who sought asylum.
When we first entered the bar, a man with chestnut-colored hair that stopped just shy of his shoulders greeted Hades. His skin was a rich olive, accentuated by his dazzling green eyes. The man smiled and slammed his hand down on the bar with an exaggerated gasp before he stood and started towards us.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Hades walking in here?” he said loudly.
Hades rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Look, I’m up here without anyone dragging me along,” he replied as he and the man embraced.
I stepped off to the side, not wanting to interrupt the two of them, but the man noticed and raised a curious brow.
“Well, now, wait a damn minute. Hades, who is this?” he asked as he gave me a once over then looked back at Hades. “Are you…? NO. Hades, are you on a date?”
A date? I thought to myself. What was a date? I glanced at Hades to see that he was blushing, a bright pink staining his cheeks. “Hephaestus, this is Persephone. Persephone, this douchebag is my best friend, Hephaestus.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said as I bowed my head politely.
Hephaestus threw his head back and laughed before he leaned in and hugged me quickly. “So, you’re the girl he was all butt-hurt about!” he teased. “Well, shit, I was starting to think he was making you up. You should have seen him acting like a big baby over you.”