Persephone

Chapter XXVI

The party was in full swing by the time Helen released me. I gripped their hands tightly as we walked to the ballroom. What if my mom was right? I hadn’t really meant to surprise Hades like this. I just needed to see him, to talk to him, and hear that everything was going to be okay.
Helen had outdone herself on my dress. It was a beautiful full-length strapless yellow taffeta gown. The material gathered around my stomach, enhanced by clusters of diamonds forming daisies. Corset strings tied the dress in the back, starting just beneath my shoulder blades. My hair was down, and the same diamond daisies sprinkled throughout, forming a loose crown. I wore a matching bracelet.
“Hades can take care of the ring,” Helen joked.
The door to the ballroom opened and Thanatos stumbled out, laughing at something Charon had said. They both stopped when they saw me.
“Whoa,” Charon said, giving me a once-over before pulling me into a quick side-hug. “It’s good to see you’re okay.”
“Thank you.” I looked at Thanatos. “I’m so—”
“I was honored to help you.” He clasped my hands. “You were incredible out there.”
“Are you still…?”
“No,” he assured me. He glanced at Helen, Cassandra, and Charon. “Could I talk to you in private for a moment?”
The blood drained from my face. “Melissa?”
“Is beyond my reach. I just needed to ask you something about Boreas. His…unusual death has made his soul difficult to classify, and I’d like to get this sorted out before I go.”
“Can’t it wait?” Cassandra asked.
“It will only be a moment,” Thanatos promised.
“You guys go ahead,” I said with a smile at Helen and Cassandra. “It’s probably best we don’t all show up together. Hades may not be too thrilled with me after what I did.”
My heart sank when they didn’t argue. Charon nodded and walked toward the throne room. Charon couldn’t lie, but I would have welcomed false platitudes from Cassandra or Helen.
“Are you going somewhere?” I asked Thanatos.
“Vacationing on the surface for a bit. You won’t be needing me for guard duty down here, will you?”
“No. I’m going to be spending most of my time on the surface from now on.”
Thanatos nodded. “Boreas died human, somehow. He didn’t have an ounce of divinity left. Do you know what he did with his powers before he died?”
“No, but I bet it had something to do with Zeus. Have you told Hades what Boreas said about him?”
Thanatos shook his head. “He needed to know you were okay before he could handle news like that. He’s not happy you snuck off, but he really does worry about you.”
I smiled. “Well, I hope you enjoy your vacation. I hope telling Hades about Zeus doesn’t mess it up for you.”
“I’m not really all that useful to Hades.” Thanatos looked down at the marble floors, scuffing his black shoes back and forth. “Have you told…anyone that you charmed me?”
I frowned, thinking back. I’d told my mother and Melissa about the fight with Boreas, but between witnessing and then committing a murder, charming Thanatos wasn’t all that memorable. I studied Thanatos. It was memorable for him. His face was flushed, his hands were gripped tightly together, and he wouldn’t meet my eyes.
He’s embarrassed. I remembered him saying I outranked him, and as far as bloodlines went, I did, but knowing that and having his will overpowered by a goddess who hadn’t even come into her powers couldn’t feel very good.
“I haven’t told anyone.”
“Is there any way… I hate asking you this, but could you promise not to tell anyone anything about me? It’s just that I’d never live it down if anyone ever found out I’d been charmed.”
I smiled at him. “I promise. I can’t promise Hades won’t figure it out, but he won’t have any help from me.”
A grin broke out across his face. “Thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do. I’m really sorry I used you like that. It wasn’t right.”
Thanatos shook his head. “Just don’t do it again, okay?”
I opened my mouth to agree, but the door opened, smacking me in the elbow. “Ouch,” I muttered, rubbing it. I got out of the way as a group of souls left the ballroom, laughing among themselves.
I glanced through the open door and saw Hades in the center of the room. His eyes met mine.
“I’ll be going now,” Thanatos said. “Bye, Persephone.”
I nodded, my mouth going dry, and walked through the door. The ballroom had been redecorated for the Equinox. Flowers covered every corner. Halfway into the ballroom the floor gave way to grass, and the ceiling changed to open sky, with randomly placed stars decorating the sky. Souls smiled at me, but I only had eyes for Hades.
My pulse hammered in my throat. “Can I have this dance?”
He pulled me close to him, putting his hands stiffly at my shoulder and waist. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again.”
“I’m not going to apologize to you. I would do it all again if I had to.”
“That’s a terrifying thought. How did you manage to kill Boreas?”
“I’m not sorry,” I said quickly. “He deserved it. He deserved worse! He killed Melissa and who knows how many other people during that blizzard. Not to mention what he had planned for me. I’m not sorry.”
“You don’t have to be.” Hades’ voice was soft. “You don’t have to explain that to me.”
I looked up at him. “I’m not sorry.” My voice shook. “I’m not. That doesn’t make me a monster. I know you’re disappointed or whatever, but if I had—”
“What?” He titled my chin up so he could study my face. “What are you talking about?”
“You wanted me to be different…”
Hades shook his head. “You defended yourself. I don’t think any less of you for that.” The song changed and we swayed with the music. “I just want to know how you did it.”
“I told him to die.” I swallowed hard. “And he crumbled.”
“He was charmed, I presume?”
I nodded.
“That shouldn’t be possible.” He looked at me warily. “Don’t ever try to charm me.”
I glared at him. “Did you know Zeus was still alive?”
He stumbled, stepping squarely on my foot.
“I guess not,” I muttered.
“What are you talking about?”
“Boreas told me when I charmed him. He said he was working for Zeus.” I shrugged. “He wants me for something. But Zeus is dead, isn’t he?”
Hades’ face hardened. “I’ll get to the bottom of this. But at least this explains how you were able to charm and kill Boreas. He’d sworn fealty to Zeus.”
“What does that mean?”
Hades glanced around the ballroom, then took my hand and led me outside. “A god can swear fealty to another god, and it transfers all their worship and power to that god. In return they can be given more strength than usual, but they aren’t themselves anymore. They’re bound to that god. They have to follow their will.” He gave me a level stare. “It’s practically signing away your divinity. When you asked him to die, he probably willed the rest of his power to Zeus.”
“Why would Boreas do that?”
Hades shrugged. “Who knows what Zeus promised him? In any case, Boreas would only be vulnerable to Zeus or his offspring.”
“He did all that,” I grumbled. “And now he’s living the high life on Olympus.”
“Actually, his soul’s in Tartarus. He died without divinity. He was judged as a human would be.” Hades gave me a smile so dark it sent chills up my spine. “After I had a long talk with him.”
“And he didn’t tell you about Zeus?” I didn’t agree with torture, but I’d figured if Hades did…whatever he had done in that talk, it would yield results.
“I didn’t think to ask if a god had somehow managed to come back to life.” Hades sounded defensive. “We’ll have to have another conversation. But in any case, he’s in Tartarus, so be careful coming and going from the Underworld.”
“I’m glad he was judged as human.” I looked Hades straight in the eye. “Gods shouldn’t get special treatment when they’re judged.”
Hades gave me a bitter smile. “Then we’d all go to hell. So your mother doesn’t mind you coming here?”
I shrugged, not appreciating his implication with that particular change of topic. “It’s not her favorite thing, but she’ll get over it. I am queen here, aren’t I?” He gave me a look I couldn’t decipher, and I exhaled impatiently. “You didn’t think I knew this was forever?”
His eyes darted to the floor. “I was going to tell you, but I was looking for a way to reverse—”
“I don’t want you to.”
He looked up.
“I love it here. I feel like I belong here.”
“Then why didn’t you just stay?” His voice was gruff. “If you love it so much, why run to danger?”
“Because Melissa needed me, and she means more to me than any other human being in either realm. And I’m glad I was able to stop the suffering of the people in the living realm, because I care about them just as much as I care about the souls. They didn’t deserve to freeze for me, and yeah, on a more selfish note it was really nice to see the sun again. I belong on the surface just as much as I do here.” I touched a hand to his cheek. “If you still want to find a way to undo it, go ahead. But not on my account.”
He smiled at me. “I couldn’t ask for a better queen.”
“I love you.” The words left my mouth of their own volition. I gulped at the empty air, trying to take them back.
He froze.
“I’m not one hundred percent sure,” I babbled. “Well, I guess I kind of have to be if I actually said it, but I’m not stupid. I know I’ve only known you for, like, three months, and the age difference is kind of colossal. But I know you feel the same way.”
“Persephone—”
I held up a hand to stop him. “You’re about to remind me that you don’t want to take advantage of me, but we’re kind of married.”
“Marriage doesn’t mean anything to gods.”
I moved closer to him, standing on my tiptoes until our lips were inches apart. “Maybe not, but it means something to you.”
“You’re hardly the first woman I’ve shown interest in,” Hades scoffed. His eyes sparkled with challenge. He wasn’t going to shrink away from me. He leaned closer. “There was Minthe, and Leuce, and—”
“Minthe?” I interrupted his list. He looked at me quizzically and I shook my head. It was just a strange coincidence. “Never mind. You didn’t marry them.”
“They got turned into plants,” Hades grumbled.
“I love you,” I said firmly. “That might change over time, but for right now, you’re the first person I think about when I wake up and the last before I go to sleep. When I’m happy, I want to tell you, and when I’m scared or upset, I know you’re the only one who can make things right. We may never work as a couple, but we’re linked for the rest of eternity. And I don’t know about you, but that’s too long for me to wonder ‘what if.’”
“Persephone—”
“There’s no pressure to do anything about it. I just thought you should know. I—”
Hades kissed me, hands cupping my face. It was a soft kiss, but not a quick one. With regret I broke the kiss.
“Unfortunately, I’ve got a curfew. See you later this week?”
“Later this week?” Hades asked, his hand still touching my face.
“Mmm, court,” I reminded him, leaning into his touch. “You’ll have to reschedule it, though. I’ve got school.”
“We’ll work it out.”
A thought occurred to me and I stepped out of his grasp so I could pursue it without distraction. “I could only charm Boreas because he’d sworn fealty to Zeus? There’s no other way?”
“With enough power, you might be able to charm me, since we’re bound together, but anyone else?” He shook his head. “Not to my knowledge.”
My heart began to pound. “It’s not about power? I channeled everything I had to charm him. I felt like I was about to blow up or something.”
Hades gazed into the distance, thinking. “The Titans had enough power to charm the minor gods. Zeus often managed with some of the lesser deities. So theoretically, it’s possible to have enough sheer power to overwhelm another god, but you don’t.”
He would know. He’d been channeling my power for weeks.
“Why?” Hades asked.
I opened my mouth to tell him my horrible suspicion, but the words wouldn’t come. Oh gods, I promised I wouldn’t tell.
Thanatos had sworn fealty to Zeus. He’d been working for him this whole time. He’d left me right by the river of fire. What had he done after that? Pirithous wasn’t just in the right place at the right time; he’d been led straight to me. Thanatos hadn’t interfered with my escape from the Underworld, even after Cassandra yelled for him. He’d known I was going to Boreas. I thought back on every conversation we’d ever had. The words suddenly seemed twisted and manipulative.
“Oh gods,” I whispered. Tears gathered in my eyes.
“I know you’re scared of Zeus.” Hades misinterpreted my panic. He gave my shoulders a squeeze. “But you don’t have to be. I can protect you.” He grinned. “Not that you can’t protect yourself.”
I tried to correct him, tried to explain myself, but the words wouldn’t come. I willed myself to speak the words. Thanatos is working for Zeus. My head felt light, blood roared in my ears, and my stomach twisted. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
I had to tell him. Thanatos was a psychopomp. He could come and go from the Underworld anytime he wanted. I looked into the ballroom, blood running cold at the sheer number of Reapers mixed in with the crowd. Sucking in the light around them.
I couldn’t speak. My hand seized at the very thought of writing. I searched frantically for some kind of loophole but couldn’t think of anything.
“Are you okay?” Hades asked, eyes wide with concern.
“I’m tired,” I whispered.
He nodded. “It’s been a rough couple of weeks. Come on, let’s get you home. You said something about a curfew?”
I nodded, numb as he lead me away. I couldn’t bring myself to smile at the souls I passed. They were all in danger because of me. Because I’d been an idiot and allowed myself to get locked into a promise.
Some queen.
Returning to school was strange. The campus which had once felt so large to me seemed minuscule now. I hadn’t missed much. School had been closed through the blizzard. The weather was warm again, so Melissa and I ate lunch outside on our picnic blanket and quizzed each other for our human anatomy test next period.
“Well, look who’s back,” Rachel said in a snarky tone as she walked by. Her face pulled into a mask of fake sympathy. “I heard you were…traveling.”
I smiled at her, for just a moment reveling in the knowledge that I could charm her into jumping off a cliff. I knew all about the rumors circulating the school.
My mom couldn’t lie, so she’d told the main office I’d had a rare opportunity to do some exploring out of the country. Which was true, in a manner of speaking. We’d spent the weekend teleporting to all of her favorite places in Greece and Rome before I returned to school so I’d actually have something to tell the teachers. It had been fun until I realized I’d have to pull an all-nighter to write my reflections of a winter full of travels before school started.
“I had a great time,” I answered, looking her straight in the eye. “We got caught in some snow, though, which was weird. I heard it got pretty bad here too?”
Her pupils dilated and retracted. She looked at me, confused. “Uh, yeah,” she replied, sitting on the blanket. “It was so scary, we couldn’t go anywhere…”
I smiled at Melissa while she talked. School was much nicer since I’d gotten a handle on my charm. It was taking time, but I was working on releasing the students I’d unknowingly had in my power. With any luck, Rachel would be more like she used to be.
I drew six pomegranate seeds from my plastic bag. My hand froze halfway to my mouth, goose bumps rising on my flesh. A cool breeze tickled my hair, whispering my name in the wind. I stood, glaring into the stand of trees in the distance.
Someone was watching me.