I study her. “Thirteen hours?”
“Never let it be said that Zeus lacks a sense of theatrics. One hour for each of the Thirteen.”
“He’s not going to back off even if I return them.” He’s waited too long for an opportunity exactly like this. I don’t know what happens if I die and there’s no one of my bloodline to continue the name. Does the title die out with me and he splits the lower city with Poseidon? Or does Zeus step in and assign someone of his choosing? Neither option would benefit my people.
“No, I don’t suppose he is.” The conflict on her face says everything I need to know. Hermes doesn’t like where this is going, but she won’t put her neck on the line to stop it. I’m not sure she could stop it even if she wanted to.
While I’m still contemplating responses, Hermes ducks forward and drags me into a hug. “Please, please be careful.”
I return the hug awkwardly, half expecting a knife in the ribs. “I make no promises.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” She gives me one last squeeze and steps back. Her dark eyes shine a little before she blinks the tears away. “Do you have a response?”
“He’ll have my response in thirteen hours.”
She opens her mouth like she wants to argue but finally nods. “Good luck, Hades.”
“Use the front door when you leave.”
“Now where would be the fun in that?” She flashes me a smile and then she’s gone, slipping out the door and leaving me wondering what the fuck I’m going to do.
No matter how intensely I’ve prepared for this, it doesn’t change the fact that the cost will be high. Zeus will strike hard and fast once I’ve missed this deadline, and he’ll bring the war to my territory to ensure my people pay the highest price. It serves a dual purpose of hurting me and potentially damaging their steadfast loyalty, paving the way for them to accept a new leader when he finally succeeds in taking me out.
I have a plan. I have to stick to it.
Chapter 28
Persephone
One minute I’m alone, trying to decide how long to give my sister in the bathroom, and the next I hear a rustle behind me and spin to find Hermes perched on the bed. I press a hand to my chest, trying to soothe my racing heart, but I don’t allow myself any strong reaction, not when she’s watching me so closely. “Hermes.”
“Persephone.” Her expression is carefully neutral. “I have a message for you. Will you hear it?”
Nothing good can come of this, because there are only two people who would use Hermes to send a message. The temptation rises to tell her to leave the room, to hide from what’s coming next. I’m stronger than that. I won’t allow myself to stick my head in the sand and ignore the consequences of my actions. “Yes.”
She nods and jumps to her feet. When she speaks, it’s with a distinctly male voice. It takes me two words to place it as Zeus. “There is war on the horizon, Persephone. I will crush the lower city and everyone who lives there. You know Hades can’t stand against the might the rest of the Thirteen can bring to the fore. Come back now and bring your sister, and I’ll reconsider my attack.”
I wait, but she falls into silence. “That’s his offer? He’ll reconsider?”
“Yes.” Hermes shrugs a single shoulder. “He apparently thinks it’s fair.”
“He apparently thinks I’m a fool.” Zeus won’t reconsider anything. He might want me and Eurydice back, either to appease my mother or to prove his might, but he’s not going to pass up this opportunity to strike at Hades.
Not unless I give him reason to hesitate.
My stomach twists and my head goes light and staticky. I promised myself I wouldn’t hide from the consequences of my actions, but some consequences are too high a price to pay. Hades is more than capable, but against such larger numbers and better-equipped enemies? And even with his precautions, what of his people? All those people I’ve met over the last few weeks as Hades has shown me around the lower city. Juliette, Matthew, Damien, Gayle. Everyone who frequents the winter market, who has stalls and shops and businesses that go back generations.
They might become casualties. There are always casualties in war, and it’s always the people who least deserve to bear the cost.
What if I can stop this?
Hermes is halfway to the door when I find my voice, though I hardly sound like myself. “Hermes.” I wait for her to face me to continue. If I do this, there’s no going back. The price might be too high to pay, but I can’t let everyone else fight my battles for me. The time for hiding behind Hades’s reputation is past. It’s time for action. “I would like to send a message to my mother.”