That sent a chill of fear down Persephone’s spine. She glanced at Hades, wondering if the threat was real. Her lover’s expression told her it was.
“Noted,” she said from between her teeth. The god straightened.
“I will warn you now, Apollo,” Hades’ voice was reverent. “If any harm comes to Persephone, favor or not, I will bury you and everything you love in ash.”
Apollo offered a cold smile. “You’ll only have me to bury, Hades. Nothing I love exists anymore.”
Apollo left—vanishing in a blinding ray of light. The throne room was silent, and Persephone found that she was hesitant to face Hades. She had ruined his plans and deliberately disobeyed him in front of another god.
“Well, that could have gone better,” Hermes said, clearly amused. Persephone cringed at his tone, knowing Hades wouldn’t be pleased.
“Why are you still here?” Hades asked through gritted teeth.
“He was babysitting me,” Persephone snapped, glaring at him. “Or did you forget?”
He might be angry about how all of this played out, but she blamed him for that. He’d spent the last few days ignoring her instead of talking through the conversation with Apollo—and didn’t he always insist that they talk? How could he think she wouldn’t want to fight for her friend if given the chance?
“How can you say you wish for me to be your queen when given the opportunity to treat me as your equal, you fuck it up completely? Does your word mean nothing?”
Hades eyes widened, surprised by her words. It was the blow she wanted to land. She turned from him, looped her arm through Hermes’ and strol
led out of the throne room.
“That took some real lady balls, Sephy,” Hermes said.
The goddess frowned. It might have taken balls, but it didn’t make her feel any better.
“At this rate, we’ll never reconcile,” she said, frowning.
“Oh, I really doubt that,” Hermes said. “I don’t think Hades is willing to go that long without fucking you.”
Persephone glared at the god. “Not everything is about sex, Hermes.”
“Yes, it is. I’m not saying that to be vulgar,” he paused and chuckled a little. “Well, kinda. What I’m really trying to say is Hades loves you. You didn’t see him last night. I did. He won’t go long without talking to you. He’s too afraid he’ll lose you.”
She hoped Hermes was right. Despite her final words to Hades, she hadn’t wanted to leave his presence, and doing so made her heart hurt.
Hermes stayed for most of the afternoon and joined her and Hecate for a picnic in Asphodel. The gods played with Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus and chatted with the souls. When they were finished, Persephone found solace alone in the grove Hades had gifted her.
She marveled at his work.
Here in her forest, the ground was covered in a sea of purple and white flowers. The canopy overhead, a harbor of silver leaves so thick, none of Hades’ strange daylight filtered inside.
It was beautiful and ethereal.
And it was all an illusion.
She had witnessed Hades lift his magic from the Underworld, revealing desolate and deserted land. The sight had shocked her but left her in awe of his skills. How was he able to wield magic like thread, weaving ash and smoke and fire into sweet scents, vibrant colors, and gorgeous landscape?
She found a spot in her grove with periwinkle and white phlox and sat near a withered patch of ground. She took a breath, closed her eyes and meditated. She focused on her breath like Hecate had directed, and then the flow of her blood in her body, and then the flow of power in her veins and the press of life against her skin. She tried to imagine the bald patch in front of her teeming with life, but when she opened her eyes, there was nothing. Her shoulders fell, and she felt the weight of her failure heavy on her back.
Hades scent stirred the air and suddenly, he was around her—his chest to her back, his arms against hers, his legs cradling her body. His warmth was like the darkness, dense and lulling. She wanted it to consume her.
“You are practicing your magic?” he asked.
“More like failing,” she answered.
He laughed as he exhaled. “You aren’t failing. You have so much power.” His voice made her shiver, and she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe anything he said in that sensuous voice.