as always, and she let herself be completely engulfed by him as the beat of their hearts matched the rhythm of their lovemaking.
* * * *
Persephone knocked on Hades’ study door. No one answered. She opened the door and peeked in to find it empty. She closed it and turned to go, only to run right into Hades. She jumped and grabbed his shoulders to brace herself.
“Sorry,” he said. “I just returned. I came quickly when I felt you searching for me.”
“You felt that?”
He nodded.
“You feel everything down here, don’t you?”
He nodded again. “I can filter it all, but the entire Underworld is part of me.”
Persephone thought about that. “It’s a hard thing to imagine. Hypnos tried to explain it. Your moods affecting the weather and other stuff like that.”
“Why were you looking for me? I wanted to take you to the Elysian Fields today, but we can do anything you’d like.”
“I wanted to see what you were up to. I was bored and didn’t feel like reading anymore. I’d love to go to the Elysian Fields with you.”
He smiled and offered his arm. They walked down the hall.
“Hypnos took me, but we didn’t stay long. He just showed me around.”
“I’d like to hear what you think of it. You said you had opinions and asked if the way the Underworld works was open to discussion. It is.”
“Things can change?”
“We can discuss them. I will tell you when there are things I cannot change.”
She smiled up at him. “Fair enough. I hardly know where to begin.”
“Do you still want to see how new arrivals are judged?”
“Yes, I would.”
“You’ll have the chance in a few days. What did you think of what Hypnos showed you?”
Persephone thought carefully about what she wanted to say. “I found it hard to grasp. I didn’t expect life down here to be so much like life above or life in the mortal world.”
“The two become more and more alike with each passing day. Perhaps no one will ever cut an interstate through Mount Olympus, but our world is no longer so different from every other place on this planet.”
She laughed. “I could just see Zeus’ face at the idea of anything being built anywhere near Mount Olympus. He’s a purist when it comes to that stuff.”
“Zeus liked the old days more than Poseidon and I did. Perhaps that is why he was destined to rule.”
They emerged and began walking away from the palace. The day was bright and warm. Did that mean Hades was happy? Perhaps very happy?
“Was he? I thought all of you chose.”
Hades was silent for a moment. “It just…happened. Zeus’ arguments with Cronus grew worse and worse, and one day the Titans left when they were tired of the warmongering and endless battles.”
“I’ve never met any of the Titans. Aren’t they here?”
“They were, for a time. Then they left for the mortal world.”
“They live among mortals? How is that possible?”
“They have powers just like ours. They aren’t all stuck being twelve feet tall.”
“Oh. I don’t know much about them. Just what’s in mortal mythology. No one talks about them.”
“There’s not much any of us know anymore.”
“My mother never told me anything. Tell me about them.”
“There’s little to tell. The Titans were the gods before us and as far as we know they existed from the beginning of this world when it was created by the original, primal gods. They, like the primal deities, imparted very little knowledge to us.”
“Why?”
“We don’t know. Despite Cronus’ reluctance to relinquish power to Zeus, the Titans’ departure implied it was supposed to happen.”
“They were no longer needed? Or they wanted to go?”
“Perhaps both.” He rubbed her hand as it rested on his forearm. “It’s our great mystery. We wonder where we came from and why we’re here, just like mortals.”
“Then we’re more like mortals. Maybe that was meant to be. They couldn’t relate to mortals, but we can. We understand them better
* * * *
Persephone knocked on Hades’ study door. No one answered. She opened the door and peeked in to find it empty. She closed it and turned to go, only to run right into Hades. She jumped and grabbed his shoulders to brace herself.
“Sorry,” he said. “I just returned. I came quickly when I felt you searching for me.”
“You felt that?”
He nodded.
“You feel everything down here, don’t you?”
He nodded again. “I can filter it all, but the entire Underworld is part of me.”
Persephone thought about that. “It’s a hard thing to imagine. Hypnos tried to explain it. Your moods affecting the weather and other stuff like that.”
“Why were you looking for me? I wanted to take you to the Elysian Fields today, but we can do anything you’d like.”
“I wanted to see what you were up to. I was bored and didn’t feel like reading anymore. I’d love to go to the Elysian Fields with you.”
He smiled and offered his arm. They walked down the hall.
“Hypnos took me, but we didn’t stay long. He just showed me around.”
“I’d like to hear what you think of it. You said you had opinions and asked if the way the Underworld works was open to discussion. It is.”
“Things can change?”
“We can discuss them. I will tell you when there are things I cannot change.”
She smiled up at him. “Fair enough. I hardly know where to begin.”
“Do you still want to see how new arrivals are judged?”
“Yes, I would.”
“You’ll have the chance in a few days. What did you think of what Hypnos showed you?”
Persephone thought carefully about what she wanted to say. “I found it hard to grasp. I didn’t expect life down here to be so much like life above or life in the mortal world.”
“The two become more and more alike with each passing day. Perhaps no one will ever cut an interstate through Mount Olympus, but our world is no longer so different from every other place on this planet.”
She laughed. “I could just see Zeus’ face at the idea of anything being built anywhere near Mount Olympus. He’s a purist when it comes to that stuff.”
“Zeus liked the old days more than Poseidon and I did. Perhaps that is why he was destined to rule.”
They emerged and began walking away from the palace. The day was bright and warm. Did that mean Hades was happy? Perhaps very happy?
“Was he? I thought all of you chose.”
Hades was silent for a moment. “It just…happened. Zeus’ arguments with Cronus grew worse and worse, and one day the Titans left when they were tired of the warmongering and endless battles.”
“I’ve never met any of the Titans. Aren’t they here?”
“They were, for a time. Then they left for the mortal world.”
“They live among mortals? How is that possible?”
“They have powers just like ours. They aren’t all stuck being twelve feet tall.”
“Oh. I don’t know much about them. Just what’s in mortal mythology. No one talks about them.”
“There’s not much any of us know anymore.”
“My mother never told me anything. Tell me about them.”
“There’s little to tell. The Titans were the gods before us and as far as we know they existed from the beginning of this world when it was created by the original, primal gods. They, like the primal deities, imparted very little knowledge to us.”
“Why?”
“We don’t know. Despite Cronus’ reluctance to relinquish power to Zeus, the Titans’ departure implied it was supposed to happen.”
“They were no longer needed? Or they wanted to go?”
“Perhaps both.” He rubbed her hand as it rested on his forearm. “It’s our great mystery. We wonder where we came from and why we’re here, just like mortals.”
“Then we’re more like mortals. Maybe that was meant to be. They couldn’t relate to mortals, but we can. We understand them better
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