Percy Jackson's Greek Gods by Rick Riordan, John Rocco

right place. The ladies love me!”
    “Okay…” Hades started to wonder if this was a good idea. “It’s about one particular lady—your daughter, Persephone.”
    Zeus’s smile wavered. “Say what, now?”
    Hades had been holding in his feelings for so long, he just broke down. He confessed everything, even the stalkerish stuff. He promised he would make Persephone an excellent husband. He would be devoted and give her everything she wanted, if only Zeus would give him permission to marry her.
    Zeus stroked his beard. Most days, he would have gotten angry at such a ridiculous request. He would’ve brought out his lightning bolts and sent Hades back to the Underworld with his robes on fire and his hair all spiky and smoking. But today Zeus was in a good mood. He was actually sort of touched that Hades had come to him with this problem and been so honest. He felt sorry for his creepy stalker brother, and he definitely understood how a guy could get obsessed with a woman.
    Sure, Persephone was his daughter; but Zeus had lots of daughters by lots of different ladies. It wasn’t like Persephone was his special favorite, or anything. He was inclined to be generous and give her away.
    He drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne. “The problem is Demeter. Uh…that is Demeter’s daughter, right? I forget.”
    “Yes, my lord,” Hades said.
    “Her favorite daughter,” Zeus remembered. “The light of her life, whom she never lets out of her sight, et cetera.”
    “Yes, my lord.” Hades started to feel uncomfortable. “Should I talk to Demeter? Perhaps if you broke the ice and made her promise to listen. Or maybe I should declare my love to Persephone?”
    “What?” Zeus looked appalled. “Be honest with women? That never works, bro. You’ve got to be strong. Take what you want.”
    “Uh…really?”
    “Always works for me,” Zeus said. “I suggest kidnapping. When nobody is looking, capture Persephone and take her back to your crib. Demeter won’t know what happened. By the time she figures it out…too late! Persephone will be yours. You’ll have plenty of time to convince the young lady to stay with you in the Underworld.”
    Hades was starting to have doubts about Zeus’s wisdom. “Um, you’re sure this is a good idea?”
    “Totally!” Zeus said.
    Hades chewed his lip. The whole kidnapping thing seemed a little risky. He wasn’t sure if Persephone would actually like being abducted, but he didn’t know much about women. Maybe Zeus was right.
    (For the record: NO, HE WASN’T.)
    “There’s one problem, my lord,” Hades said. “Persephone is never alone. She’s either with Demeter or with some nymph or goddess chaperones. How can I abduct her in secret? Even if I use my invisibility helmet, I can’t turn her invisible or stop her from screaming.”
    Zeus’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Leave that to me. Go get your chariot ready.”
    Zeus waited until Demeter was busy doing some agricultural stuff on the far side of the world—like ripening the barley in Libya, or something. I’m not sure what.
    Anyway, Persephone was left in the care of her nymph chaperones. Usually that worked out fine, but the nymphs weren’t really cut out to be bodyguards. They could be easily distracted, and so could Persephone.
    As usual, the girls went out into the meadows. They spent the morning exploring the hills and having splash-fights in the river. After a nice lazy lunch, letting their dresses dry in the sunlight, Persephone decided to go pick some flowers.
    “Don’t wander too far!” one of the nymphs called.
    “I won’t,” Persephone promised.
    She wasn’t worried. The world was her playground! Everyone loved her, and besides, what could possibly go wrong while she was picking flowers in a meadow?
    The nymphs were sleepy and warm and full from lunch, and so they lay down for a nap.
    Persephone roamed the hillside until she’d gathered an entire bouquet from the nearest rosebushes. For some