softly prodded, “Know what, my dear?”
Her heart jumped, then thudded in a painful rush. Persephone had been about to acknowledge his willingness to compromise, rather than take advantage of her vulnerable position, which any of the other gods might easily have done. But now, she wasn’t sure she could say anything at all. The endearment, tossed out so frequently, so carelessly, above ground meant a great deal more below. Instinctively, Persephone knew it meant everything when uttered by Hades. “You hold me dear,” she whispered, as if to herself.
“I…yes. Yes, I do.” Hades’ brow creased. “Despite what transpired between us last night when I brought you here, it was never my intent to hurt you, but to worship you.”
Persephone felt her breathing cease. Then, annoyed by the idea that she’d swoon before long, she said, “You say that now, but wait until you know me better.” Another stunning smile transformed Hades and the goddess urged herself to guard against its charm. She admonished herself, thinking she hardly knew him, she wasn’t ready, it was too soon…
“You’re a minx,” Hades said warmly, almost as if he approved.
Hit with a sudden impulse to leap off the bed and into Hades’ arms, Persephone instead modestly cast down her eyes. “It’s kind of you to say so.”
Leaning against the portal, Hades said, “You know, Persephone, the longer you keep me here, the longer I wish to stay.”
The goddess folded her hands in her lap and primly offered, “Well, then, I’ll bid you good night.”
Hades let out another bark of laughter, then said, “That one sounded better.”
“Infinitely,” Persephone agreed with a nod.
The god returned her nod, saying, “I wish you a good night’s rest.” And he exited the room.
Persephone stared at the door for a moment before she fell back on the bed, letting out an enormous breath and thinking she would blush many times at the memory of the evening before she fell asleep. Then she let out a hushed but heartfelt curse as the invisible chains fastened about her once again.
Belatedly remembering the chains, Hades returned to the chamber to see how Persephone fared. She brought her head up, mutely requesting release for the second time that evening, exasperated. The god willed the chains open and off the bed entirely. She sat up, about to thank him until she saw his expression. He smoothed his face into bland lines, bowed formally, and took his leave once more. Persephone felt about the floor for the enchanted chains, found them, and promptly hurled them across the room.
At least , she thought as she laid herself back down, they served to shake away my lusty thoughts. A yawn surprised her then and, as her eyelids fluttered, Persephone said aloud, “But for how long?”
XI.
Mount Etna, Sicily
AFTER HAVING SEARCHED for Demeter for the better part of the day, Athena finally found her on Mount Etna, sitting on the very spot where Persephone last stood above ground. “Hail dearest Aunt, I have found you at long last!” she cried, sitting next to the Grain Goddess and pretending not to notice her tear-ravaged face. “Look, I have brought you ambrosia and sweet nectar from last night’s feast.”
Demeter gave a long, ragged sigh and looked at her niece. Her molten brown eyes, so like Persephone’s, filled with quick tears, and she said, “I thank you, Athena, but, in truth, I cannot eat a thing.”
The Goddess of Wisdom was a practical sort, and so she ate the ambrosia herself. “Any news?”
Demeter looked out over the meadows. “I have heard nothing. No one knows anything, or at least, they say they know nothing.” She brushed her golden-brown hair behind her ears. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. I never expected a thing like this could happen to one of us. Where can she be? Is she well? Who has taken her? What has become of her?” Demeter cast her eyes desperately about the darkened landscape. All the greenery and
Her heart jumped, then thudded in a painful rush. Persephone had been about to acknowledge his willingness to compromise, rather than take advantage of her vulnerable position, which any of the other gods might easily have done. But now, she wasn’t sure she could say anything at all. The endearment, tossed out so frequently, so carelessly, above ground meant a great deal more below. Instinctively, Persephone knew it meant everything when uttered by Hades. “You hold me dear,” she whispered, as if to herself.
“I…yes. Yes, I do.” Hades’ brow creased. “Despite what transpired between us last night when I brought you here, it was never my intent to hurt you, but to worship you.”
Persephone felt her breathing cease. Then, annoyed by the idea that she’d swoon before long, she said, “You say that now, but wait until you know me better.” Another stunning smile transformed Hades and the goddess urged herself to guard against its charm. She admonished herself, thinking she hardly knew him, she wasn’t ready, it was too soon…
“You’re a minx,” Hades said warmly, almost as if he approved.
Hit with a sudden impulse to leap off the bed and into Hades’ arms, Persephone instead modestly cast down her eyes. “It’s kind of you to say so.”
Leaning against the portal, Hades said, “You know, Persephone, the longer you keep me here, the longer I wish to stay.”
The goddess folded her hands in her lap and primly offered, “Well, then, I’ll bid you good night.”
Hades let out another bark of laughter, then said, “That one sounded better.”
“Infinitely,” Persephone agreed with a nod.
The god returned her nod, saying, “I wish you a good night’s rest.” And he exited the room.
Persephone stared at the door for a moment before she fell back on the bed, letting out an enormous breath and thinking she would blush many times at the memory of the evening before she fell asleep. Then she let out a hushed but heartfelt curse as the invisible chains fastened about her once again.
Belatedly remembering the chains, Hades returned to the chamber to see how Persephone fared. She brought her head up, mutely requesting release for the second time that evening, exasperated. The god willed the chains open and off the bed entirely. She sat up, about to thank him until she saw his expression. He smoothed his face into bland lines, bowed formally, and took his leave once more. Persephone felt about the floor for the enchanted chains, found them, and promptly hurled them across the room.
At least , she thought as she laid herself back down, they served to shake away my lusty thoughts. A yawn surprised her then and, as her eyelids fluttered, Persephone said aloud, “But for how long?”
XI.
Mount Etna, Sicily
AFTER HAVING SEARCHED for Demeter for the better part of the day, Athena finally found her on Mount Etna, sitting on the very spot where Persephone last stood above ground. “Hail dearest Aunt, I have found you at long last!” she cried, sitting next to the Grain Goddess and pretending not to notice her tear-ravaged face. “Look, I have brought you ambrosia and sweet nectar from last night’s feast.”
Demeter gave a long, ragged sigh and looked at her niece. Her molten brown eyes, so like Persephone’s, filled with quick tears, and she said, “I thank you, Athena, but, in truth, I cannot eat a thing.”
The Goddess of Wisdom was a practical sort, and so she ate the ambrosia herself. “Any news?”
Demeter looked out over the meadows. “I have heard nothing. No one knows anything, or at least, they say they know nothing.” She brushed her golden-brown hair behind her ears. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. I never expected a thing like this could happen to one of us. Where can she be? Is she well? Who has taken her? What has become of her?” Demeter cast her eyes desperately about the darkened landscape. All the greenery and
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