Did Hades’ refusal to help her mean he did not love her as much as she thought?
That’s ridiculous, she scolded herself.
And yet, she wondered, how could he watch her suffer like this?
With no changes in Lexa’s health, Persephone decided to keep her appointment with Leuce. She was going to meet the nymph at The Pearl, a boutique owned by Aphrodite located in the Fashion District of New Athens.
Ilias had managed to schedule a private shopping event for her and the nymph. He also arranged for Antoni to give her a ride, something she was thankful for after this morning’s disastrous walk to the hospital.
Persephone entered the shop as soon as she arrived. The boutique smelled like roses and was exactly what she expected from the Goddess of Love. The carpeting at her feet was furry and white, the chairs were plush and jeweled, and every accent shimmered.
Persephone wandered throughout the store, fingers brushing soft fabric and inspecting fine gems.
“Lexa would love this place,” she said aloud.
“I’m sure she would,” a voice replied.
Persephone spun. Aphrodite lounged on a chaise in her own boutique. She was dressed in something that resembled lingerie—a pink bodysuit and a sheer, pink robe. The outfit showed off her soft curves. Her bright blond locks splayed around her head. Persephone wondered if she’d just fallen on the chair like that or if she’d posed herself.
She wouldn’t put the posing past Aphrodite.
“Aphrodite,” Persephone said, surprised to see the goddess.
“Persephone.”
“I didn’t know you would be here.”
“Oh, I just came to check up on you,” she said. “Saw the news.”
“You and everyone else,” Persephone mumbled. “I am fine, as you can see.”
The blonde goddess raised a brow.
“I see your sex life is vibrant.”
Persephone stiffened and then narrowed her eyes. “How do you know that?”
“I can smell it,” she said. “Hades is all over you. Must have been a wild night. Makeup sex?”
“That’s a horrific power,” Persephone said, and Aphrodite shrugged.
“And you?” Persephone asked. “How are you?”
The goddess seemed surprised by her question, as if no one had ever asked.
She frowned, and her pretty pale brows drew together over her sharp eyes. Persephone noted the change in her expression—she seemed confused, as if she was unsure why the question had elicited emotion. Finally, the goddess answered.
“I don’t know.”
It was the most honest Aphrodite had ever been, and Persephone would have liked to explore the pain she sensed beneath those words, but the door chimed and Leuce entered the store.
Aphrodite cleared her throat, smiling up at Persephone.
“Well, it’s time for me to go.”
“Wait. Aphrodite,” Persephone stopped her. “I’m...sorry. If you never need to talk—”
“I don’t,” the goddess said quickly, and then she offered a lopsided smile. “I mean...thanks, Persephone.”
With that, she was gone.
“Persephone?” Leuce asked. The pale nymph looked washed out beneath Aphrodite’s sparkling lights. She relaxed when she found Persephone in the adjoining room. “Oh, good. You’re here.”
“Did you not expect me to be here?”
The nymph shrugged awkwardly, and then admitted, “I wouldn’t blame you if you decided you didn’t want to do this.”
Persephone’s gaze hardened a little. “I keep my word, Leuce.”
“I know,” she said. “I’m just...used to disappointment is all. I’m sorry.”
Persephone frowned, feeling sympathy for the nymph.
Two attendants appeared and took Persephone and Leuce’s coats and purses and gave them a glass of champagne.
“The store is yours,” one of the attendant's said. “We are here to serve.”
It took both of them time to warm up to shopping, but soon Leuce was handing over armfuls of clothing to the attendants.
“Are you planning to replace your wardrobe?” Persephone asked.
“No...but I figure why not try on everything? It’s not likely we’ll have another chance like this.”
Persephone smiled a little. She sounded like Lexa.
“Aren’t you going to try anything on?” Leuce asked.
“I don’t think so. I don’t need anything.”
“It’s not about needing,” Leuce said. “It’s for fun.”
“You go ahead,” she encouraged. “I am content to sit here and drink.”
Leuce frowned a little but disappeared into the changing room.
Persephone really wished Lexa were here. This was her thing. When they’d first met in college, Lexa had taken her to this very boutique. They’d laughed and tried on dresses and drank sparkling grape juice. It was the first time she’d been told her ‘colors’ were red, gold and green, the first time someone other than her mother had told she was beautiful, the first time she felt that someone meant it.
It had been a blissful day.
Persephone’s memories were interrupted by her phone ringing. It was Jaison.
She answered, her heart racing in her chest.
“Is everything okay?” She didn’t even say hello.
“Yes, Persephone. I wanted to let you know that Lexa just came out of surgery.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Because everything’s fine.”
How could everything be fine when Lexa had to go into surgery? Persephone couldn’t help thinking Jaison had done this on purposes because of her inability to convince Hades to help.
“What if everything hadn’t been fine?”
“This is why I didn’t tell you earlier.” His frustration was evident in his tone. “You freak out and it makes everything worse.”
Okay, those words hurt.
“She had some internal bleeding. They caught it in time and now she’s stable and back in the ICU.”
“I freak out? Excuse me for being concerned for my best friend, Jaison.”
“Yeah, well, she’s my girlfriend.”
The line went dead, and Persephone pulled her phone away from her ear to find that Jaison had hung up on her.
What the actual fuck was happening?
Suddenly, she couldn’t breath and her heart felt like it was beating in her head, irregular and quick. She looked around, vision blurred, and the only thing she could think was that she was dying.
She rushed from the store.
She heard her name being called as she left.
“Lady Persephone!”
She ran down the sidewalk and stopped in an alleyway. She pressed herself against the brick and leaned over, taking deep breaths.
“Lady Persephone? Are you okay?”
Leuce had followed her as she’d fled. It took Persephone a moment, but she finally straightened. Her chest rising and falling. “Is it okay if we don’t shop?”
Leuce’s eyes were large—strangely innocent, and she nodded. “Of course. Whatever you want.”
“Coffee,” Persephone said.
“Sure.”
They went to The Coffee House. It was the one place Persephone felt she could still go and not be bothered. She ordered two vanilla lattes—one for her and one for Leuce, who had never had coffee before.