“Lucky you are a god. Fight fire with fire, Persephone and quit sniveling over this mortal.”
Her mother was gone, but the smell of her magic remained and it made her feel sick.
Or maybe she felt sick at the thought of going to Apollo for help.
She couldn’t do it. How could she ask the god she’d criticized and proclaimed to hate for help? It would be betraying Hades and Sybil; it would be betraying herself.
When Eliska returned, Persephone prepared to leave, pressing a kiss to Lexa’s forehead. When she turned back to Lexa’s mother, she blurted, “don’t take her of the vent yet.”
Eliska’s eyes watered, already rimmed with red. Persephone was certain her walk was more of an excuse to go off and cry.
“Persephone,” Eliska said, her mouth quivered. “We can’t...keep letting her suffer.”
She isn't even in there, she wanted to say. She is in limbo.
“I know this is hard. Adam and I haven’t decided on a course of action yet, but as soon as we do, I’ll let you know.”
Persephone left the ICU in a daze. She felt like she had the day she found out Lexa was in the accident. She was a ghost, frozen in time, watching the world continue. Ungrounded, she made her way to the elevator. She was so lost in her own thoughts; she almost didn’t notice Thanatos leaning against a wall in the waiting room. Beneath the fluorescent lights, his blond hair looked colorless, and his black wings were very much out of place amid the sterile walls and stiff chairs.
Persephone knew he hadn’t expected to see her here because when he caught her gaze, his striking blue ones widened in surprise.
She tried to control the beating of her heart. There are any number of reasons he might be at the hospital. Lexa’s not the only one in the ICU, she told herself. He might be here for someone else.
She approached him and managed a smile.
“Thanatos, what are you doing here?”
“Lady Persephone,” he said, and bowed. “I am...working.”
Persephone tried not to cringe. Thanatos couldn’t help that he was the God of Death, but somehow, it was different talking to him in the Underworld. There, she hadn’t really thought too long on his purpose. Here, in the Upperworld, with her friend on life support, it was crystal clear. He severed the connection between the souls and their bodies. He left families devastated. He would leave her devastated.
“You mean you are reaping?”
“Not just yet,” he said, his half smile was charming, and it made her want to vomit. “You look—”
“Tired?” she offered. It wouldn’t be the first she’d heard it today.
“I was going to say well.”
She could feel Thanatos’ magic on the edges of her skin, coaxing her to calmness. Normally, she would take that as a sign of his caring nature, but not today. Today it felt like a distraction.
“I don’t want your magic, Thanatos.” Her words were harsh. She was frustrated, she was scared, and his presence was making her uncomfortable.
She didn’t think the god could look any paler, but even more color drained from his face. It took her a moment to realize that the sparkle in his eyes was gone. She had hurt his feelings. She pushed past the guilt and asked, “What are really doing here, Thanatos?”
“I told you—”
“You’re working. I want to know who you’re here to take.” Her voice shook as she asked the question.
The god pressed his lips together, a mark of defiance and answered, “I can’t tell you that.”
There was silence, and then Persephone said the words she knew Thanatos would be compelled to obey because Hades had ordered it. “I command you.”
Thanatos eyes glistened, as if this whole thing caused him physical pain. His brows drew together over desperate eyes, and he whispered her name, voice cracking as he spoke.
“Persephone.”
“I won’t let you take her.”
“If there were another way—”
“There is another way and it involves you leaving.” She pushed him a little. “Get out.”
She spoke quietly at first, not wanting to draw attention, but when he didn’t move, she said it again—firm this time, the words slipping through her teeth.
“I said get out!”
She pushed him harder and he held up his hands, backing away.
“This isn’t something you can prevent, Persephone. My work is tied to the Fates. Once they cut her thread…I have to collect.”
She hated those words, and they set her off in a way she never imagined.
“Get out!” she yelled. “Get out! Get out! Get out!”
Thanatos vanished, and Persephone was suddenly surrounded by nurses and a security guard. They were questioning and directing, and the words filled her head to bursting.
“Ma’am, is everything alright?”
“Maybe you should have a seat.”
“I’ll get some water.”
Pain formed at the front of her head. Despite the nurse trying to direct her to a chair, she broke free.
“I need to check on Lexa,” she said, but when she tried to return to the ICU area, the security guard blocked her.
“You need to listen to the nurses,” he said.
“But my friend—”
“I’ll get an update on your friend,” he said.
Persephone wanted to protest. There was no time. What if Thanatos had teleported to her room and taken her to the Underworld? Suddenly, the doors opened from the inside, and Persephone leapt at the chance, pushing past the guard, she took off at run for Lexa’s room and promptly vanished.
Being teleported to another realm without warning felt like being in a vacuum. Suddenly, it was harder to breath, her body felt void of moisture, and her ears popped painfully. The symptoms lasted a few seconds before she was overpowered by the scent of Hades’ magic, burning her nose like frost.
As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized she’d been deposited in Hades’ throne room. It was always dark despite the hazy light that filtered in through slanted windows overhead. Hades sat upon his throne—a glassy piece of obsidian that was both artistic and monstrous. She could see nothing of the god but a slash of his beautiful face, illuminated by red light.
She could guess why Hades had brought her here—to prevent her from interfering with Thanatos’ work, to lecture her once again about how they could not interfere in Lexa’s life, but she didn’t want to hear it.
She tried to gather her magic and teleport, knowing it was in vain—Hades was far more liberal in revoking any rights she had to leave the Underworld while he was angry.
And he was angry.
She could feel his frustration, it built between them, making the air tangible.
“You cannot just remove me from the Upperworld when you please!” she shouted at him.
“You are lucky I removed you and not the Furies.”
The tone of his voice deepened and put her on edge. Still, she wanted to fight.
“Send me back, Hades!”
“No.”
A searing pain erupted from Persephone’s shoulder, her side, and her calves as thorns sprouted from her skin. It brought her to her knees before Hades. The god rose from his throne, ignited completely by the red light. He looked horrified and deadly and moved toward her with predatory grace.