Chapter 1 #2
“The one in your office doesn’t count,” she said. It was small and sat on his desk, but otherwise, he wasn’t wrong. She had three in the ballroom because it was so large, and one in the library. The one in the entryway was the largest and the most important.
On Christmas Eve when their guests arrived to celebrate the Ascension and prepare for Christmas Day, they would enter through the main doors. She wanted everyone to feel like they’d stepped into a winter wonderland.
“It takes a lot of effort to brighten these halls, Hades.”
She pulled two more rounds of dough from the fridge and brought them to Hades who had just finished rolling what he had.
“I’m just trying to say, given your condition, no one will be disappointed if things are quieter this year.”
“I’m not dying, Hades,” she replied. “I’m pregnant.”
Silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken fear. They had both considered it, that the babies’ souls were granted so hers could be taken. It didn’t seem like an irrational worry given the Fates involvement in almost every aspect of her life since the moment she was conceived.
In many ways, she was grateful to them. They had twined her thread with Hades’s and blessed her with a love she had never thought possible. That was a gift, even though her mother had seen it as a curse and tried to sabotage her destiny.
Now the Fates had blessed her again, and again she felt a love she never thought possible.
As wary as she was of their intentions, she could not help feeling grateful.
If she died giving birth, it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.
Where do I go if I die? she wondered.
It wasn’t a question she was willing to ask Hades, or one he would be willing to answer, so she was forced to speculate. It was possible nothing would change beyond her ability to go to the Upperworld. She would lose her magic, but she had lived that reality before.
The other option was drinking from the Lethe, a thought she quickly pushed away. She didn’t want to think about forgetting. As much peace as it might bring to the darkest parts of her mind, nothing was worth losing what she found most sacred—her happiest memories.
Hades approached and wrapped his arms around her, his head falling into the hollow of her shoulder.
“Are you well?” he murmured, his voice quiet and warm. It made her shiver, but she smiled and looked up, turning her head toward his.
“I am,” she replied. “I love you.”
“I love you,” he said and kissed her.
While the cookies cooled, Persephone left to get ready for the Winter Ceremony.
Hecate was the only reason she still dressed for the day. As her pregnancy progressed, the Goddess of Witchcraft had a series of gowns made. Never one to sacrifice style for comfort, each one was more beautiful than the last. She looked forward to seeing what the goddess had dreamed up for today.
When she arrived at her suite, Hecate was there, her lampades hovering like a small army. The silvery nymphs always helped with hair and makeup.
“I’m sorry if I kept you waiting,” Persephone said, breathless.
“No apologies, my dear.” Hecate crossed the room to meet Persephone, placing her hands on her belly. “It’s expected, given your condition.”
“Not you too,” she groaned.
Hecate lifted her gaze and smiled. “They’ll be here any day now.”
“How much longer, do you think?”
The goddess straightened, one hand still on her stomach. “Perhaps we will have twins for Christmas.”
“That is days away.”
She’d had a lot of feelings about giving birth over the last few months. Anxiety and fear were definitely there, but as she crept closer and closer to the end, she also felt ready. She wanted to meet her children.
“We can always try to expedite things with a little walk around Asphodel,” said Hecate. “You can also have sex with Hades.”
“Tell him that,” Persephone said, unable to hide her frustration on the topic. “He’s worried the babies will retaliate.”
At first, he’d been afraid he’d hurt them.
It had taken a lot of conversation and reassurance to convince him to try.
She’d been so relieved when he’d agreed, her lust insatiable at the time, but her victory was short-lived when he noticed a pattern.
Each night after they’d been intimate, she’d wake up screaming from horrifying nightmares.
He put two and two together and determined that the babies were not fans.
Needless to say, they hadn’t been having sex. While she didn’t blame the twins, she missed connecting with Hades in that way. When he made love to her, it was worship, and that worship gave her energy, something she needed now more than ever.
And honestly, she would take the nightmares if it accelerated the birth of these babies.
Hecate sighed. “Divine babies certainly have their challenges. They have no control over their powers, and you have two working together in there.”
“I know.” Persephone frowned, looking down at her belly. “I wonder how much trouble they will get into outside the womb, considering they are already so mischievous.”
“Don’t wonder, my love,” Hecate said. “Prepare.”
Persephone gave a short, breathless laugh as the goddess nudged her to sit.
“Let’s get you ready for the ceremony,” she said.
Persephone took a seat at the vanity and the lampades descended.
They spent more time on her eyes than usual, likely struggling to lighten the dark circles that had appeared in the last few weeks.
She could glamour them, but that took effort, and she had just enough to get the palace ready for the holidays and the babies, so the lampades would have to work their own magic.
They kept her hair down at her request. She didn’t want to bother with the headache of tight ponytails or braids.
When the nymphs were finished, she rose to find Hecate ready and waiting to help her into her gown. It was white and satin, and as the goddess slipped it over Persephone’s head, she found the fit comfortable and flowy. The waist was high, the sleeves long and billowy.
“The dress is lovely, Hecate,” Persephone said, smoothing her hands over her satin-covered belly, turning to the side as she looked in the mirror.
“It is lovely,” Hecate agreed, lifting her hands as a crystal crown appeared between them. It looked like a cascade of falling ice and gleamed like snow under the sun. Persephone bent so that Hecate could place it upon her head and took a step back to admire her work. “Almost as lovely as you.”
The last additions to her outfit were a pair of slippers for her swollen feet and a white fur stole for warmth.
“I believe you are ready for the first snow of the season, my dear,” Hecate declared just as a knock came.
“Come in,” Persephone called.
She expected Hades, but was also not surprised when Hermes threw open the door and sauntered into her suite dressed in a puffy white snowsuit. The sleeves and hood were lined with fur.
“Never fear, I am here!” he announced.
“I don’t think any of us feared you weren’t coming, Hermes,” said Hecate dryly. “We all know how competitive you are.”
“I’m not competitive,” he argued, hands on his hips. “I simply have a title to defend.”
“What title is that, Hermes?” Persephone asked.
Hecate gave her a look, as if to say, Why are you encouraging him?
“I am the two-time champion of the Annual Underworld Snowball Fight,” he said. “And it’s about to be three.”
“I had no idea it was a contest,” Persephone said, a note of sarcasm in her voice Hermes either did not hear or completely ignored it.
“Well, that’s embarrassing for you, Sephy. Aren’t you queen of this hellhole?”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed at his comment. “If you think my realm is a hellhole, why did you ask to stay until Christmas Day?”
“I’m just using a synonym, Sephy. Chill.”
“Hellhole is not a synonym for the Underworld, Hermes. Where do you learn these things?”
He rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks a little pink. “I didn’t exactly learn that one,” he admitted. “I overheard it on the street.”
“Hermes,” Persephone chided. “We talked about this.”
The God of Trickery had a habit of picking up phrases and idioms. He often used them incorrectly or misremembered them which led to some awkward situations.
“It sounded cool!” he argued.
“Well, it isn’t,” she said. “And it’s wrong.”
The only part of her realm that could be consider a hellhole was Tartarus, though many mortals thought the entire Underworld was dedicated to eternal torture.
“I didn’t mean it, Sephy,” said Hermes.
“Next time you hear something like that, you should take the time to educate. I am sure several mortals would love to hear about your successful reign as the champion of the Annual Underworld Snowball Fight.”
He grinned. “You think so?”
“Of course,” said Hecate, gliding toward the doors. “There is no way for them to know the truth.”
“Are you calling me a liar, Hecate?” Hermes whirled, trailing behind.
“I would never.” Hecate’s reply echoed in the hallway.
Persephone looked at her belly, hands on either side as she spoke. “Please, for the love of all that is good and gracious in the world, do not take after them,” she said. It was both a plea and a prayer, one she wasn’t sure would be heard or answered as she left her suite to follow her friends.