Chapter 28 Crossroads #3
A small smile tugged at her mouth. “Meditation will help. But you need to do more than that. You need to find the moments in your current life where you’ve already been her without knowing it.
The times you’ve stood at thresholds. Helped people cross from one state to another.
Felt the pull of boundaries between worlds.
They are breadcrumbs leading you back to who you’ve always been. ”
She set her cup down. “You were a goddess long before the myths made you a queen. The world has done everything it could to bury that truth. But the truth remains beneath them all, dormant.”
My hands curled tighter around the mug. “And I just… wake it up? Remember?”
“It’s more like clearing the debris around it, like excavating something precious that’s been buried. The mortal body forgets even when the soul never does. You must bridge that gap.”
I glanced at Kian, who nodded, offering quiet reassurance. Hecate followed my gaze.
“That’s why he always finds you,” she said.
“Why you find each other again and again across impossible odds. You were always going to need him. The bond you forged transcends even Cyrus’s curse.
But the final unlocking of your divinity must be yours alone.
He can guide you, protect you, love you, but he cannot do this work for you. ”
“And once I do?” I wondered.
“You’ll see more clearly, feel more deeply. Sense the boundaries between worlds and learn to move through them, including the Veil itself.”
I blinked. “The Veil.”
She inclined her head. “You were born of it in a sense. A bridge between realms. A threshold made flesh. That’s what makes you so dangerous to Cyrus. If you fully awaken, you’ll tear down everything he’s built. You are the key that could unlock it all.”
“And my mother?” I whispered.
“Her power is suppressed, heavily bound. But she knows you will come.” Hecate explained. “She has faith in you, even if you don’t have faith in yourself yet.”
I felt like I couldn’t breathe properly.
“She’s your blood,” Hecate continued. “And yes, Cyrus hopes her suffering will drive you into his arms unready. If you try to reach her without reclaiming your power first, you will fail. Worse, you’ll play directly into his hand.
He’ll have both of you then. Mother and daughter.
Demeter and Persephone. Imagine what he could do with that much divine essence. ”
The silence grew heavier.
“So how do I begin?” I asked.
Hecate smiled. “You begin by remembering that you are not just Melanie Blumenthal. You are the seed and the root. Life and death, intertwined as one. You are Persephone. The world is long overdue for your return.”
“Would you help me?” I asked, voice meeker than intended. “Would you guide me through this?”
“That’s why I’ve returned,” Hecate replied without hesitation, and her expression softened. “Why I’ve been watching over your friend. The old alliances are stirring, child. Those who remember are gathering. And you are the catalyst we’ve been waiting for.”
My hands trembled around the cup, and I forced myself to breathe.
One thing I can see: Bran, Vex, and Duska curled together near the hearth.
Two things I can smell: The smoky bite of the lapsang souchong. The familiar warmth of Kian’s cologne.
Three things I can feel: The heat of the tea against my palms. The softness of the couch. And—
Kian’s hand settled on my shoulder. I reached up and laid my fingers over his. I looked up at him. His expression was soft, his eyes flooded with something I didn’t have words for yet.
He smiled, just enough to say, “I’m here. You’re not alone.”
I took another breath and nodded.
“But why now?” I asked. “Why wait so long? While the others were falling, being hunted—”
“The Underworld doesn’t maintain itself,” Hecate explained.
“Kian’s nature, the way of Hades, is to observe, not intervene.
The timing was never right before. The remaining Gods are scattered, fighting where we can, but it hasn’t been enough.
But you are remembering now, for the first time in millennia.
And he’s finally stepping into action.” She smiled. “Now is the time.”
“Okay,” I took a breath to settle myself. “I’m in. But if I’m going to do this—if I have any shot at reconnecting to who I was—I’ll need more than just memory and meditation. We’re going to need a plan. A real one.”
Hecate tilted her head, watching me like she was both proud and appraising.
“Even if I unlock whatever power’s been buried in me,” I continued, voice gaining strength, “I won’t know how to use it properly at first. And we still don’t know the full extent of what Cyrus is planning. We need information, a strategy…” I paused. “Allies.”
“Spoken like a queen,” Hecate said, smiling in approval.
I flushed. “I don’t know about all that.
But I’m serious,” I said, glancing between her and Kian.
“Cyrus already has my mother. He tried to take Amy. And Xavier—if Cyrus figures out how to properly wield that power, how to control Ares—” I broke off, shuddering.
“We’re not just talking about one megalomaniac anymore.
We’re talking about a war that no one survives. ”
Kian’s hand tightened on my shoulder.
“So… where do we start?”
Hecate leaned forward, steepling her fingers.
“We start by gathering what we have. The intelligence your friend Leo has gathered from inside Ekklesia. My reach into the old networks; there are still those who remember, who’ve been waiting for a sign to act.
And your gifts, which we will begin unlocking immediately.
If Cyrus wants a war, he’ll get one. But it will be on our terms, not his. ”
The remainder of the evening blurred into strategy and tea.
We had three allies: Luz, Leo, and May.
“Are we sure that’s enough?” I asked. “Even if I do get my powers back, I’m not going to know how to use them right away. And three humans against whatever Cyrus has—”
“There are other allegiances, but they are few and far between, and distrustful. Small is better, in this case,” Hecate interrupted.
“Subtlety and precision. Those are our greatest allies. A large group draws attention, leaves trails, and makes noise. But if we can awaken the abilities sleeping in your friends, even just partially, they may be far more useful than you realize.”
I pressed my lips together, the ache in my chest stealing my breath.
“If Amy were awake…” I trailed off.
“I know,” Hecate sighed. “Artemis would be invaluable. But we must work with those who are present and conscious. Her time will come again, I’ve made certain of that.
The work I’ve been doing at the hospital isn’t just comfort.
I’m keeping her tethered, making sure Cyrus can’t drain her completely before we’re ready to act. ”
I nodded, throat tight with gratitude.
“I’ve been planning episodes for my podcast,” I said. “To start poking at Ekklesia publicly. Not outright accusations yet, but just… leaving breadcrumbs. Asking questions. I thought maybe I could stir up public pressure, or even get under Cyrus’s skin. I actually just posted one tonight.”
Hecate’s eyes lit with interest. “That could be very useful indeed. If you can provoke him, he may make mistakes. Reveal things he meant to keep hidden. We can use that, but you must be careful, child. He’s cunning.”
“I know,” I murmured.