Chapter 10
“Well how about that folks! Not the classiest fight we've seen, but she got the job done!” The commentator’s voice boomed across the pit as the rumbling started again.
The hole was closing, and the floor was rising. I threw my arms out to the side to steady myself, panting for breath as adrenaline still fizzed through me. I looked up at the gods, where Hermes and Dionysus were clapping enthusiastically, Athena and Aphrodite more slowly.
The others just stared at me, Hades' smoky form flickering and Zeus's eyes gleaming.
“Now to the judges to find out what she scored!” I turned as the floor finally stopped moving, now level with the three men in grand seats. “Radamanthus?” beamed the commentator. The man on the left, chubby and cheerful-looking, with dark bushy beard and eyebrows, smiled at me.
“One token,” he said.
“Aeacus?” The commentator asked. The second man, skin so pale it was almost blue, spoke in a cold voice, and didn't meet my eyes.
“One token,” he said.
“And Minos?” The last man, with dark skin and a shining bald head, looked intently at me. His eyes were dark too, but bright with intelligence, and I felt like he was seeing far more of me than I was comfortable with.
“One token,” he said eventually.
“The judges are agreed! One token for Persephone. And what shall your tokens be, young lady?”
Everybody looked at me.
“What?” I stammered, and the commentator gave me a patronizing smile that made me want to punch him on the nose.
“You get to choose your tokens. What would you like to win?”
“Do I get to keep them?”
“Yes.”
“Seeds,” I said, without pause.
“Seeds?” repeated the commentator, his voice shocked and his eyebrows almost lost to his hairline. “You want seeds?” A smile twitched on his mouth and I glared at him.
“She shall have pomegranate seeds,” said Minos, and the commentator bowed to him, hiding his smile quickly.
“Of course she shall,” he said deferentially.
The air rippled in front of me, then a box appeared, floating in midair.
It looked like a long ring box and when I reached for it with shaking hands, the lid popped open.
Inside was a series of little chambers, and in the first, suspended in some sort of gel, was a bright red pomegranate seed.
“Er, thanks,” I said. It wasn't quite what I'd hoped for when I'd asked for seeds, but I hadn't expected a reward at all, so I dropped my flail on the floor with a clatter and closed the box.
Maybe they would produce something magnificent when I got back to New York. Something 'out of this world'. I clung to that idea as I heaved a few deep breaths. I'd just defeated a demon skeleton.
“You're welcome, Persephone,” said Minos, then the air in front of the judges rippled and they vanished.
“We'll see you for the next Trial in three days, and boy is it a good one! Persephone will have her hospitality tested to its limits very soon.” The commentator winked, then he vanished too.
“Hospitality? What am I supposed to do, have everyone over for dinner?” I said, turning back to the gods. A wave of power rocked over me, and I dropped to one knee without even thinking about it, bowing my head.
“Remember your place, girl,” I heard Poseidon say.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. Adrenaline and a sense of achievement were surging through me. I'd just kicked a demon skeleton into a multi-colored fire pit. This place was freaking crazy, but I'd done it. I'd defeated a demon.
“Now, we must assign your guard. Then you may rest, and prepare for the next Trial,” said Athena, and I raised my head to look at her.
“I'd like to throw in an option, if I may?” drawled Dionysus, and eleven heads snapped to look at him.
“Why?” asked Zeus, frowning.
“Why not?” he shrugged, a lazy smile on his face. He was wearing an open white shirt and tight black leather trousers, with huge Doc Martin boots that weren't laced up properly. The longer I looked at him, the more desperately I wanted to get steaming drunk with him.
“There are many reasons why not,” Zeus said stiffly, and turned back to me. A thought occurred to me at his words. Why wasn't Zeus putting a guard in? As if sensing my question he smiled at me.
“I don't need to assign a guard to you, dear little Persy,” he said, emphasizing the nickname he'd read on my name badge in what now seemed like a lifetime ago. “I can come and see you myself whenever you like.”
A blast of heat pulsed out from the dais and Zeus gave Hades a sideways glance, his mouth curled in a smug sneer.
“Let's move on, please,” said Athena, and stood up. Her owl was absent now, but other than that she looked identical to when I'd met her earlier. “There are four feathers behind you. Inspect each, then choose one.”
I turned around and sure enough, a grand desk had appeared behind me, and I could see feathers on it. I approached cautiously, setting down my seed box on the cherry-wood surface and picking up the first feather.
It was almost as long as my forearm and a rich green color, with yellow edges. I ran my fingers gently down the soft edge, feeling pretty stupid. All the gods were sitting behind me, watching me stroke a feather. I wished Hecate was back.
A trickle of cold suddenly tingled through my fingertips, and I got a sudden sense of grandeur and power. My brows drew together as I peered at the feather. Maybe there was more to this than I thought.
I put the green feather back and picked up the next one, a fierce, solid red. Angst and irritability immediately invaded my thoughts and I put the feather back quickly. I didn't think I needed that in my life.
The next feather was silver and gold, and by far the prettiest one, though the smallest. That made me instantly suspicious and I handled it carefully.
When I picked it up I was surprised to feel lighter suddenly, like there was a lot less to worry about in the world.
Past holidays, vacations spent relaxing and reading filled my mind.
I was still suspicious. That seemed a little too disarming.
The last feather looked like something I'd pick up in Central Park.
It was a gray-brown, with a dusting of gold along the edge the only thing making it less plain.
But as soon as I picked it up, a chuckle bubbled from my lips.
I had no idea what I thought was funny, but the longer I held the boring feather, the more amused I felt.
“This one,” I grinned, turning to the gods. Athena closed her eyes slowly, and Dionysus did a little fist pump.
“Good choice, Persy love,” he beamed at me. His accent sounded British.
“You're an idiot,” muttered Poseidon to him, shaking his head. My eyes flicked to Hades. Was he disappointed I hadn't chosen his feather? Did it even matter? If I was stuck here in his world, surely he could see where I was all the time anyway?
“You may regret making that decision so hastily,” said Athena levelly, “But it was a fair choice.” I put the feather back on the desk and immediately realized she was right.
It had been an impulse decision because the feather had made me smile.
Shit, I should have chosen the one that felt like power.
I picked up my seed box and turned back to the gods.
“What happens now?” I asked, addressing Athena as she was still standing up.
“Now you rest. You'll meet your guard and start training for the ball tomorrow.”
“Ball?”
“Yes. Your next Trial is to host a masquerade ball. And that will conclude the first round.”
I felt my jaw drop slightly and I forced my mouth shut again. I fished desperately for something to say, but the world flashed white and I wasn't there anymore.
“I wish people would stop freaking doing that,” I snapped, as the light cleared from my eyes and I looked around the bedroom I'd been in earlier.
“Yeah, annoying isn't it,” said a now familiar voice.
“Hecate!” I whirled to see her holding two huge tumblers out and grinning like a fool.
“Told you you could do it!” she sang, and handed me one of the glasses. I took it, and on her cue we downed the contents simultaneously. If I thought whatever I drank earlier burned, then this soothed. It was like drinking honey.
“My god, that's good. What is it?”
“Gods,” corrected Hecate. “It's Nectar.”
“As in nectar and ambrosia?”
“Yeah, except if you drank ambrosia like that it would kill you. Until you get the ichor back in your veins, at least.”
“Ichor,” I said, cocking my head at her. “That's gods’ blood, right?”
“Yup. And you're full of all that icky red human shit now,” she said, and sat down on the bed. “Well done. I can't believe you picked seeds as your token though. You're a fucking lunatic.”
“Er, thanks?” I said, sitting beside her. “What's wrong with seeds?”
“Well, nothing, but here you are risking life and limb, and you decide seeds are your worthy reward? Are you not worth more than that?”
“I, erm, I didn't really think about it like that. I just said the first thing I wanted. Which was seeds.”
“The other contestants all picked precious stones, emeralds and sapphires and diamonds. But you... seeds. You're an enigma, Persy.” Her bright eyes were boring into mine and I looked away uncomfortably with a shrug.
“I think I picked the wrong feather too,” I said.
“Feather? Is that how they made you choose a guard?”
It turned out that only the Trial had been broadcast via the weird iron flame dishes, so Hecate hadn't seen the feather choice afterwards, so I told her about Dionysus's feather making me laugh and my stupid impulse decision.
“Well, you could have chosen worse. Hades’ guard would have been strict as hell, and Poseidon's even more dull. Athena's would have been best but you could be in for something pretty entertaining from Dionysus. Just hope it's not one those randy little sprites his realm is full of.”
“Randy sprites?” I asked, slightly alarmed.
“Yeah. Did they tell you anything about the next Trial?”
“Yeah. I'll be hosting a masquerade ball,” I said, scowling. Hecate's eyebrows shot up.
“Wow, really? They've brought that one out early,” she said thoughtfully.
“Do I literally just have to plan a party?” I asked, hopefully. She gave me a look as though I were a complete idiot.
“No, Persy. You have to host a ball for some of the most disgusting and dangerous folk in Olympus. They will try to ruin the party, mostly by trying to screw or kill each other. Occasionally both. And there's always a surprise twist, something horrendous for the host to try and rectify.”
“Well, it still sounds easier than killing a skeleton.”
“It's not. Trust me.”
“Oh.”
“We'll get some specialist help in on this one. I'll send Hedone to you tomorrow.”
“Hedone? Isn't she...” I racked my memory. “Goddess of pleasure?”
“Yup, and party planner extraordinaire. You'll love her.”
“Right,” I said.
“In the meantime, get some sleep.”
“Is this my bedroom?” I asked, looking around the room.
“Erm, yeah.”
I paused before asking,”Was it my bedroom before?”
“No. You slept with Hades, dummy.”
“Oh.” My feelings must have shown on my face because Hecate frowned at me.
“You don't like this room?”
I shook my head, feeling guilty for complaining to her but not seeing the point in lying.
“It's just hard not having a window,” I said. She regarded me a moment, then stood up.
“I'll see what I can do tomorrow.” I gave her a grateful smile.
“Thanks.”
“You're welcome.”
“Seriously, thanks for everything,” I said, trying to impress my sincerity into the words.
“You're welcome,” she repeated.
I was asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow, exhaustion completely taking me over.
I expected to dream about murderous skeletons or mysterious and terrifying gods made of smoke, but instead I found myself in a garden.
And it wasn't a normal garden. As somebody who spent hours of their waking life dreaming up gardens, I knew instantly that this one was not born of my brain. So whose was it?
It was stunning, I thought, as I wandered towards an epic water feature.
The word “fountain” didn't really do the structure justice.
There was a large round pool, the stone the same shining white marble from the throne room, and in its center was a statue of a man on one knee, holding a globe on his back.
I recalled the ancient myth about the Titan Atlas, who was made to hold up the heavens as a punishment by Zeus.
Could that be what I was looking at? As I got closer I saw that the globe was not representing my earth, but was made up of hundreds of rings, interlocking to form the sphere.
Gemstones glittered in the places where the rings overlapped, and water burst from them, shining the same color as the gem until they reached the clear, sparkling pool below.
I drank in the sound of the running water, the feel of the cool breeze on my face, the smell of the primroses... I turned on the spot slowly, looking at the huge array of flowers in beds lining the hedged circumference of the garden.
Not all these flowers should be able to grow together. Many needed totally different temperatures and soils to the ones they were blooming right next to. I frowned.
“I heard you chose seeds,” said a voice. A male voice. Was it the voice from the Trial? The one who had told me to get up, when I'd been frozen to the spot? I realized distractedly that I hadn't told Hecate about that.
“Who are you?” I asked, quietly. It felt wrong to speak loudly in a place as serene and beautiful as this.
“I'm your friend, Persephone. I remember you well.”
“Really?”
“Of course. The Queen of the Underworld is not easily forgotten.”
“Where are you?”
“All around you. I am the garden.”
I turned on the spot again.
“Am I dreaming?”
“Of course you are. But dreams are controlled by the gods too, Persephone. I heard you chose seeds.”
“Why does everyone care so much that I chose seeds?” I said, annoyance interrupting the intense soothing effect of the garden. Another gust of wind fluttered through my hair, carrying the scent of lavender. I inhaled deeply. I wanted to stay here.
“I admire your choice. You know, pomegranate seeds can be eaten.”
I frowned.
“I'd rather plant them.”
“Trust me, my Queen. You'd rather eat them.”
I woke with a start, sitting up abruptly in the dark.
Disappointment and a deep sense of loss swamped me as I looked around at the dim bedroom, the only light coming from twinkling stars on the weird rock ceiling.
It was pretty enough, but now I longed for fresh air, the scent of flowers, the sound of running water.
What a weird dream. I was positive I hadn't created that garden, so whoever that voice belonged to must have.
Eat the pomegranate seed? That was my hard-earned reward.
I didn't think so. I shook my head to clear it, then lay back onto my pillows with a sigh.
Everything about this place was weird. The sooner I lost the Trials and got back to New York, the better.