Chapter 2
Persephone
As soon as I was done swearing about self-entitled douchebag gods, I sat upright again, and closed my eyes. If I had gained power, I needed to know what I could do with it.
I concentrated hard, trying to feel something inside me that wasn't there before, that surge of life and vibrancy that I’d felt after eating the seed.
But I could feel nothing.
I knew it was there, the hairs on my skin rose when I thought about it, and Hera had confirmed it, but I couldn't feel that same surge of energy within me, or grasp anything tangible. Maybe I needed to try to do some magic? Feeling pretty stupid, I held out my hand.
“Light?” I awkwardly asked my own hand. Nothing happened.
Why did I think I could create light? Hecate had said I had been able to “grow plants, amongst other things.” I could feel, instinctively, that my power was connected to the earth.
It was that same sureness I felt whenever I saw Hades’ liquid-silver eyes, that same knowledge that everything I was experiencing wasn't a dream.
Hades’ eyes... What in the name of the gods was I going to do? Panic fringed my thoughts as I pictured his face, remembered his passionate embrace, then saw that awful blue light roll off him and form corpses on the ground.
I dropped my hand to my lap. I had been desperate to give every inch of my body to the man, less than an hour before he had turned into a freaking death monster, tore a man apart and nearly killed me.
Worse, I was competing to marry him. This was no good.
Like seriously, no good. I had to stay away from him, and I had to lose the Trials and get back home.
I couldn't ignore the surge of fear that accompanied that assertion, but it wasn't the fear I'd felt up to now. This was different. A brand new fear.
How the hell can you leave? This place is amazing! Maybe not the Underworld, but Zeus' mountain? Flying ships? Kick-ass outfits, magic everywhere, and a friend who could conjure wine for fuck’s sake! Why would I ever go back to New York now I know Olympus exists?
“Because everyone here is fucking mental!” I said out loud, shaking my head and forcing the ludicrous thoughts out of my mind. “Murderous fucking maniacs. And apparently, so was I!”
I screwed my face up as I rubbed it hard with my hands. It was ridiculous to think I would even entertain the idea of staying somewhere so dangerous and unpleasant. Somewhere I may once have existed as a monster.
My brother Sam's face flashed into my mind, smiling and soft. My parents, dad tending to the garden and mum sewing and rolling her eyes constantly, swiftly followed.
I called up my more recent memories of Professor Hetz and my awesome garden design and the beautiful botanical gardens.
I missed them. All of them.
“Manhattan roof gardens,” I said firmly. “You're going to make this work, Persephone. You're going to become a world famous garden designer. Not Queen of the Underworld.”
But the last thing I saw, before falling asleep alongside Skop's snoring, furry little body were those desperate pools of silver.
I wasn't the least bit surprised when I found myself dreaming that I was in the Atlas garden. I walked slowly towards the fountain, inhaling deeply and filling myself with the scent of wildflowers.
A warm breeze moved strands of my loose hair around my face, and it felt good.
“Thank you,” I said, as I reached the marble edge of the pool. Vivid green lily pads covered in shocking pink water lilies floated gently on the surface. “You saved my life.”
“You're welcome,” the voice said. “I am glad you are here. I must tell you something important.”
“Of course I'm here. You bring me here,” I answered, dipping my fingers into the water. It was cool and welcoming.
“I wish that were true, Persephone.”
“Oh. Well who does bring me here then?”
“I don't know.”
I tilted my head to one side, and felt the sun on my cheek.
“Who are you?”
“Your only friend. You must not eat all of the pomegranate seeds in one go. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” I nodded.
“You deserve your powers back, dear girl, but you must not risk overwhelming yourself.”
“I don't feel overwhelmed. In fact, I don't know how to use my magic at all,” I said, reaching out and drawing a lily pad towards me while perching on the edge of the fountain.
“You will learn. Do not worry about that. But Persephone, you must trust nobody.”
“Except Hecate and Skop,” I said.
“No, nobody.”
“But Hecate and Skop saved me too. They care about me.”
“You are naive, little goddess. Hecate is an agent of Hades, and Skoptolis works for Dionysus. Only I work for you alone.”
“Why? Why are you helping me?”
“You were wronged, by my worst enemy, and you paid the highest price. And now only you have the power to make it right.”
A small shudder cut through the tranquility of the garden. His words carried weight that even this place couldn't lighten.
“I was wronged?”
“Yes. The only person who can tell you about your past is Hades. And what he knows is incomplete.”
“So... How do I find out the truth?”
“When you are stronger, we will continue this conversation. Keep winning seeds, and gain more of your power back.”
I nodded. That sounded like good advice.
The dream was vivid in my memory when I woke up in the opulent bedchamber, and I replayed the conversation repeatedly as I sat up in the mass of colored cushions, still wearing my ballgown from the night before.
I rubbed my aching neck and tried to get the stranger’s words straight. Could I really not trust Hecate and Skop? I struggled to believe they would bring any harm to me.
I touched my parched lips as I looked down at the sleeping dog, sprawled across the end of the bed.
“You were wronged, by my worst enemy, and you paid the highest price. And now only you have the power to make it right.”
A little shudder rippled through me as I recalled the stranger’s statement. If what he was saying was true, then was someone else involved in whatever I had done to get thrown out of Olympus?
Did that mean it wasn't all my fault?
A tiny bud of hope blossomed in my chest. But who? And why didn't Hades know about it?
I blew out a sigh and stared at the glowing rock wall. At the thought of Hades, images rolled through my mind again, flipping between exquisite pleasure, and unbridled terror. Talk about an emotional roller-coaster.
“Well, this is nicer than your room,” said a voice, and my eyes snapped to the door.
“Hecate!” She smiled as she sauntered over, carrying two cups of coffee. “Thank you, for telling Skop how to defeat the phoenix, and... for trying to stop Hades.”
“No worries,” she said with an overly casual grin. “How you doing?”
“A bit confused,” I said.
“No doubt. But heh, at least your powers are working.”
“What?” I frowned at her. “What do you mean? I was going to ask you how to get my magic to work; I can't do anything.”
“Persy, you got lifted five feet off the ground by a giant burning bird, fell and crashed into a table, and nearly got electrocuted to death. Don't you think you should be feeling a bit sore this morning?”
I stared at her.
“My neck aches,” I said eventually.
“That'll be these stupid fucking cushions,” she said, her lip curling as she picked one up and launched it across the room.
“So... My magic has healed me?”
“Yup.” She took a long swig from her coffee and I did the same, my mind spinning. I could heal?
“How?”
“It just happens while you rest. The stronger you are, the quicker you'll heal, and you'll learn to heal big wounds on the spot eventually. You were always a good healer. Comes with the territory I guess.”
“What territory?”
“Goddess of Spring. New life. Growth and fertility and all that.”
My mouth fell open.
“Goddess of Spring?” I repeated, and heard a bark from Skop.
“Uhuh. No point keeping it from you any more, not if you can get your power back.” She was beaming at me, her eyes dancing with excitement. “You can win this now, Persy. You really can.”
“Woah, woah, woah. You're the goddess of fucking Spring? I thought you were just some pretty human?” Skop's voice rang loud in my head.
“Erm, it's sort of a long story. I was married to Hades before. Then cast out of Olympus and removed from history. And I don't remember any of it.”
“What the actual fuck?”
“Yeah, I know,” I said to him with a look, then turned back to Hecate. “What about what happened at the ball?”
“What about it?” she shrugged.
“Hades nearly killed me! I'm not marrying a god made of corpses!”
“Oh, he only lost his temper because that dude hurt you. When you're back up to full power his true form won't bother you at all.”
It felt like ice was sliding down my spine at her words. How could that monster, surrounded by dead bodies, ever not bother me?
“I want to be bothered by corpses, Hecate' I told her. “I don't want to be like him. I don't want to be with him.”
Hecate's smile slipped.
“He's just freaked you out a bit. You'll work it out, I'm sure.”
“Hecate, seriously, I'm not cut out for the Underworld.
I want warm sunshine and a cool breeze, and trees as tall as buildings stretching into endless skies.
I'm not meant to be here.” I could hear the pleading tone of my voice.
“Even if I was once happy here, I'm not that person any more. And Hades knows that.”
“You are not the woman I married. You are someone new.” That's what he had said to me, when I was practically delirious with lust.
Hecate stared at me for a full minute, then downed the rest of her coffee.
“When are you eating the other two seeds? We need to practice using your magic.”
I sighed.
“You can't just ignore me,” I told her. “And I'm not eating them.”
“What?” she exploded, leaping to her feet. “What do you mean you're not eating them?”
“Not yet anyway. I want to get my power back slowly.”
Hecate narrowed her eyes at me.
“Are you trying to lose on purpose?”
“No, but up until recently I was just a human, with no notion that magic even existed. You'll forgive me for being a bit cautious,” I snapped. She eyed me suspiciously.
“Fine, but I think you're making a mistake. The next round starts tonight, and you need all the help you can get.” My stomach twisted at her words.
“The next Trial is tonight?”
“No, not the actual Trial, it's just a little ceremony thing to start the second round and announce what's coming next. But Minthe will be there.” I groaned. Brilliant. Just what I needed. “And... so will Hades.”