Chapter 30
Persephone
As I realized what my words meant though, panic swelled through me. The Trial... Morpheus!
“Sam and Hecate! Hedone has them hostage! We have to stop Morpheus!”
We may have survived, and Cronos may still be trapped in Tartarus, but this wasn't over yet.
Guilt swamped me as the emotion and power crashing through my brain started to clear, and the full impact of everything I'd learned in the last hour began to filter through.
The volcano. Zeus. My brother and Hecate.
Hades’ face darkened, and the world flashed around us.
I gaped at the scene before me in the judgment hall, my power-addled body and brain simply not keeping up.
“Persy!” My brother charged toward me, lifting me off my feet as he reached me. “Thank god you're OK.” I squeezed him back as I stared over his shoulder.
Tied up with chains made from some sort of glowing metal, were Morpheus and Hedone, and they were both sitting on Minthe's red chariot. Kerato and two other guards had spears pointed at them and Morpheus bared his teeth at me.
Minthe and Sanape were standing nearby, and were both covered in blood. The spirit who had been driving their chariot appeared to be tending their wounds.
“What happened?” I breathed, as Sam let me go. “Where’s Hecate?”
“I'm here,” she said from behind us, and I whirled, relieved to see that she looked fine as she strode forward. “I'm sorry, boss. She knocked me out.” Her eyes dipped to the floor as she reached Hades.
“They managed to manacle me, so I'd be a hypocrite to reprimand you,” Hades said, an edge of steel to his tone.
“They manacled you?” Hecate gasped. “Zeus is a fucking asshole, I swear if he ever—”
“Who detained Morpheus?” Hades said, cutting her off.
“Minthe,” answered my brother. “It was pretty amazing actually.”
“Yeah, we owe her,” said Hecate. “Ask her yourself, we were both out of it, so she can tell you best.”
“Minthe?” called Hades, and the mountain nymph looked over at us, wincing. I glanced quickly at Hades, then hurried over to her, my gold vines snaking from my palms before I reached her.
“Let me help you,” I said, expecting an argument. But she just raised her wrist for my vine to coil round. “Did you really save my brother?” I asked her as Hades stepped up behind me.
“That slutty bitch Hedone thought I was too injured to be a threat.
That'll teach her not to underestimate me,” Minthe snapped as my healing power began to flow into her.
She closed her eyes, a look of relief washing over her face.
Her tone was less angry when she spoke again.
“I was laid on the floor by the chariot, my arm and knee fucked, when I saw the portal and you and Morpheus through it. I heard everything. So I asked Poly,” she gestured at the spirit woman, “to get help. Then Sanape and I jumped Hedone as soon as the portal was closed. Morpheus turned up not long after, but Sanape is a seriously good shot.” Sanape gave me a vicious grin and I glanced over my shoulder at Morpheus, restrained in the chariot.
Silver liquid was dribbling from his temple.
“Kerato and the guards got here with the chains just in time, I'm not sure we could have held them much longer.”
“Thank you,” I breathed, and threw my arms around her before I could stop myself. She stiffened in my embrace, and then muttered,
“You can stop the healing now, I'm good. Help Sanape.” I let her go, and did as she asked, the woman looking reluctant to receive my help, but accepting when Minthe gave her a long enough look.
“Minthe, the Underworld owes you a debt,” said Hades. She looked at him, then bowed her head.
“I owed Persephone a debt. It's now clear.” She had a hard glint in her eye when she looked back at me.
“Yes, yes of course it is,” I said.
“I can't bestow immortality on you, as you know it is forbidden for any single god to do that. But I can make you rich. You will have diamonds to last you a lifetime,” Hades said.
Minthe's mouth opened slowly, her eyebrows raising.
“Thank you, King Hades,” she breathed, dipping her head again.
“You too, Sanape,” he said, turning to the . She dipped her head less reverently, but pride was stamped across her expression.
Hades turned, and strode to the chariot. I released the vines that had now healed Sanape, and followed him, nerves skittering through my stomach. Hedone was asleep, looking peaceful as she sat back-to-back with Morpheus.
“You can only save her from her punishment for so long,” Hades said, and his voice was like ice.
“I'll keep her asleep as long as I can,” answered Morpheus, not looking up. “This is not her fault. She wanted to hurt nobody.”
“Unlike you?”
“I am fighting for a higher cause. I am fighting for Olympus. Cronos said there would be casualties.”
Blue light flared around Hades, and all the color drained from Morpheus' face abruptly. He seemed to shrink in on himself, and I saw gooseflesh raise on his skin. A small whimper escaped his mouth.
“You are as bound to your role as the dream god as I am to mine,” hissed Hades, “and only that will save you from Tartarus. But you will perform that role as a prisoner to your own fear, for the rest of your immortal life, Morpheus. What you see in your mind now, is what you will see every minute of every day and night.”
“No,” he whispered, finally lifting his haunted eyes to Hades. “No, please!”
“Take him to his rooms, and bind him,” Hades said, and Hecate stepped forward.
“With pleasure, boss,” she said, and with a flash, they both disappeared. Hedone fell backward without him to lean on, and moaned softly.
“Kerato, confine her in the palace until Aphrodite can deal with her, as she is one of her deities.”
“Yes, my Lord,” the minotaur said.
“What did you make Morpheus see?” I asked Hades quietly, as the minotaur pulled Hedone groggily to her feet, and the chariot lifted off the temple floor.
“It doesn't matter,” he answered.
But it did. The punishment was hitting me hard. Because I had an awful feeling I was going to live the same life. I was going to see all those people I had killed over and over again, every day. Those screaming, innocent people, running hopelessly from the lava.
My thoughts were either clear on my face or made it through the bond, because Hades pulled me to him, tipping my face up to his.
“Cronos did that, not you. You were a conduit, a vessel, a weapon. Not the cause. Do you understand?” I nodded, trying to believe his words. “And you are no longer that person. Look at what you did up there. You controlled the power this time, and saved the life of thousands. Possibly more.”
This time, his words did hit home. Saved the life of thousands. He was right. New Persephone saved lives.
I would never forgive myself for what I knew I had done, but at least I was making a start on setting it right.
A bright flash was followed quickly by the smell of the ocean, and then Poseidon was stood before us, Dionysus at his side.
“Skop!” The gnome sitting on Dionysus’ shoulder shifted into a dog as he jumped down and ran to me. I crouched and pulled the dog into a hug. “I'm so glad you're OK.”
“And boy am I glad to see you too,” he said.
“Zeus escaped,” said Poseidon, and I stood up fast, my attention on the sea god. “He severely wounded Ares and Artemis, and Hera has withdrawn completely, and won't talk to anyone.”
“Shit,” hissed Hades.
“Shit doesn't cover half of it,” said Dionysus. “He's got that fire Titan of yours with him, she came and busted him out of Ares’ hold.”
“But he hates Titans!” I exclaimed.
“If Ankhiale knew that Cronos wasn't going to be free, she will move to the next strongest god,” Hades muttered. “And Zeus won't turn down allies now.”
“So, does that mean you're at war?” I asked slowly.
“No. Zeus hasn't declared any such thing, but he will need to face a trial and punishment. Just like Hades did, when he broke the rules,” Poseidon said with a pointed look at Hades.
“Is that why he has run?”
“Yes. He'll be back, I've no doubt. With an elaborate excuse for all of this, and a new plan to inflate his ego further.”
“He is a dangerous maniac, and he can no longer rule the Olympians,” said Hades. Dionysus nodded.
“Hear, hear. The man needs to chill the fuck out.”
“We will deal with succession later. For now, I’m here to see Persephone,” said Poseidon.
I gulped as the Lord of the Oceans turned to me.
“Your handling of Cronos' power bears the marks of a true Queen and goddess of Olympus. I am pleased to welcome you to our ranks.” My mouth fell open.
“And thank you for taking care of my hippocampus,” he added, before giving me a twinkling smile, and vanishing.
“Well done, Persy,” said Dionysus, as I blinked after Poseidon. “Make sure you visit soon, there are some folk on Taurus who remember growing up with you now,” he said, with a big grin. “And your fella needs a drink. I got lots of that.”
“I-I will,” I stuttered, and felt a smile take over my face. My future in Olympus was looking a whole lot better than I could have possibly imagined.