Chapter 16

16

When Persephone woke up, her head felt thick, her eyes swollen. What time was it? It was dark out. The last thing she remembered was giving in to the tears half an hour or so after Hades left. She’d swiped them away as fast as they fell, furious at herself. How had she let herself feel anything for that selfish, monstrous, unfeeling?—

Wait, something was wrong. It was the middle of the night and she wasn’t sure what had woken her. She frowned as she swung her feet over the side of the bed.

But then it hit.

The weight around her ankle. It was gone.

She frantically turned on the bedside lamp.

Holy shit! She lifted up her ankle. And then laughed in disbelief.

The weight around her ankle was gone, along with the chain leading to the bedpost.

She’d done it. She’d earned his trust. Or was this another test?

She waited ten minutes, occasionally calling out Hades’s name, but got no response. Biting her lip, she got on the bed, spread her legs, and touched herself, knowing that if he was in the apartment and watching, that would definitely bring him running.

Still, nothing. He wasn’t home.

It was now or never.

She scrambled to the door. It was locked.

But after her mother locked her up, she’d vowed never to be stopped by a locked door again. She’d practiced for hours and hours after studying online videos—it was one of the first things she’d done as soon as she got free of the farm.

She went to the bathroom and grabbed a few hairpins. A few minutes scratching at the lock and it clicked. She backed up, barely daring to believe.

But when she turned the knob, the door opened.

Think, she had to think. She grabbed a plain t-shirt and jeans from the closet. Clothes Hades had never let her wear the whole time she’d been here. And shoes. She needed shoes. The fabric scratched her skin. She’d grown used to being naked.

How long had she been in here? A week? More?

She pulled her hair into a ponytail and let the door creak open. Maybe he posted a guard, anticipating her escape.

But no. There was no one in the penthouse. She crept into the open room, barely daring to believe it. Hades never left her alone for long. The gods were smiling on her, giving her a perfect chance to escape.

Too perfect, the little voice said, and she hushed it. Hades expected the locked door to hold her. She’d outwitted him for once.

Before racing out the door, she grabbed a coat and buttoned it to cover the collar and leash she still wore. She didn’t have time to figure out how to undo it.

She put her hand on the doorknob and paused. Someone had cleaned up the statue she’d broken. A giant bouquet of flowers sat on the column instead.

She preferred the statue.

Not that it mattered. She was never coming back here.

She pulled open the door and escaped into the night.