Chapter 88

88

Persephone paced her apartment while waiting for Charon to answer his phone, then said, “Poseidon found the missing shipment two weeks ago. Zeus Sturm can confirm. Also, Poseidon is keeping the Shades alive. He can’t communicate with you because he’s stringing the Titans along until you can meet. You need to act like you’re at war with Poseidon to fool the Titans, but don’t escalate things further.” She took a deep breath to finish. “Don’t ask me how I know all this.”

A pause, then, “Why didn’t Zeus report this to us sooner?”

“Why do you think?” Persephone retorted. Poseidon and Hermes had discussed the Mayor at length with her. Apparently, Zeus was a consummate politician, waiting to see which way the wind blew before doing anything or choosing sides.

Charon’s sigh told her that he understood.

“Give me two weeks,” she said. “I’ll have more for you then.”

“Woman, what are you planning?”

“Two weeks,” she repeated and hung up.

The phone rang again and she let it go to voicemail, bustling around her apartment. When her door buzzer went off she shook her head and muttered to Cerberus, “See? Can’t just sit and do as they’re told, but they expect me to…”

She checked the peephole and froze when she recognized the spiky blond head.

“I know you’re in there,” Poseidon’s bodyguard breathed.

“Did Andrea send you?” she called through the door.

“Poor Persephone. Husband left her all alone.” Spike Hair tilted his head and she saw his bloodshot eyes. Checking the locks, she leaned against the door, heart pounding. She jumped when he rapped on the door. “Open up, little girl. I’ll keep you company.”

“Please, please go away,” she whispered to herself. Her cell phone lay on the countertop, but she couldn’t bring herself to move and get it.

Sensing her tension, Cerberus came to her side. She curled into him, but he stood at attention, vibrating with alertness. When Spike Hair spoke again, the dog barked, three times. A warning.

Shaking, Persephone kept hold of her dog. Had Poseidon sent his thug to threaten her? Could he be trusted to follow through on the plan, or was he playing her? If so, why send Spike Hair to threaten her like this?

As she waited for him to leave, she ran through all her memories of Poseidon. In every instance he’d acted like a gentleman, a man of his word. But he’d said it himself—with the Titans closing in, he’d be forced to turn against Hades. Did that include her? Damn it, she should never have volunteered the information about who her mother was. What if he’d contacted Demeter and made a deal that included turning Persephone over to her?

“You can’t hide forever,” the thug outside the door said finally, and when Cerberus relaxed, Persephone knew the threat was gone. She squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe Poseidon wasn’t backing out of their deal and his man was acting independently? Or was she just deluding herself like the na?ve idiot she’d always been? Still, it was ages before she would feel safe enough to open the door.

“Two weeks.” She hugged Cerberus, and hoped she would last that long without her husband’s protection.