Chapter 13

Hades woke up to a sharp knock at his bedroom door. He stretched and sat up, wondering why he was cold, until he noticed the blankets had been pulled off his body. Persephone was curled up on her side of the bed, her arms wrapped around a sleeping Cerberus. The dog had nearly kicked Hades off the mattress, effectively taking his spot and drooling on his pillow.

“You were never supposed to be allowed to sleep in the bed,” Hades grumbled, standing up slowly. He stretched and let out a satisfied grunt. A primal part of him was wholly satisfied at the sight of his hound and his bride asleep in his bed.

“Cerberus is too sweet to sleep anywhere else,” Persephone whispered, her eyes still closed. “I can’t believe you didn’t let him in the bed.”

“Cerberus is a monster, my love,” Hades sighed, walking towards the closet to get dressed. “He doesn’t even need sleep.”

“I say he sleeps in the bed.” Persephone sat up with a yawn.

Hades nodded in response, taking in Persephone’s pleasantly sleepy and rumpled appearance first thing in the morning.

“Whatever you want, my dear,” Hades acquiesced without a second thought, just for the happy smile of satisfaction on Persephone’s face. The knocking at the door started again.

“Lord Hades!” The voice identified as one of the shades who helped around the palace. “Demeter and Zeus are requesting an audience.”

Hades whipped his head towards the door, suddenly on full alert. He turned to Persephone, his first thought going to her and the effect Demeter’s presence would have on Persephone. It had been a few weeks since Persephone had come fully into her powers and answered the call. After that, her magic responded to her intuitively and without incident. Hades had proposed properly—and for real, this time—which Persephone eagerly had accepted. Hecate had married them that night at Persephone’s insistence; she determined big weddings to be more of Demeter’s style and had no desire to be a part of one.

Hades had been preparing to send Hermes out with the announcement when Persephone had stopped him. As soon as the Olympians knew, it would cause chaos. Most of them wouldn’t care, but Zeus and Demeter had been suspiciously quiet since the feast of Dionysus. Persephone insisted they keep it to themselves for now, claiming there was power in secrets, and they could reveal the wedding at the most opportune time. Hades had been so delighted by Persephone’s strategic, cunning mind that he’d taken her to bed for three days to demonstrate his devotion as her husband.

“I figured they would show up at some point,” Persephone scoffed, stepping out of bed. She raised a brow and passed Hades to slip into the closet. “Well? Will you get dressed, or do you want to greet my mother and your brother in the nude?”

Hades suppressed his laughter as he got dressed alongside his wife. The Persephone he’d first met was long gone. How quickly she’d stepped into her new role and evolved was nothing short of radical. It would break other deities to undergo so much transformation, but Persephone was coming out stronger for it. Hades loved her more every day to the point he thought he might burst with it, which was okay with him. It would be a perfectly acceptable way to go.

Hades got halfway dressed and got distracted, staring at Persephone again.

“Hades,” Persephone rolled her eyes playfully as she pinned up her himation, “you can stare at me and worship me later, I promise.”

“Do you swear?” Hades stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her waist, ducking to kiss her neck and shoulder. Persephone giggled, and Hades swore the sound made him feel lighter than air.

“Yes.” Persephone dramatically pretended to detangle herself from him. “I’ll stand on a dais like one of the marble statues outside, and you can marvel to your heart’s content.”

“Well,” Hades shrugged, tying up his chiton, “I can think of better ways of worshipping you, but if you’d rather—ow!”

Persephone playfully smacked Hades on the shoulder as she passed by.

“Can you match me, please?” Persephone asked, motioning to her himation. It started as a bright pink color on top, then darkened to blood red and faded to black at the hem. Hades looked down at the grey chiton he’d selected before undoing it and choosing a black one to offset Persephone.

“Yes, my love.” He tossed her an easy smile and changed. He’d gotten plenty of heat from Hermes—and Thanatos, Ae?tes, and Erebus—about how easily he caved to any of Persephone’s requests, but he ignored them all. He knew their devotion went both ways, so why should he care if Cerberus slept in bed or if Persephone felt more confident when they matched?

When Hades stepped out of the closet, Persephone was waiting for him. She was chatting with the shade at the door, inquiring after their friends and family.

“Are you sure?” Persephone asked the shade softly.

Hades listened to the end of their conversation.

“Yes, my lady.” The shade bowed. “They opted to drink from Styx and be reborn. It was their choice. I prefer to stay here.”

“If you insist.” Persephone offered the shade a warm smile. “If you’d like to be reunited with anyone who passes on, please let me know directly.”

“Yes, my lady.” The shade smiled warmly. Hades swore if shades could blush, that one would.

“Are Zeus and Demeter here already?” Hades asked the shade, coming up behind Persephone. “Or are they requesting an audience properly?”

“They have not entered the Underworld yet, my lord.” The shade bowed again. “They are waiting for your express approval.”

“Let them enter,” Persephone instructed the shade, who rushed off to do Persephone’s bidding.

“They must want something,” Persephone rolled her eyes and started walking towards the reception hall, “or they are attempting to get in our good graces for some reason.”

Hades grabbed Persephone’s hand as they walked, squeezing it for reassurance. He knew it would still be difficult for Persephone to face Demeter, no matter how much she’d grown recently. Whatever she needed, he’d support her.

“It doesn’t matter, darling.” Hades leaned over to kiss her forehead as they approached the doors.

“I know,” Persephone sighed wistfully. “Sometimes it would be easier if Kronos ate Demeter again.”

“She was a pain in the ass, even in his stomach,” Hades chuckled. “That wouldn’t stop her.”

“No, it wouldn’t,” Persephone shrugged, “but at least I wouldn’t be able to hear her.”

Hades shook his head and tried to quiet his laughter as Persephone steeled her expression. She placed her hands on the great doors and briefly composed herself, breathing deeply before her crown appeared on her forehead. With the final touch in place, she shoved the doors open.

The great doors swung wide for Persephone, Hades trailing right behind her. Persephone conjured a cloud of black and red smoke around their feet as they walked into the room. There were many things Hades appreciated about Persephone, but she knew how to make an impression.

Hades relished the shocked expressions on Zeus’s and Demeter’s faces when they strolled in. Hades and Persephone had dressed elaborately, in matching colors, and with enough jewelry to communicate Hades’s position as the lord of riches. The horrifying crown of bone and dead flowers on Persephone’s brow expressed everything necessary about her new position in the Underworld.

She was the Dread Queen—she was his Dread Queen, and he’d spend every last century he had showing her off and giving her whatever she wanted.

“Demeter,” Persephone said calmly, sitting on the dais beside Hades.

Hades said nothing but offered both Olympians a short nod before sitting down. Persephone and Hades’s thrones sat next to each other, in equal size and weight. It was drastically different from the tradition of a queen’s throne being smaller and placed strategically off-center and behind the king’s.

“Brother,” Zeus conjured his most charming smile, “I’ve come to you so we can come to an arrangement regarding Persephone.”

Hades’s power flared. “Persephone determines where she wants to go and who she associates with. If you have questions for her, ask her.”

Zeus floundered momentarily, taken aback by the idea of a woman holding equal power to Hades and Hades’s refusal to use Persephone as a bargaining chip.

“Hello.” Persephone waved, her smile equally vicious and sweet. “If you have a proposal for me, Zeus, I would love to hear it.”

Zeus’s shock transformed to fury, and he opened his mouth, preparing to start shouting before Demeter stepped in.

“Persephone, my daughter,” Demeter forced herself to smile but she only looked manic, “we’ve found a way to undo t-the pomegranates, the curse! We can undo the fact you are trapped here. If you only ate a few seeds, then you’re only bound to the Underworld for the duration—” Demeter stammered nervously before Persephone interrupted.

“Demeter,” Persephone rolled her eyes, “that’s not even true. Did you bother to ask any of the other gods about that? What about Hermes? Any of them would tell you that’s a lie.”

Demeter’s face drained of color.

“What?”

Persephone scoffed. “You hate the Underworld so much that you refuse to learn anything about it. I knew we could tell you anything about the Underworld, and you’d believe it. I’m here because I want to be and for no other reason.” Persephone’s tone got sharper.

Demeter started shaking her head rapidly. “No, no, that’s not going to work. The mortal world already thinks you’re trapped here f-for that time. They’re planning on leaving offerings for you in the spring…”

“Let them.” Persephone shrugged. “If that’s how they want to explain the weather, who am I to judge? Humans find solace in all sorts of stories,” Persephone smiled with fondness, “and I won’t take that from them. I do, however, refuse to spend months away from the Underworld at a time. I refuse to spend a single night away from my husband.” Persephone said the last word with particular joy, and Hades’s chest threatened to crack open with happiness.

Zeus and Demeter’s faces were a sight to behold. They cycled quickly through confusion, surprise, and anger. Zeus tossed his hands up in the air in resignation. Demeter only got angrier with every passing minute.

Zeus shook his head as clouds and lightning began to conjure around him. “I’m not getting involved in this fight anymore.”

“Zeus!” Demeter hissed, realizing he was about to leave. “You told me that you’d agree with me, that you would—”

“I don’t care.” Zeus was already dissipating. “The Fates decreed it, Demeter, and they’re married now. You should learn when to give up.”

Zeus was gone, leaving Demeter in a furious rage. She turned around and marched up the dais, pointing at Persephone.

“You little bitch!” Demeter screamed. “I was going to be the queen of Heaven! Then you had to go and ruin fucking everything because you couldn’t keep your legs shut!”

Persephone jumped to her feet and opened her mouth to answer her mother, but Hades beat her to it. He stepped in between Persephone and Demeter, conjuring a scythe made of black glass and pressing it to Demeter’s throat.

“Do you recognize this blade?” Hades’s voice was calm and cold as metal. “I’ve just pulled it from Thanatos.”

Demeter’s eyes went wide as her chest started heaving with exertion. “A god killer.”

“That’s right,” Hades growled. “It’s a god-killing blade. It’ll rip your shade from its body. Do you understand? Nod if you do.” Demeter froze, and Hades pressed the blade harder. “Nod.”

Hades forced Demeter to nod, cutting her chin and neck on the sharp edge. Ichor trickled down her neck, and Hades’s eyes became fully black. A wave of power emulated off him, manifesting as a frigid wind whipping through the hall.

“If you ever come to the Underworld again, if you ever speak to Persephone again,” Hades warned, “I’ll throw your shade in Tartarus myself. I don’t care what the Fates have to say about it. I’ll carve it from your bones and drink in celebration as I do it. I’ll rot the ground from underneath it, and every stalk of grain will join you in hell. Do you understand me?”

Demeter was shaking in fear at this point, her lips nearly blue as the temperature in the room kept dropping.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Yes, I understand, what?” Hades insisted.

“Yes, I u-understand, Lord Hades,” Demeter choked out, her eyes flicking over to where Persephone stood, unbothered and with a peaceful smile on her face.

Hades laughed darkly.

“Now, look at your daughter,” Hades continued. “Congratulate her on her wedding and tell her what a beautiful bride she makes.”

Demeter looked like she would pass out, but she forced the words out.

“Congratulations, d-daughter,” Demeter gasped, more ichor dripping off the blade’s edge. “You are a b-beautiful bride.”

“Thank you, Demeter.” Persephone gave her a small curtsy. “How overjoyed you must be to have the God of the Dead as your son-in-law.”

Persephone smirked, and Demeter made a choked, disgusted sound. Hades laughed, the sound echoing off the rafters.

“Get the fuck out of my house, Demeter.” He removed the blade from her neck, and in a whirlwind of green smoke, Demeter was gone.

Persephone and Hades waited a minute to ensure she had disappeared, and then Persephone practically fell over in laughter.

“Oh, darling,” she grinned, stretching out on her throne, “that was magnificent.”

Hades winked and gave her a short bow.

“I’m so glad you think so, my eternal one.” Hades picked up her hand and kissed her fingertips. “Now, I think we were pulled from bed much too early. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh! Lord Hades,” Persephone smirked, “I think that’s an astute observation.”

Hades threw his head back and laughed, offering Persephone his elbow.

“Shall I escort you back to our room to remedy this immediately?”

Persephone stood up and accepted his escort, going up on her tiptoes to kiss his chin. “You are full of brilliant ideas, my lord.”

Hades and Persephone walked arm in arm back to their bedroom, shutting Cerberus out of it this time.