Chapter 3

The comfortable estate where Hecate lived didn’t look like Persephone thought it would. It was a two-level home with a peristyle in front. The center of the courtyard was decorated with elaborate gardens and what was undoubtedly an altar in the middle of it. Persephone watched as Hermes dropped to one knee, lit a stick of incense, and quickly stepped backward as if he didn’t want anyone to see.

Persephone wasn’t sure who the altar was dedicated to, but she noted the constellation and crescent moon mosaics in the tiles.

She could sense by the magic and power in the air that there was a gathering happening inside—there was more than one magical signature rippling through the breeze. Hermes turned around and gave her a soft smile.

“Despoina,” he waggled his eyebrows, “remember your cover?”

“I’m a nymph,” Persephone giggled. “The prettiest one you’ve ever seen, so obviously, you picked me up on your way here.”

“I don’t remember the latter, but I certainly wouldn’t disagree.” Hermes winked. “No one will suspect a thing.”

“Is showing up uninvited to parties with an beautiful, unknown person on your arm something of a habit for you, Hermes?”

“Me? No, never.” Hermes laughed. “I couldn’t imagine such a thing. Ready?”

Persephone smoothed her hands down the front of her tunic—still slightly self-conscious about the length, but Hermes had assured her it would be fine—and nodded.

“Then let’s go.” Hermes grinned and entered the house first, with Persephone close behind, while Cerberus trailed them. The small entry hallway opened not into a dining room or a reception hall, but into a large kitchen. Persephone was immediately overwhelmed by the power of the gods in the room.

She could only judge based on their appearances, but she quickly identified Hecate, Ae?tes, Nyx, and Erebus—all sitting around a wooden kitchen table. Judging by the amount of wine glasses on the table, someone had stepped away. There was a massive hearth with a roaring fire, and two black dogs jumped up to greet Cerberus.

“Hermes!”

“Oh, trickster!”

“You always know when someone is throwing a party.” A chorus of voices cheered when Hermes and Persephone walked into the room, her body momentarily obscured by Hermes’s more oversized frame. Persephone identified the last voice as belonging to Hecate. She grinned quickly, pushing some auburn hair off her shoulder.

Everyone looked to be in the pleasant, early stages of getting drunk. Hecate was leaning back in the arms of her consort, her complexion flushed.

“I’m mortified you didn’t invite me, my sweet night terror,” Hermes cooed in response to Hecate. She rolled her eyes, and to Persephone’s surprise, even Ae?tes laughed.

“I didn’t sense you in the Underworld.” Hecate shrugged. “I knew you’d find your way here anyway if you showed up.”

“Who is your friend?” Nyx spoke up, sitting up straighter at the table. Persephone nearly fell to the floor in awe. The goddess, the most ancient of them all, moved like water. Silky, black hair blanketed her features and nearly fell to her waist. Her words were not unkind, but Persephone felt Nyx sizing her up.

“Ah, apologies, my dear friends,” Hermes turned up the charm and stepped to the side, “This is Despoina.”

All the gods fell silent. Even the dogs stopped sniffing and barking at one another. Persephone had been on the end of some pretty intense glares in her life, courtesy of Demeter, but she suddenly wished the ground would swallow her whole. Hermes seemed unperturbed by the sudden scrutiny.

“Isn’t that a name of the Underworld?” It was Erebus who spoke first. Nyx nodded but said nothing, her steely gaze staying locked on Persephone. Hecate grinned softly, tilting her head to the side as she beckoned Persephone forward.

“You’re certainly not a nymph that I’ve ever met before. Are you one of Circe’s?”

“She doesn’t have Circe’s magic,” Nyx interjected, putting her elbows on the table and resting her chin in her hands.

“I’m from Arcadia,” Persephone forced some bravado into her voice and tried to sound easygoing and simple. It’s the same role you play for the other Olympians, she reminded herself. Just a sweet, simple lover of spring. Just be a nymph instead of a goddess this time. “Do you know where that is?” After a second, Persephone slipped back into the pretty, ditzy personality she knew how to wield like a weapon.

Ae?tes and Erebus seemed to relax, but Nyx and Hecate remained as perceptive as ever. Hermes threw an arm around Persephone’s shoulders and flashed a blinding smile.

“Isn’t she a snack? I’m so tired of being the fifth wheel, you know.” Everyone spoke up and fell back into their conversations after that, seemingly willing to believe Persephone’s act and Hermes’s tendency to show up with random dates. Everyone scooted further down on the bench seats and made room for Hermes and Persephone.

Persephone was about to sit down when a deep voice cut through the noise of several side conversations.

“Who is she?”

Persephone’s heart stopped. Her body froze. She panicked as the mysterious dark magic in her veins started throttling her senses, overwhelming her with the scent of smoke. Her vision almost blacked out entirely. Hermes squeezed her hand from across the table, pulling her back from the edge of an abyss. She blinked to clear her vision and realized everyone was staring at her. Ae?tes and Erebus looked confused, but Nyx and Hecate stared at Persephone as if they finally found the answer to a question they hadn’t dared ask.

“I’m sorry,” Persephone coughed. “You’ve startled me. I’m Des…poina.” Persephone turned around and struggled to finish introducing herself once she laid eyes on Hecate’s newest guest.

He didn’t need an introduction. Even with the bit of exposure she’d had, with only scraps of knowledge she’d fought for over the centuries, she knew who he was.

Hades Agesilaos was standing in the doorway of Hecate’s kitchen.

Hades wore a black chiton that went down to his ankles with matching black leather sandals. A silver and ruby brooch was pinned at his shoulder, and he had a short beard that looked more like a permanent shadow across his jaw. His long, curling black hair passed his shoulders, and his skin glowed bronze in the firelight. If his power weren’t so potent, Persephone would’ve mistaken him for Hephaestus by the width of his shoulders alone. Hades’s features were strong—he didn’t have the pretty, well-kept look that so many Greek men favored. No. Hades looked as raw and powerful as the magic that practically poured from the hem of his clothing.

He was, without a doubt, the hottest man or god Persephone had ever seen, alive or dead.

Hermes jumped to his feet and placed his head on Persephone’s shoulder. “Isn’t she a delight?” Hermes chuckled. “We met in Arcadia. I brought her along.”

Hades made some grunting, growling sound that made Persephone’s thighs clench. She pinched herself and plastered a saccharine smile on her face.

“Hi.” She held her hand out. “What’s your name? I’m Despoina, like I said.”

Hades studied her without saying a word. Persephone didn’t breathe while she waited for him to say something. After nearly a full minute, he graciously accepted her hand and pressed his lips to it. At the sensation of his soft kiss grazing her knuckles, Persephone’s entire body trembled with arousal. She’d never experienced such an instant, nearly feral attraction to someone before, and it was threatening to wipe her brain clean of any sense.

“My name is Hades.” Hades’s voice was deeper than any pit of hell Persephone could conjure. She tried to keep herself from visibly shuddering. His black eyes sparkled as he straightened to his full height, his fingers lingering in Persephone’s.

“Well,” Hermes chuckled good-naturedly, “I certainly have never gotten such a…welcoming greeting from Hades.”

“Hermes.” Hecate”s warning growl echoed from the table. “Come sit down.”

Hermes smirked and sauntered over to the long table. Instead of taking the seat offered to him at the end of the bench, he elbowed between Erebus and Ae?tes.

“Delicious.” He grinned, picking up a glass of wine while referring to his surroundings.

“Do you have any idea what you”ve done?” Hecate hissed, pointing a long finger at Hermes. He recoiled slightly when he saw the genuine frustration on her face.

“Me?” Hermes blushed furiously. “No, I don’t know what you”re talking about.”

“You know exactly what she”s talking about. ‘Despoina’? Cute.” Nyx raised a single eyebrow and stared at Hermes. He shuddered under the weight of their combined gazes.

“What”s happening?” Ae?tes stage-whispered, ducking behind Hermes to look at Erebus.

Erebus cleared his throat, keeping his voice down to avoid being overheard by Persephone and Hades.

“When Persephone was born, Demeter immediately did what she does best…”

“She started complaining about something?” Hermes interjected.

“Listen to the story.” Ae?tes playfully whacked Hermes upside the head.

Hecate and Nyx rolled their eyes but beckoned for Erebus to continue for Hermes’s benefit.

“Demeter went to Zeus and had Persephone engaged to Apollo. The Fates appeared shortly after—which nearly sent everyone into a spiral since they so rarely leave the Underworld—and declared Persephone would ‘never be a bride of light’ because ‘her blood was betrothed to the darkness.’ They heavily implied she would be the Dread Queen of the Underworld that was foretold. Demeter decided Persephone would never wed instead.”

Hermes squawked. “How did I not hear about this?”

“Zeus threatened everyone,” Nyx hissed, “but news got around the Underworld after the Fates returned.”

Hermes’s eyes got wide. “Then does Hades know…?”

Hecate nodded, sipping at her wine. “He does. I think he was scared to even hope of having a consort one day. When he was given the Underworld, Zeus made it clear to Hades that no Olympian would ever want to wed him.”

“Demeter has been ‘protecting’ Persephone for hundreds of years to keep her from coming to the Underworld. She wants to make sure the prophecy never comes true.” Erebus”s lip curled. “It”s disgusting if you ask me. She”s spent her whole life without knowing there”s another part of her.”

“Oh, she knows,” Hermes interjected. “I saw some of her power when she entered the Underworld. It”s magic that matches yours.” Hermes pointed to the rest of the gods at the table. He looked over where Hades and Persephone were still flirting in the corner, already wholly engrossed in their little world. Hades was wearing a smile that Hermes had never seen on him before.

“She might know she has power she can”t explain,” Hecate fumed, “but she doesn”t know what it is.”

“Oh, fuck,” Hermes cursed. “Hades doesn”t know that she’s actually Persephone.”

“No, he fucking doesn’t.” Nyx”s lip curled. “Hades does not know that after centuries, you have walked right into Hecate”s kitchen with Persephone on your arm. The goddess who”s been prophecied to wed Hades and will become the Dread Queen of all the Underworld. Women are more discerning.” Nyx motioned to herself and Hecate.

Hermes looked terrified. However, he quickly brushed it off, stole Hecate”s cup, and drained it of wine.

“Well, don”t look at me like that. My job involves the boundary between life and death, and it sounds like Persephone is the line. I delivered a message just as I always do.”

Nyx scoffed. “You might as well have released the titans. Demeter is going to start calling for the end of the world.”

“My love,” Erebus smiled softly, “as much as I regret to say it, Hermes does have a point.”

“Ha!” Hermes cheered.

“Shut up.” Erebus leveled him with a look. “He does have a point, though. This was all inevitable. Demeter was a fool for trying to stop it. We all know the appearance of the Dread Queen is centuries overdue. The Underworld calls out for it. You”ve heard it.”

Nyx nodded slowly. Erebus extended his hand out across the table and grabbed Nyx”s, running his thumb soothingly over her fingers.

“I hope you”re ready for the Olympians to retaliate,” Hecate murmured, glancing over to Hades and Persephone.

Hades was blushing bright red, unable to look anywhere but Persephone”s bare legs. Persephone looked equally besotted, running her fingers through her blonde hair before adjusting the brooch at Hades”s shoulder.

“Should we kick them out?” Ae?tes bit back a laugh at the pair of besotted gods.

“Fuck no. Never turn down an opportunity to watch.” Hermes waggled his eyebrows.

“I’m getting you married off next. It”s either that or I”m exiling you to Lesbos, where the nymphs will be immune to your charms.”

Hermes opened his mouth to respond when Persephone approached the table, and everyone went silent.

“Hermes,” Persephone smiled, “I’m going to leave with Hades if you don”t mind.” Hermes’ jaw dropped open as he looked past Persephone at Hades, who was glaring at Hermes with a look that said, ‘You better not fucking mind.’

Hermes grinned, holding his hands out, and offered a short nod to Persephone. “Of course. Are you going for a little tour of the Underworld?”

“Hades has private gardens,” Persephone”s expression was flushed, “and he”s going to show them to me.”

“I bet he”s going to show you—” Hermes was cut off as Ae?tes pulled him into a headlock.

“Don”t listen to Hermes.” Ae?tes offered an easy-going grin. “Enjoy!”

Hades and Persephone bade quick goodbyes to the rest of the group. As they departed from the kitchen, everyone watched Hades”s broad hand fall to the swell of Persephone”s back. Hermes wriggled out of Ae?tes’s arms as soon as they were gone.

“Ten drachma says Persephone tops him.”

“That’s it.” Hecate snapped her fingers, and a dark red portal opened in her hearth. She nodded to Ae?tes, who swiftly picked up a giggling Hermes and unceremoniously chucked him through the portal.

“To the rest of you,” Hecate sighed heavily, looking out the door to where Hades and Persephone had departed, “the Olympians will want a war for this.”