really let her give up her soul to live with me in the dark?
Thirteen
Persephone
'What do you mean I can't see Hades?'
'It has been deemed that he would be able to give you an unfair advantage,' Athena said, her voice serene as she stood before me in my old room.
'I deserve an advantage!' I snapped. 'This is bullshit.' Power burst from the goddess and my knee buckled instantly, forcing me into a bow.
'Do not forget who you are addressing, Persephone.'
'I'm sorry,' I stammered, my heart hammering in my chest.
'Standing up to Zeus as you did wasn't just brave, it was stupid. Under any other circumstance he would have killed you where you stood. Do not think you can treat all gods in that way.' Her voice held a steely edge and I tried to lift my head to look at her.
'I am still learning your customs,' I said. Plus Zeus was an asshole who deserved what I had said to him. Athena regarded me a moment, then gave a tiny nod. My body relaxed, and I stood up again. 'Can I see Hecate and my brother?'
'No. Hecate knows as much about the inhabitants of this realm as Hades does.' I barely kept the scowl from my face. At least I had Skop, I thought, glancing down at the silent dog. 'Rest well in preparation for tomorrow,' Athena said.
'I don't suppose you can tell me anything? About what to expect?' I ventured.
'No. I can't. Goodnight, Persephone.'
The goddess of wisdom vanished before I could say anything else and I sighed as I slumped onto my bed. It felt small now, compared to Hades' bed. A flash of anger and regret pulsed through me as I remembered his words from earlier, about having something to look forward to all day. And now we were being denied each other’s company.
'They're all assholes,' I said, kicking out at thin air.
'Dionysus is alright,' said Skop.
'You would say that, you work for him.'
'Doesn't mean I have to like him. I just do.'
'So he's not cruel or spiteful or egotistical?' I challenged. Skop snorted.
'He's all of those things. You can't have almost limitless power and endless life, and not think you're better than everyone else. Or become a bit fucked up along the way.'
'So why do you like him then?'
'Because the good outweighs the bad. Plus, your definition of bad is a little different to mine.' He wagged his tail.
'I don't doubt it,' I said wryly and stood up, my feet pacing automatically.
Nerves were making my skin fizz, and the thought of waiting until tomorrow for the Trial with no Hades to distract me was making me even more anxious. 'Do you know anything about Eurynomos?' I asked Skop.
'Only what Hecate told you, that he's the demon of rotting corpses.'
'Shit. I hoped I had mis-remembered that,' I said, pushing my hands through my hair. 'Maybe I should practice that thing I did in the Empusa lair where I blocked out the bad smell.'
'Good idea. Rotting-corpse smell could be quite distracting.' My stomach lurched, a combination of revulsion at the visual my brain conjured up, and my building nerves. 'You know what would be even more useful than practicing smell-blocking?' Skop said, and I looked at the little dog, raising my eyebrows in question.
'What?'
'Eating another seed and getting more magic.'
I paused my pacing.
I knew he was right. There were two Trials left, and they were only going to get harder. Was the risk of more power corrupting me greater than the risk of dying? Survival instinct took over, the urge to make myself stronger filling me. You're not just risking dying, my internal voice reminded me. If you survive but lose, you have to watch Hades marry Minthe.
I had to win.
I stepped to my dresser, where the box of seeds stood. It magically appeared in whatever place I was staying, along with Faesforos and the old purse I had arrived in Olympus with. Flipping open the lid of the box, I took a slow breath.
Just a little more power. Enough to beat Eurynomos, and take on the last Trial.
And possibly find the river Lethe, like the stranger in the Atlas garden had said. I shoved the thought down. I had to concentrate on the Trials.
I picked up a shiny, moist seed. What would more magic feel like? Just more strength? Or would there be new powers?
I put the seed in my mouth and swallowed.
Unlike the previous times I had eaten a seed, I did feel something right away but it