An orchard appeared ahead of her. The green trees were blooming so brightly, she thought perhaps even the blind could sense their radiance. Heavy red bulbs hung from each branch, dragging the leaves toward the ground.
At first, she thought they were apples. But as she approached, she realized they were far more exciting.
Pomegranates.
With a bright smile on her face, Persephone raced toward the orchard with her hands outstretched. She hadn’t had a pomegranate in what felt like forever. She’d seen them a few times when visiting the mortals with her mother, and snuck a few tastes of their delicious juice, but Demeter hated them.
Not even the nymphs were allowed to touch a pomegranate. Her mother thought it was an evil fruit.
She palmed one of the heavy bulbs and tugged it off the branch. She needed a knife to split it open. Unfortunately, she hadn’t brought one with her.
“I wouldn’t eat that if I were you.” The voice was hesitant, and far more tired than she’d expect in the Elysian fields.
Persephone turned around, pomegranate still clutched in her hand. “Why not?”
The man standing behind her was rather beautiful. Golden curls flopped over his eyes and his plain white chiton revealed strong legs with powerful thighs that carried him through the fields. He held a basket with pruning shears, a few pomegranates already plucked, and a white blanket within it.
He inspected her, his eyes a vivid blue. “You must be Persephone.”
She was, but he hadn’t answered her question. “Why shouldn’t I eat the fruit?”
“Because if you eat anything from the orchard of the Underworld then you can never leave.” He reached up and plucked another pomegranate, carefully nestling it on the white cloth in his basket. “And somehow, I don’t think you want to be trapped here forever.”
She’d never heard of that rule before. Frowning, Persephone looked back at the innocent looking tree. It didn’t give her any kind of warning that the pomegranate was poisoned, for surely that could be the only cause of never leaving the Underworld.
She handed the pomegranate out to the strange man. “Take it then.”
“Thank you.” He plucked it from her hand and added it to the others. “Watch yourself around here, Your Highness. Many dark things hide in the Underworld.”
He walked around her to go down the row again, obviously viewing each individual pomegranate for the perfect ones. She’d admit, he had an eye for the ones that were the most vibrant and clearly would be the most tasty.
“Who are you?” she called out.
The gardener paused, then looked back over his shoulder. “Ascalaphus. Son of the Acheron.”
The Acheron? The river of woe?
She hadn’t known the rivers could father children, but a great many impossible things were in the Underworld. She wished she could ask him more questions about his lineage, who his mother was, what he was doing in the orchard. Unfortunately, the gardener was already out of sight.
How was she supposed to find out the details about this place if no one would pause and tell her their story?
A grunt of frustration escaped her lips before she could catch it. Persephone knew she was too old for that kind of reaction, but Mount Olympus! These people were difficult.
She watched the strange man wander away before she left the Elysian Fields. Hades was busy today, apparently he had a lot to do before he could wander with her again. At least he’d come to her last night as a husband should.
Soon, she would ask him to stay afterward. She understood. He was a busy man, considering he ran the entire Underworld. But surely he wouldn’t mind staying at least a few nights a week? With Cerberus still out of the Underworld, she felt a little lost in the giant bed and unfamiliar room.
She stepped through the portal of the Elysian Fields and into the rest of the Underworld. Black sand squished between her toes, shifting underneath her feet and slowing her down.
The pace gave her time to think. But she supposed that was all she ever did in the Underworld. Think and wait for when Hades was free again.
Maybe that was a problem she should look into.
At the far end of the river Styx, she watched as a bright light bloomed. A portal opening into the mortal realm and allowing someone into the Underworld. Strange, considering that wasn’t one of the normal portals for souls. She frowned. Who could possibly be coming through?