The Passion of Hades - Eliza Raine Page 0,30

felt like hours to fall asleep again. My restless mind took me over and over things I couldn't make sense of, or didn't have enough information to understand.

But eventually, I heard birds chirruping, and the soft trickle of water, and the beautiful garden materialized around me. A wave of relief washed over me, cleansing the guilt and fear instantly. I walked towards the fountain, and saw that there were hundreds of butterflies on the rings making up Atlas's huge burden.

'They're stunning,' I murmured as I got close.

'They are more than they appear to be,' the voice answered.

'Yes. I imagine they are. Everything is.'

The voice chuckled.

'You are learning, Persephone.'

'I am angry,' I told him, sitting down on the fountain’s edge.

'Yes.'

'I need to know if I should have died, instead of the man who attacked me.'

'Little goddess, you are not to blame for the events in your life. Nor can you punish yourself for defending your own life. You are strong inside. Stronger than you allow yourself to be. And that is not wrong or bad.'

'But I didn't know I could kill someone. I don't want to be able to kill someone.'

'Olympus is not the same as the mortal world. You must not apply the same constraints.'

'Surely death is death, wherever you are.'

There was a long pause, and I swirled my fingers through the water. The butterflies leapt into the air as one, and I stared up at the mass of colors as they beat their tiny wings.

'The only way to find out about your past and reconcile yourself with your future is to get your memories back.'

'How? Hades won't tell me.'

'The river Lethe.'

'Where is it?'

'I do not know, but if you have your powers, you will be able to find it. Why have you not eaten another seed yet?'

'The vines frightened me,' I admitted, looking out across the garden. The sunflowers were swaying slightly in the breeze.

'You will be less frightened the next time. And those around you will teach you how to use them safely.'

'You told me not to trust the people around me.'

'And you mustn't. But you can learn from them.'

I nodded.

'OK.'

'Thank you for visiting me, little goddess,' he said, and the garden vanished.

Fourteen

Persephone

'I honestly don't know why it's taken you this long,' said Hecate, staring at the pomegranate seed in my hand. When she had knocked on my door the following morning, I had asked her to stay with me while I ate the next seed. Just in case.

'I told you, I didn't want to overwhelm myself,' I told her.

She rolled her eyes at me.

'Fine, whatever. Just eat the seed.'

'And you'll stop my power doing anything crazy? If I lose control?' I asked her, peering seriously into her face.

'Yes, yes, I already told you, I will make sure you don't do anything crazy.'

'Good.'

I took a deep breath, and looked at the little seed. The vines had helped me on Aquarius, without them I probably would have died. And the feeling when they had turned green in the conservatory... If I could be taught how to use my powers properly, and safely, then they might be what I needed to survive the next five Trials. And find the river Lethe and get my memories back.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I popped the seed into my mouth. Last time, I'd been too out of it, too desperate and in pain to notice the taste, but this time... It was sharp and sweet and completely delicious.

'Mmmm,' I mumbled.

'Feel any different? Like you wanna blow some shit up?' Hecate's eyes were alive with excitement.

I swallowed.

'No.'

Apart from a very slight tingle, I felt nothing. Hecate's face fell.

'Oh. How disappointing.'

'I worry about you,' I told her.

'Probably wise.'

I sighed and looked around my bedroom, restless and nervous. I hadn't really expected a burst of power on eating the second seed, but I now felt relieved and frustrated in equal parts.

'I'm sick of this room, can we go somewhere else? How about a tour of the Underworld?'

'No-can-do, I'm afraid.'

'Why not? If I'm competing to live here, I should probably know more about it.'

'I agree, but you're not allowed out until Round Three.'

I scowled.

'Of course I'm not. In that case I'm going to the conservatory.'

'OK. But don't forget the next Trial is being announced this evening.'

'How the hell am I going to forget that?' I said, opening my bedroom door and frowning at her, but she was looking down at my feet. I followed her gaze.

Ice cold dread slid down my spine as I