Sirenz - By Charlotte Bennardo Page 0,70
way?”
“I dare. If you want me out of Hades’ life, you’ll come over. Now.”
There were a few moments of silence. “I can’t go to the apartment he’s given you. I can only meet you on neutral ground. And not in a park, either.”
“Fine. Times Square, half an hour.”
The connection was severed.
“Put on your Batman cape, Meg, we’re going out.”
Meg had heard enough of the conversation to know the score. Wordlessly, we dressed and headed out into the darkening sky. Meg looked like a ninja with only her eyes peeking out; with my dark glasses on, I looked even more sinister.
We got to Times Square with only seconds to spare. We stopped under the huge electronic billboard to wait. Almost immediately, Persephone flashed in.
“What do you want with me?” she growled. “This better be worth my time, mortal!” She was sans dog. Lucky thing got a break.
“Let me,” advised Meg, pushing me aside gently. She turned to Persephone. “We need your help.”
“Why should I help you two again?” she sniffed.
Meg straightened her shoulders. “Your mother stopped us from succeeding yesterday, and now she’s done something to guarantee that we’ll fail to fulfill our contract. We would’ve been done and gone by now if it hadn’t been for her.”
“What? Mother!” she roared. Then she actually shook with rage. “We need a place where she can’t eavesdrop.”
Snap! The ground was covered with snow and ice; a ski lift glided up the side of a white mountain. We were seated on a deck. Persephone lounged in a cushioned chaise, while Meg and I had hard, plain wooden chairs. A fire crackled merrily in a stone pit. Persephone held a steaming drink, her hands in fur-lined gloves. We had nothing. Okay! Not the hostess type.
Meg quickly explained what had happened in the alley, and then Arkady’s latest travel plans. I fought to keep my mouth shut as Persephone shot me dagger glances. She appeared more rational when dealing with Meg. When she was done, Meg took a sideways glance at me.
“And besides all that, you should know that Hades took Shar to—” Meg stopped.
Persephone’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Where? Where did she entice him to?”
“Huh! Like I want your secondhand scraps!” I snorted. We both jumped up, but Meg leapt between us. She pushed me back, and not so gently this time.
“Keep quiet! I’ll handle this.” She turned back to Persephone. “Please, hear me out. Shar has consistently refused him.”
That seemed to suck the breath right out of her.
“I don’t believe it,” Persephone breathed. She kept giving me dirty looks, and I gave them right back. I was keeping my guard up. Persephone might be the only one able to help us, but I didn’t trust her. True, she couldn’t hurt me, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t send me to Cuba, or an African war zone, or a brothel in India. Or worse.
“I don’t know what you think I can do for you,” Persephone said finally. “I can’t interfere in his agreements, and I can’t speak to Mother right now because it’s winter and I’m on Hades’ time. And I told you before—I’m not allowed to interact with Hades while I’m on the mortal plane.”
Meg’s shoulders sagged. “There must be something you can do to help us,” she pleaded. “You did before. We only want to send Arkady to Tartarus and go back to our lives. We—and I speak especially for Shar—never want to see Hades again. No offense!” Meg held up her hands as if Persephone would object.
Personally, I would have said something a lot nastier, but nobody was asking me.
Persephone stood silent for a moment. She was weighing her options. Either she helps us, regardless of how much she hates me and blames me for seducing Hades, and we get free of our obligation or, she refuses, Demeter wins, and Hades gets us both. That would always make her wonder what was going on when she was with her mother.
She blew the steam off her drink. “Maybe I can get you some information I might possibly overhear when I’m out and about. Beyond that, I’m not sure what else I can do. There are strict rules that all of us are bound by.”
Not too all-powerful now is she? It really didn’t seem like Persephone was interested in helping us, and she was fixated on blaming me for Hades’ attentions. Was she blind, stupid, or both?
“Can we call you if we need to know something?” begged Meg.
Persephone pursed her lips, considering the question. “You