A Touch of Ruin (Hades & Persephone #2) - Scarlett St. Clair Page 0,57

down so they couldn’t get pictures of her face. Did they think less space would force answers out of her? Maybe they thought fear would do the trick.

“Stop following me!” she finally yelled, feeling claustrophobic and a little terrified.

Persephone broke into a run, trying to escape the crowd that had formed around her. They yelled her name and questions and horrible things. She cut across the street and slipped down an alleyway. Just as she exited, she was caught by the shoulder and hauled around. She twisted and punched her assailant in the face.

Her knuckles met the hard-as-stone face of Hermes.

“Fuck!” She cursed. Shacking her fingers out. “Hermes!”

His brows rose to meet his hairline. “I have to say, women are more agreeably engaged with me when those two words come out of their mouth.”

“She went this way!” someone yelled.

Persephone met Hermes’ gaze and snapped, “Get me out of here!”

He grinned. “As you wish, Goddess of Profanity.”

Hermes teleported, and once they arrived safely on the rooftop garden of the hospital, she gave a frustrated cry.

“I can’t go anywhere! How are you a god, Hermes?”

The god shrugged, a smirk on his face. “It isn’t so bad. We are revered and worshipped.”

“And hated,” Persephone finished.

“Speak for yourself,” Hermes replied.

Persephone glared at him, and then sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She had to admit, she was a little shaken by what had happened on the street.

“Sephy, if you don’t mind me saying...at some point, you’re going to have to accept that your life has changed.”

She looked at the god, confused. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you probably can’t just walk down the street like you want. I’m saying you’re going to have to start acting like a goddess...or at least a god’s lover.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Hermes!” She didn’t mean to sound so frustrated, but this was not the time to have this discussion.

“Okay, okay,” he said, holding up his hands. “Just trying to be helpful.”

“Well, you’re not.”

He offered her a dull look, not seeming at all frustrated by how much of a brat she was being. “Was that really necessary?”

She sighed. “No...I’m sorry, Hermes. Things are just really...awful right now.”

“It’s okay, Sephy. Let me know if you need a lift.”

He winked and left her alone on the roof.

Before she went into the hospital, Persephone called into work. With each ring, anxiety pooled in her stomach. She’d gone from enjoying Demetri’s company to dreading the sight of him.

“Persephone,” Demetri answered. “How is your friend.”

“She’s…not good,” Persephone said. “I won’t be in today.”

“Of course,” he said. “Take all the time you need.”

The sympathy in his voice made her grind her teeth. This man gave her whiplash. He could be considerate when he wanted to, and vengeful when he had to.

“I’m going to need an extension on the exclusive,” she said. She held her breath as she waited for him to speak. Finally, he said, “I’ll see what I can do, but Persephone...I can’t make any promises.”

That wasn’t the response she was looking for, and there was an unsettling twist in her stomach.

“If you want me as your employee, Demetri, then you won’t push me on this.”

He sighed, and she imagined him rubbing his fingers between his brows as if he had a headache. She’d seen him do it on multiple occasions, especially when he’d been looking at his computer screen too long.

“I’ll deal with it,” he said. “Just...take care of your friend...and yourself.”

She hung up without saying thank you.

When she arrived on the second floor of the hospital, she learned from Lexa’s mother that the doctor had visited this morning. He said Lexa’s vital signs were improving. Persephone felt her chest swell with hope.

“That’s good news, right?”

“It’s positive,” she responded, “Their real worry is her brain.”

Eliska went on to explain that Lexa had brain contusions and that the extent of her injuries was unknown, but it could range from minor to severe.

Persephone didn’t like those odds.

The hope she’d felt a moment ago, shattered.

There wasn’t much to do at the hospital, so Persephone perched in a window and pulled out her laptop. She intended to catch up on the news, but her mind got tangled up in Hermes words.

You’re going to have to start acting like a goddess.

What does that even mean? She mumbled to herself. Was he trying to tell her she needed to be like Aphrodite or Hera? Persephone wasn’t interested in giving up the things that tied her to the mortal world. They were what she’d formed her identity