Chapter Five:

Persephone, one year later...

"I don't want to go back to the Underworld this time," I said, leaning against the fence as I stared down at my reflection in the pond, twisting bits of narcissus together. "And I know I say that every time, alright? But it doesn't mean it isn't just as true now."

I tipped my head to the sun, letting it wash across my face as I inhaled the scents of Spring. I spent so much of every year underground that it was nice to be reminded there was more to life than death and decay.

Do you really hate your time with me that much, love?

Hades' thoughts intertwined with my own, dancing and swirling together in a mental caress and I shivered despite the warmth around me, trying to shove him out, but he remained firm.

Of course not. But, look, I've been with you for thousands of years, and bouncing back and forth between Olympus and the Underworld is starting to take a toll on me. I think I finally understand how Emma feels. Also, don't listen in if you're not prepared to hear something negative, alright? My thoughts aren't always sunshine and rainbows.

You need to spend more time in your greenhouse when you're here. That'll make you happy.

The entire Underworld needs a massive makeover, Hades, not just the areas I'm allowed to explore.

I felt him bristle at the implication. I made those rules to keep you safe, Persephone. The souls are more agitated now, not as easily sorted, and if you bumped into one of them by accident, they could hurt you. You know I won't allow that to happen.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead to chase away the headache I could feel forming. I know, I know, and I'm sorry. It's just...moving every six months is annoying, and mom's busier than usual right now, which means I hardly see her when I'm here. I miss my family, that's all.

I'm not your family, too?

You know that's not what I meant.

"Demeter said you might be out here."

I stiffened my spine and turned slowly on a groan, knowing who the voice belonged to, and kicking myself for not choosing somewhere more remote for my pity-party-for-one.

"Hey, Prom."

Prometheus smiled in return, slinging his black leather jacket over one shoulder. "Did you think more about my proposal?"

I wanted to laugh aloud, but didn't think it would end well for me, considering how quick to anger he was. I'd seen it first-hand once before, and it wasn't pretty.

"Prom, we've had this discussion so many times, I've lost count."

"Yeah, and each time, I wear you down a little bit more, right? I'm still wildly optimistic that things will work out in my favor in the end."

"We've known each other since we were kids, so you're more like a brother to me. I can't feel more for you than that. Besides, in case you forgot, I'm already married."

He tossed his jacket over the fence, stepping forward to take my hands in his. "Cora, Hades gets you for six months of every year, and when you come home to Olympus, you're a shell of the woman I knew and loved. He's breaking you. Being around his souls constantly is breaking you, and it's sad that you can't see it, because everyone here can."

I broke free of his grip, backing away. "I made that deal with Hades because I didn't want to live with the same person every day for the rest of eternity, but I can't be married to him and love you here - I'm not like the rest of the gods. I'm sorry."

He crossed his arms over his chest, appraising me. "You're married to your uncle."

"Not by choice, but I can't change that now."

I heard the soft growl building, and quickly threw my mental shields up - a nanosecond too late.

I've apologized again and again for stealing you away from our family. How long are you going to hold that over my head?

When are you going to release me from our contract, and let me decide where I stay, and for how long?

Never, because I know what you would choose, and it would completely destroy me.

Of course. His thoughts, feelings and needs before mine. Peachy. Then I guess you know my answer, too.

Persephone, I -

"You could be happy with me, truly happy. Don't you want to know what that's like, for once?" Prometheus asked and I blinked, clearing my head.

He's getting on my last damn nerve.

Then end it, sweetheart, or I will.

"Despite what you think of him, Prom, Hades does make me happy most of the time. It might not be your definition of happiness, or even mom's, but he compliments me in ways I hadn't expected. I could never be yours."

Prom shook his head side to side, meeting my unblinking stare with no small amount of pity attached. "I didn't want to be the bad guy, but you've left me no choice. Being with me was approved by Demeter and encouraged my Zeus, Hera and the Fates." Backstabbing bastards. "But if you really won't have me, then no one else will."

I felt static electricity in the air and watched, warily, as his eyes fluttered shut, lips moving silently.

This can't be a good thing. I knew a spell when I saw one, and there wasn't anywhere I could run in time. Damn, damn, damn.

He reached out to grip my arms and I yelped in pain, trying to dislodge him. "For refusing me and disobeying your mother's wishes, I'm banishing you, memory-less, to Earth. You won't remember your life on Olympus, the Underworld, your family, friends or even your beloved Hades until you agree to marry me."

"I won't love you, Prom," I hissed. "No matter what you do to me, or where you send me, I'll always belong to Hades, and nothing will change that."

He smiled, but it was wicked, and twisted my gut. "I wonder if you'll feel the same way once I find you and earn your love instead of having to steal it like he did. This will be a fresh start for us both; a chance, finally, to be together without Hades getting in the way."

He released me and I stumbled, falling heavily to my knees. "You know him, Prom, so you know that he'll try to move galaxies to find me. When he does, he'll make me remember who I am, and there won't be anywhere on Olympus or Earth for you to hide."

"Speaking of Hades, I know you're listening, you little git - why don't you join us?"

"She'll never be yours, Prometheus," Hades spat, leaning down to wrap his arms around me. "Remove your spell - now - or I'll make it my personal mission to torture you for as long as you draw breath."

Prometheus laughed, running a hand through his short brown hair. "I admire your conviction and loyalty, I really do, but it's also a little sad, because without you in the picture, she'll turn to me for comfort, company and fun and really, when you think about it, that's what she's been craving for decades."

Hades growled, low in his throat, bending into a crouch. "Say that again and see what happens, cow thief."

"Will you want to be with him when the memory of your time together is gone?" He asked me. "When he can't kidnap you and force you to love him like he did the first time around?"

"You're such a jerk, Prom. You already know my answer, and baiting him like this isn't going to change anything, just piss me off, so please stop."

"Why do you think Demeter is so anxious for us to be together, Persephone? Did it ever occur to you that maybe this diabolical arrangement you made with Hades makes her miserable? Or that the thought of her only child living in the Underworld as Queen of the Dead is so abhorrent to her that she all but begged me to rescue you from him? Of course not, because you gave up. I know your secret," he said, stepping closer to me as Hades shielded me with his body. "One that you won't tell anyone, not even him." He jerked his head towards Hades, who stiffened.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, eyes on the ground.

Let this go, please.

"You cry, don't you, for two days straight when your six months here is almost done? When the thought of returning to the Underworld sends you into an emotional downward spiral?"

Stop, stop...

Hades turned to me, eyes wary. "Is that true, sweetheart?"

"You know how much I miss our family when I'm with you-I've told you this already. But that's the only reason."

"You're such a little liar," Prometheus said. "What are you afraid of? That he'll judge you for not being blissfully happy with him? For admitting that his stupid souls sap the life and energy out of you? Who wouldn't want to return to that?"

"Prom, you don't know the whole story, okay, so please just shut up."

I couldn't look at Hades-wouldn't-as he brushed a curl away from my forehead, cupping my chin in his hand.

"I knew you were upset, Persephone, but you could've said something to me instead of bottling it all up."

"Would it have made a difference if I'd told you how I felt about everything?"

His face hardened. "Your happiness is the only thing I care about."

"Except that he's right," I said, rushing ahead of violence and anger I saw building in his return glare. "I didn't choose to live with you, run your household or comfort you at the end of each week. That's not what I was meant to do with my life, and I'm honestly tired of people always making decisions for me, like my opinions don't matter."

"I'm not going to apologize for loving you."

"What about taking me away from Olympus against my will? That wasn't done out of love, admit it."

"This bickering is driving me crazy," Prometheus said, grabbing my arm. "It's obvious that you can't make her happy anymore so now, it's my turn to try."

I jerked as pain lanced its way through my head, mouth popping open in a wordless scream of agony. It felt like he was driving metal spikes through my skull, and tears streamed down my face as Hades bellowed, surging forward to yank me to him again as Prometheus held on, sneering.

"What the Tartarus are you doing to her?"

"I'm wiping her memory, you pathetic piece of shit. Say your goodbyes now, because soon, she won't know who you are."

People and places flashed across my vision. Mom, dad, Arion, Athena, Hermes, Hades, the hills around the castle where I rode my Pegasus, fields of poppies and wildflowers mother and I grew together, my whole family laughing around our dining table...

"She'll be alone there, is that what you want?"

"No, she won't be, because she'll have me."

"If you think a change of scenery is going to suddenly make her love you, you obviously don't know her. She'll be just as repulsed by the idea on Earth as she is here."

"I'm willing to take my chances."

Mom's garden in the Underworld, where I sometimes went to think and be alone, snuggling with Hades in our massive bed as night turned to day, mom's face when I came home again, laying under the sun -

I gasped as blank spaces appeared where memories should've been, like swiss cheese, and reached up, stroking Hades' face gently as he bowed his head, eyes glittering with tears.

The god of death doesn't cry.

He does today.

I blinked furiously, glancing around. Where was I, and more importantly, who was holding me? I felt his lips press into my hair and struggled until he released me, scooting away from him as I wiped hastily at my damp cheeks. I hated crying in front of strangers.

His brow furrowed, pain and anger evident, and for some reason, his reaction bothered me.

But, why?

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember me?"

I studied his face for a minute, admiring the bright green eyes, chiseled chin, and long, Roman nose, bent in a couple of places like it'd been broken one too many times. There was something there, like the shadow of a memory, gone before I could catch it, and I shook my head. His face crumpled, sobs rocking his body back and forth as overwhelming grief consumed him, and I leaned forward, hand half-way stretched out, not sure how to help.

There was another man standing next to us, watching and waiting, and as I glanced up into his limpid blue eyes, he smiled, teeth glowing in the quickly fading light. "What's your name?"

"Amy," I said, glance flicking from him to the man on the ground, and back again. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

He reached out, helping me to my feet. "That doesn't matter."

"I think it does matter when I can't remember how I got here, or how I know the two of you."

"You're dreaming," the first man said, standing as well, green eyes penetrating my own. "When you wake up, you won't remember any of this, except that you're happy, and safe."

"This doesn't feel like any dream I've ever had."

"It is," the second man said, taking my elbow and steering me away as the first man watched, expression dark like a gathering storm. "When I finish counting backward from five, you'll wake up in your own bed, completely calm and comfortable, and this dream will just be a pleasant memory. Ready?"

"I guess..."

"Five."

The other man made some motion towards us, hands outstretched, an odd choking sound escaping his throat.

"Four, three."

"You've made your point, Prometheus, now break the spell."

Oookay, then, no more Hocus Pocus before bed.

'Prometheus' kept his eyes on me as he spoke. "You were the one who stole her from everything she's ever known, remember? I'm giving her the second chance she deserves. Back off. Two."

"I'll see you again, sweetheart," the second man said, glancing over me from head to toe once, twice and a third time, like he was trying to memorize the sight of me.

"One."

A swarm of black dots appeared at the edges of my vision, ebbing and flowing at first before swelling to complete darkness, and I fell straight through, not a care in the world.