Thanatos accompanied Persephone on her first visit to Elysium.
“You won’t be able to talk to her today,” he said. “She must become comfortable with Elysium or she will become overwhelmed.”
Persephone had a feeling she knew what that meant—Lexa would have to drink from the Lethe again. That was the last thing she wanted.
“When will she be ready?” Persephone asked.
Thanatos shrugged. “It is hard to say.”
She knew what Thanatos didn’t say. It depends on how much she must heal.
The thought pained her, but she pushed that away. She couldn’t think of what she should have done, all she could do was learn from her mistakes.
They stopped at the top of a hill in Elysium. Here, Hades’ sky was so bright, it was almost blinding. Beside her, Thanatos pointed to a figure in the distance. A woman whose black hair ignited like a torch against her white dress.
It was Lexa.
Tears pricked her eyes as she watched her best friend traversed the field, holding her hand aloft, touching blades of tall grass, and while Persephone couldn’t see her face, she knew Lexa felt peace here.
Weeks went by and Persephone visited Elysium every day, watching Lexa from afar until one day, Thanatos approached and said, “It’s time.”
Persephone thought she’d be ready, that she would jump at the chance to be reunited with Lexa, but when Thanatos gave his permission, she suddenly felt nervous and more uncertain than ever
“What if she doesn’t like me?” she asked.
“Lexa is the same soul you found in the Upperworld. She is caring and loving and kind. She is ready for a friend.”
Persephone nodded, and took a breath. Preparing to approach was like preparing for a public speech. Anxiety whirled within her, making her stomach feel unsettled and tightening her chest.
She marched toward Lexa who sat beneath a tree that was so full of pomegranates, it looked like it was on fire. Lexa wore a white dress and her long, black hair spilled over her shoulders. Her head rested on the trunk, and her eyes were closed, as if she were sleeping.
She looked beautiful and rested and Persephone was almost afraid to disturb her, afraid that when she opened her eyes, she might not recognize the person behind them.
She took a breath. “Hi.”
Persephone didn’t use Lexa’s name—Thanatos said she wouldn’t remember it, anyway.
Lexa opened her familiar, blinding blue eyes and met Persephone’s gaze. She thought her chest might explode when she smiled at her.
“Hi.”
“Can I sit with you for a little while?” Persephone asked.
“Yes.” Lexa moved over a little, so that Persephone could be seated and use the trunk to lean against.
“You’re not dead,” Lexa said.
The observation surprised Persephone, and she took her head. “No, I am not.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I am Hades’ fiancée,” she said. “I visit Elysium often.”
Lexa giggled. “I’ve noticed.”
That also surprised her. “Have you?”
“I always notice Thanatos,” she said, blushing.
Suddenly Persephone wondered if souls could have crushes.
“If you are Lord Hades’ fiancée, then you will be queen.”
“I suppose I will.”
“Then you will have a crown and a throne,” she said. Persephone laughed. It was such a Lexa thing to say.
“I already have two crowns.”
Lexa’s eyes widened a little. “You must bring them,” she said. “I have always wanted to wear a crown.”
Persephone’s brows knitted together. “Since when?”
She shrugged. “Since…I came here. Will there be a wedding?”
Persephone sighed. “Yes, but I must admit, I haven’t thought much about planning.”
Between Lexa’s death and her abduction, things had been a little hectic.
“You will be a beautiful bride,” Lexa said. “A beautiful queen.”
Persephone blushed. “Thank you.”
Their conversation continued well into the afternoon. She probably would have stayed longer, but Hecate appeared and summoned her away.
“I must go,” Persephone said, rising to her feet. “I have to get ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“There is a gala tonight,” she said, and then grinned. “You would love it. There will be gods and goddesses, pretty dresses, and dancing.”
She would love it because it was the event she’d been working on before her accident. An advocacy dinner for The Halcyon Project, and it was being hosted at the Olympian, one of Hera’s hotels, a building Lexa had always admired for its beauty and architecture.
And because it was where most gods stayed when they visited New Athens.
“You must come back and tell me all about it,” Lexa answered.
Persephone smiled. “Of course. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
When Persephone returned to the palace, Hecate and her lampades helped her dress.
Hecate had chosen a red, off-the-shoulder gown. The top was lace and the skirt was full and made of layers and layers of tulle. Persephone loved the silhouette. It made her feel like a princess. The lampades smoothed her hair into soft, glamour curls, and applied natural makeup.
“We will let your beauty speak for itself,” Hecate said, looking at Persephone’s reflection as the goddess helped her accessorize with gold jewels and shoes.
She smiled. “Thank you, Hecate.”
“Of course, my dear.”
Hecate left when Hades appeared. He stayed near the door, admiring her from afar. He was dressed in a tailored, black suit—his signature color. His hair was slicked back, and his beard shaved close. He was handsome and regal, and he belonged to her.
That thought sent a wave of warmth through her.
“You look lovely,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling. “So do you. I mean…you look handsome.”
He chuckled and extended his hand. “Shall we?”
He drew her flush against him, wrapping a hand around her waist as he teleported to the surface where Antoni waited for them outside Nevernight.
As Persephone slid into the backseat of Hades’ limo, she laughed.
“And what is so amusing?”
“You know we could just teleport to the Olympian.”
“I thought you wanted to live a mortal existence when in the Upperworld,” Hades countered.
“Perhaps I am only eager to begin our night together,” she said, looking at him through her lashes. The tension in the cabin thickened, and Hades’ eyes glittered.
“Why wait?” he asked.
She moved first, grabbing layers of her dress so she could straddle him.
“Who chose this dress?” Hades asked, pushing aside the mountain of tulle that bloomed between them.
“You don’t like it?” she pouted.
“I’d really rather have access to your body,” Hades said.
“Are you asking me to dress for sex?”
Hades smirked. “It will be our secret.”
They kissed, and Persephone’s hands drifted down Hades’ chest to the waistband of his slacks. She unbuttoned them and freed his sex, stroking him as her tongue explored his mouth.
He groaned, and Persephone’s lips left his to trail down his jaw and neck.
“I need you,” he growled. “Now.”
He was hard as a rock, and Persephone’s breath caught in her throat, anticipating how he would feel inside her. She lifted herself, guiding his cock to her entrance and sank onto him.
They groaned and rocked together in the dark of the limo.
“You have ruined me,” Hades said. “This is all I ever think about.”
“Sex?” She laughed, holding him close, loving the feel of his breath on her skin as he spoke.
“You,” he said, his hands moved up, beneath her dress until he held her hips. “Being inside you, the feel of you gripping my cock, the way you tighten around me just before you come.”
She shivered. “You just described sex, Hades.”
“I described sex with you,” he said. “There is a difference.”
She melted against him, and their lips slammed together, tongues stroking. Pleasure rippled through her holding Hades as if she might fall apart, rising and falling on him.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Hades cursed as she moved, and the sounds of their lovemaking filled the small space.
Hades hips thrust upward, meeting her movements with furious speed. She gave a guttural cry, her fingers twisting into his hair.
“Come for me,” Persephone whispered.
“My darling,” Hades said, his fingers pressed into her skin hard and he came inside her in a gush of warmth.
Persephone collapsed against him, breathing hard, their skin slick with sweat. Her legs shook and she felt like she was floating.
He groaned.
“Fuck me,” he muttered. “I’m like a fucking teenager.”
She laughed. “Do you even know what it’s like to be a teenager?”
“No,” he answered. “But I imagine they are always horny and never quite sated.”
Hades was still inside her—hard, wet, and ready for more.
“Perhaps I can help,” she said, and lifted herself from him. She started to slide to her knees, intending to take him into her mouth when he stopped her.
“No, darling.”
Persephone frowned. “But—”
“Trust there is nothing I would love more than for you to go down on me, but for now, we must attend this gods-forsaken dinner.”
“Must we?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, pressing his finger beneath her chin. “Trust me, you will not want to miss it.”
She wasn’t so sure, but she held his gaze as she rose and sat beside him, adjusting her the layers of her skirt. She watched as Hades tried to hide his aroused flesh. It almost made her laugh. Until he glanced at her, and a sound erupted from somewhere deep in his chest.
“Goddess.”
It was a warning, and her whole body began to feel warm again. She smiled and looked out the window, immediately jolted from her reverie when she noticed the sea of mortals outside the car. The crowd seemed to go on for miles, and they were packed together, standing as close to the car as possible.
It probably shouldn’t have surprised her, given her experience at The Olympian Gala, but she had attended as a journalist then. This time, she was Hades’ fiancée.
She inhaled sharply; anxiety gripped her. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to this.
The car came to a stop, and the door opened. Immediately her vision was filled with flashing lights. Hades exited the car to a roar of adoration. They called his name, begged him to take them to the Underworld, begged to see him in Divine form.
He ignored the cries, and turned, holding his hand out for her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself.
“Darling?”
The word comforted her, and she slipped her fingers into his palm and when he closed his strong hand around hers, it gave her the reassurance she needed to leave the cabin of the limo. When she rose to her full height beside Hades, there was chaos—the lights flashed faster, a machine gun of white light blasted her vision.
With their fingers laced, they began their walk down the swath of red carpet that led to the front of the Olympian—a grand hotel that looked like a golden wall of reflective metal. Persephone was surprise when Zofie joined them, dressed in the blue gown she’d forced her to buy for events like tonight.
“Zofie,” Persephone pulled the Amazon in a hug. She stiffened.
“Persephone, are you well?”
“Yes,” she answered. “Just happy to see you.”
The Amazon smiled.
Now and then, they were directed to a spot to pose for pictures. Hades obliged, pulling Persephone against him and slipping an arm around her. At one point, she swore she felt his lips touch her hair.
They were funneled into a reception hall with a ceiling made of glass-blown flowers. Persephone spent several minutes with her neck craned, staring at the display, but she was soon interrupted by numerous people who approached to greet her. Some were strangers, some were high ranking criminals and members of Iniquity, but a few were Persephone’s friends.
“Sybil!”
She hadn’t seen her friend and ex-roommate since they’d moved out of their apartment a week ago. She hugged the oracle tight. The blonde wore a sparkling, champagne-colored gown.
“You look beautiful!”
“Thank you—as do you,” Sybil said. “How are you doing?”
“Good. Great,” Persephone said. She couldn’t stop smiling. “How’s Aro?”
Sybil blushed. “Good. We’re…good.”
Persephone let out a small yelp when Hermes appeared, scooping her up into a tight hug. When he set her on her feet, it was in front of Apollo, who smirked when he saw her.
“So, Sephy,” Hermes said, wagging his brows. “I hear Hades put a ring on it.”
She laughed. “Well, not…literally.”
The God of Trickery gasped. “What the fuck? You can’t be engaged without a ring, Sephy.”
“That’s not true at all, Hermes.”
“Says who? I wouldn’t have said yes until I saw the rock.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Congrats, Seph,” Apollo said, and Persephone grinned at him.
They were directed into the dining room shortly after, and Persephone sat at a table at the front of the room between Hades and Sybil. Despite the excitement of the evening and seeing her friends again, Persephone couldn’t help thinking about Lexa. She could see her in parts of the event—in the wine lists, the music, the decor. Everything was glamorous and dramatic, just the way she liked it.
She felt her absence acutely.
Well into dinner, Katerina, the director of The Cypress Foundation, stood and welcomed the crowd. She offered and overview of The Halcyon Project, and then turned over the remainder of the presentation to Sybil.
“I am new to The Cypress Foundation,” she said. “But I fill a very special position, one that was once occupied by my friend, Lexa Sideris. Lexa was a beautiful person, a bright spirit, a light to all. She lived the values of The Halcyon Project, which is why we at The Cypress Foundation have decided to immortalize her. Introducing…the Lexa Sideris Memorial Garden.”
Persephone gasped, and Hades gripped her hand beneath the table.
On the screen behind Sybil were sketches of the garden—a beautifully landscaped oasis.
“The Lexa Sideris Memorial Garden will be a therapy garden for residents of Halcyon,” Sybil explained, jumping into an overview of the meaning behind each part of the garden, explaining that the nightshades paid homage to her love of Hecate, and the gorgeous glass-like sculpture at the garden’s center represented Lexa’s soul—a bright and burning torch that kept everyone going.
Persephone’s heart was so full.
Hades leaned in and whispered against her ear, “Are you well?”
“Yes,” she whispered, swallowing hard. “Perfect.”
After dinner, they gathered in the ballroom. Hades pulled Persephone onto the dance floor, drawing her close. One hand rested on the curve of her back, the other held her hand. He guided her along the floor with grace and confidence, and though he was a perfect gentleman, there was something sensual in the way their bodies formed to one another.
Warmth swelled in the bottom of Persephone’s stomach and she couldn’t take her eyes from his.
“When did you plan the garden?” she asked.
“The night Lexa died.”
Persephone shook her head, biting her lip.
“What are you thinking?” Hades asked.
“I’m am thinking about how much I love you,” she answered.
Hades grinned—it was a beautiful smile and she felt it deep in her chest.
After that, the music spiraled into something more electronic, and Hades took his leave, encouraging her to dance with Sybil, glowering when Hermes and Apollo joined in. She spent a while with them, laughing and joking and feeling better than she had in a long time. At some point, she went in search of Hades and found herself outside on a balcony that overlooked the whole of New Athens. From here, she could see all the places that had changed her life over the last four years—the University, the Acropolis, Nevernight.
She wasn’t there long when Hades’ approached.
“There you are.” He drew his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. “What are you doing out here?”
“Breathing,” she said.
He chuckled, and the sound sent shivers down her spine. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, squeezing her tight.
“I have something for you,” Hades said, and Persephone turned in his arms.
“What is it?” she asked, a smile on her face. She had never been so happy.
Hades studied her for a moment, and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing. Then, he reached into his pocket, and knelt before her.
“Hades—” She wanted to protest. They had already done this. They were engaged—she didn’t need a ring or a formal proposal.
“Just…let me do this,” he said, and the smile on his face made her chest swell. “Please.”
Hades opened a small black box, revealing a gold ring. It was both ridiculous and beautiful, encrusted with diamonds and gold flowers. It matched the crown Ian had made for her.
She gaped at it for a moment before shifting her gaze to Hades’.
“Persephone. I would have chosen you a thousand times over, the Fates be damned,” he said, laughing. “Please…become my wife, rule beside me, let me love you forever.”
Tears sprung to her eyes and she offered a shaky smile.
“Of course,” she whispered. “Forever.”
Hades smile grew, showing his teeth. It was one of her favorite smiles, the one she liked to imagine was only for her. He slipped the ring on her finger, and rose to his feet, capturing her mouth in a kiss that she felt in her soul.
“You wouldn’t have happened to overhear Hermes demand a rock, would you?” she asked when he pulled away.
Hades chuckled. “He might have been talking loud enough for me to hear,” he said. “But if you must know, I have had that ring for a while.”
“How long?” she demanded.
“Embarrassingly long,” he said and then admitted, “Since the night of the Olympian Gala.”
Persephone swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat.
How had she gotten so lucky?
“I love you,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers.
“I love you, too.”
They kissed again, and when he pulled away, she noticed something white swirling around them. It took her a moment to realize that it was snow.
Despite its beauty, there was something sinister to the way it fell from the sky.
Not to mention, it was August.
Persephone looked at Hades, the happiness that had lit his face a moment before was suddenly gone. Now he looked concerned, his dark brows drew together over severe eyes.
“Hades, why is it snowing?” Persephone whispered.
He looked down at her, his eyes an endless void, and answered in a solemn tone, “It’s the start of a war.”
