Thereweremeans of escaping, hence Cerberus’ purpose, but most never made it that far, and if they did? Thanatos would find them a breath later, or worse—Zeus would. And for that, she would never know of it.
“I’m curious. After you successfully made it out of your window, were it not for Cerberus stopping you, what was yourplan after that?” It was genuine curiosity, but also a question to make her realize her rash decision-making could and would get her into deeper trouble than she’d already dug herself into.
“I don’tknow,” Persephone spat, throwing her hands haughtily to her hips.
Casually leaning on Cerberus’ side, I sought to dig the knife deeper. “Do you know your way around the Underworld? These cave corridors, I’ll warn you, are like a maze. If you don’t know its layout, you could easily get lost fordays.”
Her arms flopped to her sides. “You wouldn’t come find me?”
I gave a nonchalant shrug. “Eventually.”
Persephone frustratingly threw her hands in the air and walked a tightly made circle several times. Gripping her hair with both hands, she stammered to herself. It was a bunch of light whispering and so frantic I could scarcely make it out. Something like, “What else am I going to do?” “I’m stuck.” “I have no choice.”
“Can we get it over with?” She finally blurted, staring at me with frightened doe-like eyes, her left leg bouncing.
“You’ll have to be a bit more specific, darling. Get what over with?” I knew full well what she’d meant, but given the circumstances that led us here, I didn’t want her to have any more ammunition against me.
“Queen. Make me queen. Just be done with it.” Persephone scrunched her nose and folded her arms tightly to her chest.
“No pomp and ceremony?” Flicking dirt from one of my claws, I sucked on my teeth.
She guffawed and shook her head. “Ceremony? No. I don’t need any of it. When I envisioned my wedding day, it was set against a vast, flowering meadow, with the sun gracing the union. My friends were there—my mother. And I wore a pale pink dress with a floral circlet. It most certainly wasn’t this—”She referred to the dank cave and darkness surrounding us. “—oryou.”
My lip bounced, the canines growing in my mouth. “We agree on something then. I never imagined marryinganyone, let alone a woman who looks at me with such hatred you could swear she wished to see my head on a spike.”
Persephone looked away, guilt momentarily pulling a frown to her lips, but she quickly swiped it away, replacing it with that icy glare. She went silent as a wandering soul.
Irritation coiled through me, sending my wings furling to their full length. Her eyes widened, the orange hue from the blazing embers reflecting in her gaze. “Fine.” I curled a hand over her forearm. “Come with me.”
Porting us to the throne room, I positioned us in front of my throne with Persephone facing me. “Zeus,” I roared, my deep voice reverberating off the cave walls. I didn’t need to call out for him, but I wanted her to hear it.
Zeus appeared within seconds, clad in his kingly armor and crown. Persephone gasped at the sight of him, attempting to back away, but I held onto her, keeping her put.
“Well, well, you actually did it, brother.” Zeus propped himself against his spear and grinned at Persephone, his eyes casting to her feet and lifting until he reached her face.
“Not the time,” I snarled.
Zeus gave a curt nod and stood tall with his spear held in one hand. “Persephone, do you wish to be Queen of the Underworld?”
Persephone whimpered, the tip of her nose turning pink from building tears. She nodded.
“I need to hear you say it, spring goddess.” Zeus arched a brow, waiting for her.
Persephone sucked in a shaky breath before forcing out, “Yes.”
A satisfied smirk slid over Zeus’s lips, and he banged his spear on the ground. Lightning circled his arms and blazed in his eyes. “Done.”
Persephone stumbled backward and would’ve tripped over a stone were it not for my grip on her. Her breathing became heavier, and she peered at her stomach. A flowing, sparkling pale pink dress formed over her body, with small patches of flowers sewn into the fabric throughout. Atop her head, a vibrant flower circlet formed, made of gold, silver, and bronze.
“Enjoy the consummation portion of the marriage, Hades,” Zeus teased, spinning the spear’s handle in his palm.
Persephone’s now brighter blue eyes widened with fear.
“That wasn’t part of the deal,” I growled to my pig-headed brother.
Zeus chuckled. “Fair enough. But it would besolike you not to take advantage of a marriage.” Shaking his head, Zeus sliced the air, creating a porting window to the surface, and disappeared.
Persephone was in my face, pointing and borderline hysterical. “If you think for one damn moment that I’m slee?—”
