Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2)(66)

An ear-splitting neigh brought Lina up short and she stopped her inner tirade. Orion was standing outside the stable. His mane had been combed and braided with ribbons the color of moonlight, which was the exact color of the narcissus tucked under the crownpiece of his bridle. He caught her eye, arched his neck and snorted, taking a few frisky side steps to show off. Beside him stood another stal ion that could have been his twin, except that the other horse's night-colored coat was broken by a single white splotch on his forehead in the shape of a lopsided star. The two steeds were almost as magnificent as the God who held their reins. Hades was scowling impressively at his lead stal ion.

"Settle down you great foolish beast!" Hades told Orion. "You see that Dorado is not making such a fuss."

Lina hurried to join them, trying not to be obvious about staring at the way the God's arms and shoulders bulged as he pulled Orion to order. He was wearing another short tunic which exposed an excel ent amount of his arm muscle as well as most of his legs. His black cloak bil owed around him. Batman. A delectable, ancient version of Bruce Wayne. Lina fought the urge to fan herself.

"Don't scold him. I've decided that he's incorrigible, but loveable," she said, heart fluttering. Laying her cheek against Orion's soft muzzle when he nuzzled her in greeting, she averted her eyes from Hades. "You're just glad to see me, aren't you, handsome boy?" Hades thought he knew exactly how the stal ion felt; he had the ridiculous urge to strut and shout at the sight of her. Persephone was swathed in a long length of fine linen with a skirt that was full enough so that she could ride comfortably. When the breeze stirred it pressed the semisheer fabric against her body, outlining the swel of her br**sts and the delectable curve of her waist, making Hades wish that he had thought to cal up more wind. He watched jealously as she caressed Orion, even though he felt like a shal ow clod for being jealous of a horse. Dorado nickered at the Goddess and looked bereft. Instead of doing the same Hades said,

"Persephone, I do not believe that you have been formal y introduced to Dorado. He does not lead as well as your Orion, but he is the swiftest of the four." He patted the horse's glossy neck affectionately.

Lina rubbed Dorado's head. "It's nice to meet you, Dorado. Faster than Orion, huh?" She slanted a sassy look at Hades. "I guess that means that we won't be able to run away from you." Hades swal owed past the sudden thickness in his throat. Just being close to her made him feel powerful and helpless, hot and cold, al at the same time. He was probably going mad - and he didn't care. Moving close to her so that the sides of their bodies pressed against each other, Hades caught her teasing gaze with his own. "No, you wil not be able to escape me." Lina felt like she was fal ing into his eyes. Escape from him? Not likely. She wanted to climb under his skin.

Orion butted her back and snorted. She laughed, breaking the spel between them.

"Okay, impatient boy!"

"The beast is not impatient. He is jealous," Hades said, sending the stal ion a black look, which Orion pointedly ignored and lipped innocently at his Goddess's shoulder.

"Jealous?" Lina pretended to be taken aback. "Just because I petted Dorado? That's very sil y of you," she cooed to the horse.

"You have no idea how sil y," he muttered, but he wasn't talking about Orion, "Come," he took her elbow, guiding her to the horse's left side and helping her mount. "The Elysian Fields await the presence of the Goddess of Spring."

They rode side by side, fol owing the black marble road. The steady clip of the horses' hooves mingled with the lyrical sound of songbirds cal ing to one another from the boughs of the imposing cypress trees that lined their pathway. The fragrance of narcissus blooms perfumed the air. Every so often they would pass spirits, sometimes in groups, sometimes a solitary soul walking alone. But al of the reactions were the same. First, the spirits would step off the road, giving the dread steeds a wide berth. Then the realization of who was riding the steeds would hit them. The dead bowed solemnly to their dark God, al the while keeping wide eyes fixed on Persephone. The men would smile at the Goddess and bow to her, some of them even cal ed greetings to her, but it was the women whose reactions moved Lina the most. When women recognized that they were in the presence of the Goddess of Spring, their faces became alight with joy. Many of them addressed her by name and asked for her blessing, which Lina readily gave. Some even dared to approach Orion so that they could touch the hem of the Goddess's robe.

Lina couldn't believe what a difference her presence seemed to make to them. She had to admit that Demeter had been right - for whatever reason, the spirits of the dead needed to know that a Goddess stil cared for them. It was an awesome responsibility, but it made Lina feel needed and cherished. If, just by being visible in the Underworld, she could spread happiness and hope, then Lina was very glad to be there.

At first she worried that Hades would be upset, or even threatened by al the attention she was receiving. But though he said little in words, his pleased, relaxed expression spoke volumes. The dark God was obviously glad that the dead responded so joyously to her. Eventual y, the road climbed sharply uphil . They topped a rise and Lina pulled Orion to a halt.

"It's like someone divided it in two, and then painted it -  one side dark, the other light." She shook her head in disbelief, even though she knew her eyes didn't lie. The road they were on stretched in front of them as the dividing line in a radical y different landscape. It was the most bizarre thing Lina had ever seen.