Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2)(98)

"We could exchange bodies again." Persephone gestured at Demeter. "Mother wil aid us. She recognizes that her plan did not work exactly as she had expected." Lina looked at Demeter. The Goddess inclined her head in a smal , regal bow. "I acknowledge the truth of my daughter's words. I was mistaken in how I handled the situation." The awful bedroom scene flashed through Lina's memory. "I'm glad to hear you say it, but it doesn't change anything."

"Do you remember, Carolina, when you came to my oracle distraught because you had made an error in judgment?" Demeter said.

"Yes, I almost caused Eurydice a lot of pain because I made a decision without thinking it through."

"Do you remember what I told you then?"

"You told me to learn from my mistake," Lina said.

"Yes, and I have taken my own advice. I, too, did not fully consider my decision. What I have learned from my mistake is that even a goddess can be surprised by her daughters." Demeter gifted the two women with one of her rare smiles. Then she returned her full attention to Lina.

"Hades was being truthful with you. He has always been different from the rest of the immortals. I believe the Lord of the Underworld did fal in love with you, Carolina."

"And I have a proposal for you," Persephone said. "You love Hades. I love your bakery and your world. Why must we live forever without our loves?"

"But Hades - " Lina began.

"Hear me out," Persephone interrupted. "As Goddess of Spring, I must be in my world for six months, then, as you would say, my 'job' is completed until the next spring. I could come here during that interlude. And while I am here, you could return to the Underworld as Queen." Lina's head was spinning. "I would pretend to be you again?"

"No." Persephone's smile was enigmatic. " You would not have to pretend. Everything from the animals to the spirits knew I was not you. You wil not be pretending, Carolina, you are their Queen. You wil simply be housed temporarily in my body because I need yours here. I wil be the one who must masquerade as another."

"No," Lina said.

"Why not?" Persephone gave a long-suffering sigh. "Oh, I give you my word that I wil neatly discard any 'Scotts' before you return."

"It's not that," Lina said.

"Then what is it?"

"He doesn't want me, Persephone. He told me he loved my soul, and then when he saw the real me, he rejected me."

"Lina, he was just surprised," Persephone said.

"You didn't see his face."

"I saw his face," Demeter interjected. "And what I read there was, indeed, surprise and hurt. I did not see disdain or rejection."

"Then you saw something I didn't," Lina said.

"Perhaps you are simply making a mistake, Carolina," Demeter said.

"Maybe, but what if I'm not?" Lina felt the sick wave of pain that remembering Hades' rejection evoked. She blinked furiously. "I can't bear it if he looks at me like that again. And what if he doesn't? That might actual y be worse. How would I ever know that it's not just your body he desires?"

"Can you bear to live an eternity without him?" Persephone asked softly. Tears spil ed from Lina's eyes and left shining trails down her cheeks. "What I can't bear is what it would do to my soul to have him turn away from me again - or to have him accept me only because he wanted me to be something that I'm not."

"Do not make a decision before you have pondered it properly," Demeter said.

"Yes, promise me that you wil consider my proposition. Fal has just begun here. You have until the first days of spring, then I wil return for your final decision." Persephone wiped a tear from Lina's face. Then the Goddess's smile became bittersweet. She reached under her sweater where a silver chain lay hidden. Without speaking, she pulled it over her head. The amethyst narcissus caught the bakery lights and sparkled.

"This belongs to you," she said, placing it carefully over Lina's head. "The chain had been broken, and then knotted. I did not have it replaced. It is just as you left it."

"Oh," Lina said with a sob. She wrapped her fingers around the bloom that had been so lovingly carved for her. "I didn't think I'd ever see this again. Thank you for returning it to me." Anton burst from the French doors whistling a show tune from Gypsy and carrying a round tray which held a fragrant, steaming pizza. He glanced at Lina and came to an abrupt halt.

"Why are you crying?" His eyes flashed and he turned on Persephone. "Little Miss Cute Thing, if you made her cry I'l  - "

"No, Anton, it's nothing bad." Lina smiled through her tears, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Persephone gave me this necklace, and it is so beautiful that it made me cry." Anton's body relaxed. "Persephone? You mean like the Goddess?"

"Exactly like the Goddess," Persephone said.

"I haven't seen you here before, either. How do you know our Lina?" Anton said. Persephone smiled. "Lina helped me grow up."

Anton looked confused.

"Persephone," Demeter cal ed from across the room. "We should depart."

"Anton, we wil need that pizza in a 'To Go' box. And could you please add a big slice of gubana, too?"