A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone #1)(67)

Persephone cleared her throat. “Yeah.”

“Do you know him?”

“I met him at Nevernight,” she said.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

Persephone frowned. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t think about it.”

Lexa’s eyes softened. “It’s okay. I know things have been insane recently.”

There was a reason Lexa was her best friend, and it was moments like this when she felt the most thankful for her.

They cut through the crowd and returned to their table. After a few quick announcements, dinner began. They were served a combination of ancient and modern foods. Their appetizers consisted of olives, grapes, figs, wheat bread, and cheese. Their entrée was fish, vegetables, and rice. Dessert was rich chocolate cake. Despite the beautiful spread, Persephone found she wasn’t all that hungry.

Conversation around the table wasn’t lacking. The group talked about various topics including the Pentathlon and Titans After Dark. Their conversation was interrupted when clapping began, and Minthe strolled across stage and took to the podium.

“Lord Hades is honored to reveal this year’s charity—The Halcyon Project,”

The lights in the room dimmed, and a screen lowered to play a short video about Halcyon, a new rehabilitation center specializing in free care for mortals. The video detailed statistics about the large number of accidental deaths due to overdoses, suicide rates, and other challenges mortals faced post-Great War era and how the Olympians had a duty to help. They were words Persephone had spoken, repackaged for his audience. What is this? Persephone wondered. Was this Hades’ way of making fun of her? Her thoughts fueled her anger.

Then the video ended and the lights came up. Persephone was surprised to see Hades standing on the stage—his presence elicited cheers from the audience.

“Days ago, an article was published in New Athens News. It was a scathing critique of my performance as a god. Among those angry words were suggestions on how I could be better. I don’t imagine the woman who wrote it expected me to take those ideas to heart, but in spending time with her, I started to see how I could be better,” he paused to chuckle under his breath, as if recalling something they’d shared, and Persephone shivered. “I’ve never met anyone who was so passionate about how I was wrong, so I took her advice and initiated The Halcyon Project. As you move though the exhibit, it is my hope that Halcyon will serve as a flame in the dark for the lost.”

The crowd erupted in applause, standing to honor the god, even a few of the Divine followed, including Hermes. It took Persephone a moment to rise to her feet. She was shocked by Hades’ charity, but also wary. Was he only doing this to reverse the damage she’d done to his reputation? Was he trying to prove her wrong?

Lexa gave Persephone a quizzical look.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Persephone said.

She arched a brow. “And what am I thinking?”

“He didn’t do this for me. He did this for his reputation.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Lexa said, grinning. “I think he’s besotted.”

“Besotted? You’ve been reading too many romance novels.”

Lexa walked toward the exhibit with the others at their table. Persephone hung back, afraid to see more of the creation inspired by her. She couldn’t explain her hesitation, maybe it was because she knew she was in danger of falling for this god who her mother hated and had lured her into a contract she couldn’t win. Maybe it was because he listened to her. Maybe it was because she had never felt more attracted to another person in her short, sheltered life.

She wandered into the exhibit slowly. The space was dimmed so that the spotlight showed on the exhibits which illustrated the plans and mission for Project Halcyon. Persephone took her time, and stopped at the center of the room to observe a small, white model of the building. The card beside it stated it was Hades design. It was not a modern building like she had expected. It looked like a country mansion, nestled on ten acres of lush land.

She spent a long time roaming through the exhibit, reading every presentation, learning about the technology that would be incorporated into the facility. It was truly state-of-the-art.

By the time she left, people had already begun dancing. She caught sight of Lexa with Hermes, and Aphrodite with Adonis. She was glad her co-worker hadn’t tried talking to her and had been keeping his distance from her at work. It took her a moment, but she realized she was searching for Hades. He was not among the dancers or those in attendance at the tables. She frowned, and turned to find Sybil approaching.

“Persephone,” she smiled, and they hugged. “You look beautiful.”

“So do you.”

“What do you think of the exhibit? Marvelous, isn’t it?”

“It is,” she agreed. She couldn’t deny, it was everything she’d imagined and more.

“I knew great things would come of your union,” she said.

“Our…union?” Persephone asked, confused.

“You and Hades.”

“Oh, we’re not together—”

“Perhaps not yet,” she said. “But your colors, they’re all tangled up. They have been since the night I met you.”

“Colors?”

“Your paths,” Sybil said. “You and Hades—it was destiny, woven by the Fates.”