A Touch of Malice (Hades & Persephone #3)(82)

“Oh,” Persephone said, taking a seat beside Sybil. “I hope she didn’t leave because of me.”

She couldn’t help feeling like she had interrupted something, though, she supposed she really had.

She’d come to Sybil’s because it was the only place she felt she could go—and she knew it would be safe.

“Of course not,” Sybil replied. “She left because Aphrodite would come looking for her.”

“She is very protective of her sister,” Persephone said. “I…did not know you two were friends.”

“We connected shortly after we met outside your office,” Sybil said.

There was a long pause, the sound of Sybil’s shuffling continued a little while longer until she stopped and looked at Persephone.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Persephone sat quietly before taking a sip of tea and sitting it aside.

“Everything is falling apart,” she whispered.

“Oh, Persephone,” Sybil said. “Everything is coming together.”

At her words, she lay her head in Sybil’s lap and cried.



***

Persephone woke later to Sybil’s alarm. She’d fallen asleep on the couch without returning to the Underworld. She rose to get ready, borrowing Sybil’s clothes—a pair of thick tights, a skirt, and a button-up.

“We were supposed to visit the construction site for The Halcyon Project today but had to reschedule because of the weather,” Sybil said as she poured Persephone a cup of coffee.

Persephone frowned. She hoped Zeus kept his word and truly search for Demeter—better yet, she hoped the Olympians could convince her to cease her attack.

“It’s not your fault, you know,” Sybil said.

“It is,” Persephone said. “I am sure you saw this coming before it even happened.”

The oracle shook her head. “No, I would only be able to see what my god wanted me to see,” she answered. “But you are not in control of your mother’s actions.”

“Then why do I feel so responsible?”

“Because she is hurting people and blaming you,” Sybil said. “And she is wrong to do so.”

Demeter may be wrong, but the burden was still heavy. She thought of the people who had died in that terrible crash on the highway. She would never forget receiving so many souls into the Underworld at once, or how she’d watched as their dreams left them as they passed beneath the elm, or the guilt that could still cling to a soul even after they passed through the Gates. She knew it would not be the last time something like that happened, though she’d prefer her mother not be responsible.

Persephone sighed and took a drink of her coffee, setting it aside as they left Sybil’s apartment.

They decided to walk the short distance to Alexandria Tower in the cold. Persephone considered teleporting, but part of her wanted to experience what her mother’s magic was doing firsthand. She sought to feed her anger and frustration—and it worked. The walk was miserable—snow and ice hit their faces, and their feet slid on snow, compacted on the sidewalk. Ice broke apart from towering high-rises and skyscrapers, crashing to the ground with enough impact to injure or damage.

By the time they made it up the icy steps and into the tower, they were frozen.

“Good morning, my lady!” Ivy said, coming around her desk, a coffee in each hand. “Good morning, Miss Kyros.”

She handed the cups to each of them.

“Ivy, are you a magician?” Persephone asked, as she took a sip of coffee, letting the steam warm her nose.

“I’m always prepared, my lady,” she answered.

Sybil started up the stairs and as Persephone began to follow, Ivy spoke.

“My lady, I’m not sure you’ve had a chance to read the papers this morning, but I think you’ll want to start with New Athens News.”

Dread settled in Persephone stomach.

“It’s not good,” she said as her mossy eyes met Persephone’s.

“I didn’t think it would be.”

Persephone headed upstairs to her office. After Persephone was settled, she pulled up the news.

The bold headline read:

Meet Theseus the Demi-God Leader of Triad

The article was written by Helen and began by giving an overview of Theseus—she called him a son of Poseidon, charming and well-educated. The description made Persephone feel nauseous considering she’d met the demi-god and he’d made her uneasy.

The article continued:

Theseus joined Triad after witnessing several men get away with murder, despite their crimes being witnessed by mortals and divine alike.

“I still remember their names,” says Theseus. “Epidaurus, Sinis, Sciron. They were thieves and murderers, and they were allowed to continue their crime sprees despite the prayers of locals. I was tired of watching the world worship gods for their beauty and power rather than their actions.”

Theseus added:

“Gods do not think in terms of good and bad—justice or injustice. I’ll give you an example. Hades, God of the Underworld, allows criminals to continue breaking the law so long as they serve him.”

Persephone’s teeth clenched tight, her fingers digging into the screen of her tablet. While not completely untrue, Theseus’s statement was misleading. Persephone had learned upon her first visit to Iniquity that Hades was heavily involved in the criminal underworld of New Greece. He had a network of criminals at his beck and call, and they all paid a debt to continue their business in the form of a charity. Persephone did not know the extent of Hades’ reach, but from what little she knew, he ruled it.