A Touch of Ruin (Hades x Persephone #2)(101)

Slowly, the goddess helped her to the ground, and Persephone rested in her arms. She brushed her hair from her face, soothing, “It wasn’t real my dear, my love, my sweet.”

Persephone sobbed, turning her head into Hecate’s chest. “I cannot unsee it. I cannot live with it.”

“Shh. You will, my dear. Rest.”

Then she was embraced by darkness.

***

Persephone woke in the queen’s suite, her face felt swollen and her head hurt. Plush blankets cradled her weak body, and bright light filtered in through the windows. It took her a moment to recall how she’d gotten here, but soon the memories returned, flooding her mind like a living nightmare. Tears formed in her eyes and slid down the side of her face.

“Do not cry, my sweet.” Hecate said.

Persephone turned her head and found the goddess sitting beside the bed. Persephone rubbed her eyes, trying to make the tears disappear, but she just sobbed harder.

Hecate took Persephone’s hand. “Breathe, my dear. What you saw wasn’t real.”

Persephone took several deep breaths and looked at her friend. “What are you saying?”

“You walked through the Forest of Despair, Persephone. What you saw was a manifestation of your greatest fear.”

Persephone was quiet for a moment, trying to grasp what Hecate was saying, but the terror of those memories were embedded in her mind.

Hecate sighed. “And I see the enchantment hasn’t worn off yet.”

“Enchantment?”

“We think that’s how you ended up in the forest,” she said.

“You think someone enchanted me?” Persephone frowned. “Who?”

The goddess offered a small smile, but there was nothing humorous about it. “Hades is on the hunt.”

She shivered. She could just imagine what that meant, recalling how he’d looked in the forest after she’d drained it of life. Still, she couldn’t help hoping he found whoever had done this, because what she had seen last night was torture.

Persephone sat up, leaning against the headboard, her head spun. “Why would Hades have such a horrible place in the Underworld?”

“Well, it is an extension of Tartarus,” Hecate said. “And you weren’t meant to be there.”

Persephone pushed the covers away and tried to stand up, but she felt so weak.

“I’d like to go outside,” she said.

Hecate helped her stand and they stepped outside. It was late afternoon and Persephone was relieved when she strode onto the balcony and saw that the Underworld was lush and green.

Suddenly, she was frantic. “The souls! Did I—”

She used so much power, she’d shaken the ground and cracked the sky, giving no thought to the people she might have hurt.

“Everyone is fine, Persephone,” Hecate assured her. “Hades has restored order.”

Persephone closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

Thank gods, she thought.

They entered the garden and found a spot to sit beneath the purple wisteria.

“You demonstrated great power in the forest, Persephone,” Hecate said. She couldn’t place the tone of the goddess’s voice, but she sensed a mix of admiration and fear.

She looked at the goddess. “Are you...afraid?”

“I’m not afraid of you,” she said. “I’m afraid for you.”

Persephone’s brows drew together, and Hecate sighed, looking down at her hands. “It was a fear I had from the moment I met you, that you would be powerful...terribly so.”

Persephone shook her head. “I...don’t understand. I’m not…”

“You halted Hades’ magic. You used his magic against him, Persephone. He is an ancient god, well-practiced. If the Olympians find out…”

“If they find out…?” she promoted when Hecate’s voice faded away.

It was her turn to shake her head. “I suppose anything could happen. They might want you to become an Olympian, or…”

“Or?”

“They might perceive you as a threat.”

Persephone couldn’t help it, she laughed, but one look at Hecate told her just how serious the goddess was about this.

“That’s ridiculous, Hecate. I can barely control my power and apparently I can’t maintain my strength.”

“You’re learning control and strength comes with practice,” Hecate said. “Mark my words, Persephone, you will become one of the most powerful goddesses of our time.”

Persephone didn’t laugh.

They were quiet for a while after that, and soon, Hecate rose to depart.

“I must go, I promised Yuri we’d have tea. I didn’t think you’d be up for it.”

Persephone smiled. The goddess was right, she didn’t feel up for much. She was exhausted and still unsettled by the events that had unfolded last night.

Hecate leaned forward and kissed Persephone’s hair before departing.

Alone, her thoughts turned to Hades. She’d thought she’d manifested her greatest fear when she’d almost lost Lexa, never really considering that Hades’ betrayal could be just as horrific. She still felt unfathomable pain when she thought of him and Leuce together, despite Hecate’s explanation for what she saw in the Forest of Despair.