A Touch of Ruin (Hades x Persephone #2)(74)

They found themselves in Lexa’s dark room. Her parents were asleep in the corner. The room smelled stale and the air was sticky and hot. Persephone glanced at Apollo, surprised to see his face was drawn and grim.

“I can see why you were desperate to bargain,” he said. “She’s nearly gone.”

The comment was an affirmation that Persephone had made the right decision, and as if Apollo heard that thought, he met her gaze.

“Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes.” Her voice was a whisper in the dark, and in the next second, the God of Music was holding a bow and arrow. The weapon was ethereal—glowing and shimmering in the shadow of the room. It was bizarre to witness a god dressed in a floral robe, holding such a majestic weapon.

Apollo strung the arrow, the veins in his arm popping as he pulled it back on the string, releasing soundlessly. The arrow hit the center of Lexa’s chest and vanished into a shower of shimmering magic.

Silence followed.

And nothing happened.

“It’s not working,” Persephone said, already feeling a sense of terror at the thought.

“It will,” Apollo said. “Tomorrow they’ll take her off the ventilator and she’ll wake up and breath on her own. She’ll be a living, breathing miracle. Exactly what you wanted.”

For some reason, those words left a horrible taste in Persephone’s mouth. She looked back at Lexa who was as still as a corpse.

“I’ll be in contact,” he said. “Your duties begin soon.”

Then he vanished.

And in the noisy ICU, Persephone wondered what she had done?





CHAPTER XVIII - THE FURIES


Persephone arrived at the hospital with Sybil two hours later. She was too anxious to stay away. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Apollo’s healing powers, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong. She could feel it—a tangible darkness gathering behind her, gaining speed and depth and weight.

Would Lexa be healed enough by the time they took her off the ventilator? Would Hades intervene? What would happen once he discovered she’d bargained with Apollo? Would he see her decision as betrayal?

The guilt made her nauseous and lightheaded and as she headed into the elevator with

Sybil, she worried she’d have another panic attack. She wondered if the oracle sensed her

turmoil, especially when she glanced in her direction.

Instead, Sybil asked, “Did you do it?”

Persephone didn’t look at the oracle. She kept her gaze on the red number as it changed

from floor to floor.

“Yes.”

“What did you offer in exchange?”

She’d hoped to keep her bargain secret for as long as possible. She didn’t want to know what her friend actually thought of her choice.

“Time.”

Persephone had yet to really understand what she’d agreed to when it came to Apollo’s

demand for her attention, but the worry was already sinking into her bones. In the hours

after she’d left the hospital, she’d gone over the terms of their agreement. She was certain she’d missed something, and it was just a matter of time before Apollo asked her to do something she couldn’t refuse.

If Lexa is alive, it will be worth it, she thought.

She hoped.

When they arrived on the second floor, Jaison was already there, sitting in the same wooden chair he’d occupied since Lexa’s accident with his eyes closed. He stirred as they approached and looked at them.

“Hey,” Persephone said as gently as she could. “How are you?”

Jaison shrugged. The whites of his eyes were yellow, his skin pallid.

“How long until we hear something?” Sybil asked.

“They plan to take her off life support at nine.” His voice was hollow.

Persephone and Sybil exchanged a glance. Jaison leaned forward and rubbed his face vigorously before standing.

“I’m going to get some coffee.”

He walked off, and Persephone watched him until he disappeared. No wonder mortals begged Hades to return their loved ones. The threat of death took more than one life. The thought brought tears to her eyes. How was she supposed to rule a kingdom that caused so much pain? That brought suffering to the living?

“He doesn’t know, does he?” Sybil asked.

Persephone shook her head. He still thought he was losing Lexa today.

“No one needs to know,” she said. “Let them think it was a miracle.”

The two took a seat and waited. Jaison eventually came back with a steaming cup of coffee and sat beside her. They didn’t speak, which was fine with her. She was lost in thought, unable to focus on any one thing. The longer the silence stretched the more her anxiety grew.

At some point, Lexa’s family began to arrive. Soon, they were led to a larger room where Lexa had been moved. Lexa’s parents were nearest to her, then Jaison, several aunts and uncles and friends from her hometown of Ionia. Each person in the room approached her and said their goodbyes, touching her, holding her hand or kissing her face.

When it was Persephone’s turn, she scooped up Lexa’s hand, and pressed a kiss to her cold skin.

“Please, please wake up,” she prayed to no one but Apollo’s magic and to Persephone’s