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"Yes, that's a wonderful thought," I admitted. "In general, the realm of the dead is a paradise. It's reassuring to know that we can come here when we have to leave the human world."
"I'm delighted to hear you say that," Hades replied, sadness gleaming in the gold of his irises. "You must know that it was not my wish to rule down here, and it is also difficult for my beloved Persephone to be without her nature and sun." He tenderly took her hand in his hand, and she gave him a loving smile.
"We have created this place together to the best of our ability, because we believe that the death of a being does not mean its end, but a new beginning. And it has to be a happy one."
"You've managed to give that feeling," I confirmed his hope, now clearly written on his face.
"We should talk to people more often. What do you think, darling?"
The Goddess of Spring nodded in agreement. "You are welcome to revisit us, Myrina. Perhaps Luze will accompany you next time. We haven't seen him for a long time."
"That's an excellent idea, my darling. I'll send him an invitation to dinner for both of you straight away. Hecate, you're invited too, of course, but I know how much you hate dinners."
Oh no! Dinner at Hades and Persephone's with Tanael? Hopefully, they'd forget about it quickly. With a pained smile, which the Goddess of Magic acknowledged with her typical spiteful grin, I nodded in agreement.
"We should be on our way now, girls," she rescued me from this awkward situation.
I hastily drank the last sips of my lemonade and stood beside the sofa before anyone else.
"Thank you for the drink, all the information, and your hospitality, Mr. ..." How should I address him? Mr. Hades? Mr. God of the Underworld?
I opened and closed my mouth like a fish.
Hades laughed and put a friendly hand on my shoulder. "Just call me Hades. No Mr. or God."
"Thank you, ... Hades," I stuttered. That was a really awkward situation to say goodbye to.
"And you can call me by my nickname, Phony," Persephone added directly, much to my relief. Otherwise, I would probably have been in such an embarrassing situation again.
"Take care of yourself, Myrina," Hades warned me before disappearing through a side door into the glass palace with his three-headed dog.
Persephone cheerfully hooked up with Hecate and me. "Come on, you two. First, I'll show you the new Mediterranean part of the gardens."
The Goddess of Spring took us into a park that would have made all European royalty and Central Park-loving New Yorkers jealous. As far as the eye could see, there were flower meadows in various colors, vineyards, olive trees, palm trees, herb beds, orchards, forests, plants, and shrubs. The scent of roses, magnolias, and lilacs hung in the air. It was simply intoxicating.
On the way, we encountered many animals—small rabbits and large zebras—and a few souls who were acquainted with the Goddess of Spring. They looked like normal people, with the only difference being that a kind of fog made them appear blurred.
After we had strolled through the gardens for a while and my two companions had exchanged a few magic potions, we said goodbye to Persephone.
"It's a shame I can't accompany you any further, but as I'm the mistress of the world of the dead, you should complete this mission without me."
As if we had known each other forever, she took me in her arms and hugged me tightly. "Be careful, Myrina. I hope you find your Alex and I'll see you again soon."
"It was nice to meet you, Phony."
Now, she turned to the Goddess of Magic. "Don't let so much time pass again until your next visit, Kate. I miss you."
"Me too, Phony."
To give them a little space, I walked further towards a path. When I got there, I felt a breeze on my right.
"You handled the encounter well. Respect," Hecate praised me and hovered beside me over the path that wound its way into the unknown ahead of us.
CHAPTER 10
After we had strolled through the beautiful landscape in silence for a while, I could no longer contain my questions.
"What did you mean that Alex might know something about the Brotherhood?" I asked quietly.
