He laughs but it’s strained. ‘You heard about that?’
‘Oh yes, you’ve thoroughly entertained every god in the realm.’
He groans.
This is good. This teasing is familiar territory. If we can do this enough, we can move past it, surely?
‘I don’t normally drink that much, I assure you.’
‘I’m aware,’ I say. ‘Are you … okay?’
‘Persephone …’ He doesn’t finish that sentence, just begins shaking his head. ‘I’m so sorry about last night,’ he finally manages.
There’s a lump in my throat. ‘Don’t be. You’re a perfectly adequate kisser.’
For a moment he seems offended but then he laughs. ‘You don’t hate me then, I assume?’
‘No, I’m long past that.’
‘I didn’t take advantage of you?’
‘I was kissing you back – you do remember that?’
‘I don’t remember much of last night but, yes, that I remember.’ He rubs his temples. ‘I’m glad everything is fine between us.’
‘Yeah, all fine.’ A little strained, maybe, but I can pretend. It’s the one thing I can consistently rely upon. ‘But the court isn’t. Whatever has the humans dying in droves isn’t abating.’
His embarrassment vanishes, replaced by academic curiosity, and I’m reminded of how captivating I used to find that look, fascinated by his fascination, when we first started spending so much time in the library together.
‘Oh? Do we have any idea what’s causing it?’
‘None. What should we do?’ I ask, unashamed to admit I’m out of my depth. New-found powers won’t give me the knowledge about this realm that Hades has accumulated through time and research.
‘Well.’ He considers for a moment. ‘We need to find out what’s happening, and why, if we wish to pressure the other courts into doing something about it. I imagine Hermes is too busy to investigate, with the chaos of the influx of souls.’
I nod.
He takes a breath, then looks at me with an expression that says I’m not going to like what he’s about to suggest. ‘Then do you recall my story of the war?’
I’m taken aback. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘The helm of darkness, me being sent into spy …’
‘No,’ I say quickly. ‘You can’t go to the surface.’
‘Why?’
And why can’t he? Is it that I don’t want him to leave me here alone? Or that, wherever he goes, I want to be by his side – though I can’t, for the same reason Hermes can’t. Leaving the court now would only make things worse.
But, outside of this realm, something might happen to him.
And perhaps he realizes this is my primary concern, because he offers a reassuring smile.
‘Persephone means chaos bringer,’ he says. ‘Do you know what Hades means?’
‘No, I’m not sure that I do.’
‘The unseen one,’ he says, twisting illusory smoke round his hand until the whole thing vanishes. ‘I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.’
