‘Of course, why should I expect chairs?’ Hades shakes his head as he joins me. The darkness that surrounds him retreats until it’s a fine haze across his skin.
‘You’ll survive,’ I say, taking his hand. ‘And I assume you’d rather talk than see the island.’
‘You bound yourself to the Underworld.’
I shrug. ‘Only for six months of the year.’
‘So for half a year every year for the rest of your life you’re stuck in the Underworld.’
‘Sure, I married you for all eternity but binding myself to the Underworld is what shows commitment.’
‘Persephone.’ His voice shakes like it might break at any moment. ‘This is different. Even I’m free to leave the Underworld if I want to, but you’ll be trapped there. That’s … You sacrificed freedom.’
‘The Underworld is my freedom.’
‘I want you to choose to be there, not be stuck there.’
‘And I chose to be stuck there. Please, Hades, we did it. We can be happy now.’
‘Can we?’
‘We won.’
‘This doesn’t feel like victory.’
‘Is it the lack of celebratory drinks?’
‘Aside from you sacrificing your freedom, you’re about to leave me, right now, for months. You’ll be gone half the year for the rest of our lives.’
His words strike my core. But if I don’t see this as victory, don’t find the good in all this, I’m going to fall apart. When I speak, it’s to convince myself as much as him.
‘We’re gods. What’s six months in a year apart? We have eternity.’
‘We havehalfan eternity.’
I trail my fingers down his face, wanting to comfort him, wanting to touch him while I still can. He raises his own hand to it, clasps it tight.
‘Hades, I love you.’ My voice cracks. ‘And I love Hell too. And flowers. And this island. And the nymphs.’
‘I imagine that list goes on.’
‘It does.’
‘Good, because Styx would be furious if she didn’t get on it.’
I’m startled into laughter and suddenly it’s clear everything will be okay.
Because how could it not be? This rhythm of us – an awkward declaration followed by a terrible attempt at humour, the way we each know what the other needs to hear, the way we lean into each other just enough to know that we aren’talone – they can’t take that from us. Time apart certainly won’t take it either.
‘Angrier than she’ll be when she finds out she didn’t get a goodbye?’
‘Fates, I have to tell the court what happened.’
‘You’ll be fine, Hades.’
‘Without you? It’s doubtful.’
‘We’ve managed larger problems than six months apart.’
