Sure, Hades, I believe you. My fingers inch towards my sickle. If this is all a set-up, I refuse to let him catch me off guard.
Hades hesitates. ‘Anyway, I now know why you’re here.’
‘I’ve told you.’ It’s a wonder I can get the words out, my teeth are so tightly gritted.
‘Yes, but … I had no idea, truly. I believe it would be easier to show you.’ He crouches by the water and, before I can say anything about how dangerous a lake made of the rivers of fire and hate and pain and other terrible things must be, he’s dipped his hand in. The water twists and swirls like it’s weaving together at Arachne’s touch and as the threads shake my mother appears.
She holds a golden caduceus in her hands. The winged staff is such a bright gold it practically shines. Two metallic snakes coil round it and she barely looks at it before passing it to my father, who excitedly snatches it from her and examines itclosely. I suddenly feel quite nauseous. I’m watching my own auction – the competition for my hand in marriage.
‘Hermes,’ I say, because who else would offer that gift?
Hades nods solemnly.
And then my sorrow morphs into panic. Hermes ventures into the Underworld sometimes. He might find me. He might use finding me to secure my hand in marriage. And being married to the god of mischief can hardly be a good thing. There are too many stories of his cruel tricks.
‘Don’t worry,’ Hades says softly. ‘I have banned him from the realm. I did that the day I sent the court away – when you arrived.’
‘What? Why?’
‘Because it’s barbaric.’ Hades shakes his head and looks at the ground. ‘Look, I never believed you were really here for the reason you said you were, but on the off chance you were telling the truth … I wasn’t going to take that risk. I dismissed the court. I told Hermes to return to Olympus until further notice. All that because I knew vaguely how bad it might be, but to see it like this? It’s so much worse than I imagined. To hear them discuss you so blatantly –’
‘Is it adequate?’ a voice interrupts, and I start before realizing it’s Hermes in the lake. I glance at him, trying to imagine him as he could be – my husband standing at an altar. He is slight – a thin frame and wispy black hair, freckles scattered across his warm brown skin. But his eyes alarm me – they’re alight with excitement, greed and the sort of unhinged euphoria that makes you worry something’s on fire.
‘I will consider it,’ Mother replies coldly and I flinch so hard I actually step back from the pool. But then she turns hershrewd eyes on him and asks, ‘Why do you want to marry my daughter, Hermes?’
The god laughs jovially. ‘The same reason everyone else does, I imagine. No one has seen her in years. Rumours of her beauty are one thing, but who could resist such a mystery?’
‘And when she is no longer a mystery? When she’s the wife you come home to every day?’
Hermes blinks. ‘What about it?’
‘A staff is hardly enough for Kore, is it?’ Father declares, throwing the thing aside. ‘You’ve just said what a prize she is – surely you know she’s worth more.’
Hermes eyes him warily. ‘Like what?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Secrets. Promises. Something to make your offer worth my time.’ Father manages to show all his teeth as he leers from his throne. ‘You’re smart, my son.’ I recoil at the reminder that Hermes is, technically, my half-brother and Hades jolts too, his lip curling. ‘I’m sure you’ll think of something that will sway me towards giving her to you.’
Hades lunges towards the water and with a brush of the surface it all disappears. He’s muttering a string of angry curses at my father.
I feel like an incredibly heavy stone just settled into my stomach. And I very deeply resent feeling this vulnerable in front of Hades.
‘It’s a vile practice,’ he declares. ‘If it were to happen to any of the goddesses of the Underworld I would be outraged. As I say, I understand why you’re here. Truly this time.’
If I don’t lash out I’ll cry. ‘I told you all of this,’ I snarl and he startles like my anger is the last thing he expected. ‘I’ve told you so many times. One of the first things I said to youwas that I don’t want to get married. And your big revelation is that I don’t want this? That I object to the fact I’m being bartered like a piece of meat?’
Hades stares at me, blinking like all of this is a surprise. Like he thought I’d be overcome with gratitude and he can’t understand what I’m doing.
‘Well, yes,’ he says. ‘But it’s different to actually see it.’
‘You could actually see it before now,’ I snap. ‘Wasn’t there enough evidence in the fact I ran to a man I’d never met because the thought of getting married was so horrific? You’re apologizing for not believing me while still saying you don’t believeme. You believeyourselfand what you’ve seen. And you thought you had to show me that horrific auction to do what, exactly? To prove you believe me now?’ His face falls as I rant but it only spurs me on. Good. He should be miserable. He should be grovelling. ‘Did you even think about how upsetting that would be for me to see, or were you just too focused on proving whatever damn point you’re trying to make? Why should I care whether you believe me or not?’
‘Because you’re running around my halls with a blade. You think I’m like them,’ he says. ‘And I’d do anything to show you I’m not – not for my own sake but because you deserve to feel safe here.’
‘Great job of that.’
‘You’re right,’ he says. ‘And I’m sorry. I apologize for not believing you and I apologize for believing this over you. And I should have … prefaced what I was showing you. I’m sorry.’
‘What’s your play here?’ I demand.
