‘I’m sorry, what?’
Hades grins like nothing in the world could amuse him more.
‘He told me to offer you the idea of claiming you helped orchestrate it. I presume he means that you imply you wanted this match and needed to go behind Demeter’s back,’ Hermes explains.
‘That’s what you whispered to Hermes?’ I ask.
Hades nods.
‘You evil genius.’
‘Evil?’
I shrug. ‘It’s relative.’
This time Zeus’s anger is too explosive for cleverly worded threats. Hades smirks proudly.
‘How dare he?’ Father seethes.
‘I’d urge you to consider it,’ Hermes says. ‘It would save face with many gods.’
‘And let him believe he can do something like this to his king again?’ Zeus demands.
‘Well, he only gets one wife,’ Hermes says. ‘And she did seem truly happy. And he is a king in his own right – I know, I know, you’re the king of all of us gods, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying it’s a fine match for Persephone.’
‘Stop calling her that,’ Mother snaps. ‘She can’t marry the king of Hell. The Underworld is no place for her – she’s too delicate. She needs flowers and nature and her mother. She needs to stay at this court.’
‘She’s wasted no time in redecorating, if it helps,’ Hermes interjects. ‘She hardly seemed delicate either. Actually, if I had to say anything, she seemed right at home.’
Mother’s eyes flash. ‘What would you know of my daughter, Hermes?’
‘Very little and I assume it would have stayed that way,’ he says, smiling in that uniquely provoking way of his. ‘I take it I was not successful in vying for her hand?’
‘We were still considering our options,’ Father says grimly. ‘But now it appears there’s only one.’
‘What?’ Mother turns to him, suddenly alarmed. ‘You can’t seriously be considering this. I know I said you can’t just barge down there and take her back, but, just because we haven’t figured out how to get her backyet, doesn’t mean we stop trying to work that out.’
‘And what do we do with her when we do get her back?’ Zeus asks. ‘No one else will have her. And they have announced their engagement publicly.’
‘No,’ Mother says quietly.
Father’s anger still bristles in the tense, resigned nod hegives before turning his steely glare on Hermes. ‘You tell Hades that he only gets one chance to humiliate me. This is it.’
‘I get many chances, Zeus dear, I just don’t take you up on them,’ Hades says.
‘I think that’s enough of that,’ I say, rising to trail my fingers through the water. The journey is a lot more dizzying than I recall.
The image disappears.
I stumble on my way back, collapsing half on to Hades’ lap.
‘There’s that grace I know so well.’ Hades smirks as I slide next to him.
‘I didn’t knock the wine over and that’s all that matters,’ I say. I’m not sure if Helios’s chariot’s power has reached through these waters, but the whole cavern feels lit by sunlight.
He’s closer than before and I inhale that scent, the irresistible smell of him now tinged with wine. It’s stained his lips. It must have stained mine too.
If I kissed him, would that be all I could taste?
