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He returned to the Underworld and went in search of Hecate, finding her in her cottage.
“Is that blood?” he asked, because whatever was in the jar at the center of her table definitely looked like blood.
“It is,” she said simply. “Do you want it?”
“I most definitely do not want a jar of blood, Hecate.”
“It’s your brother’s,” she said, her voice taking on an enticing tone.
“My brother?”
“From the castration,” she said.
“I see Lara’s story filled you with rage,” he said.
“As it should you,” she said.
It did. The only thing he struggled to forgive was what she’d done to Persephone.
Hades picked up the jar for a closer look, noting that two shriveled testicles also floated in the mixture.
“Hecate,” Hades said, setting the jar down again. “What are you going to do with this?”
“Keep it,” she said. Her back was still to him as she packed small bags with herbs to make tea.
“As a trophy?” Hades inquired.
“You know the dangers of god blood,” she said.
“There’s more than blood in that jar, Hecate,” he said.
“I’m aware,” she said, turning to face him. “They are also dangerous, whether attached to his body or not.”
Hades knew the dangers. God blood was also called ichor, and it was poisonous to mortals. If it managed to drop to the earth, it had the potential to create other divine creatures or even divine herbs. Really, the possibilities were endless and unknown.
Testicles had the same power, though they often gave birth to gods or goddesses.
“Here,” the goddess said, handing him some tea bags. Hades studied the pouches and then lifted one to his nose to smell.
“What is it?”
“It should help you and Persephone sleep,” she said.
Hades frowned and then set the tea aside.
“What’s wrong?” Hecate asked.
“Nothing,” he said and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Do notnothingme,” she said. “Tell me what happened just now in that little brain of yours.”
Hades narrowed his eyes on Hecate, arching a brow, but he couldn’t maintain the guise of frustration for too long. The burden of Persephone’s nightmares was too much.
“I worried over her sleep when I think I should have worried over her nightmares,” Hades said. “I do not know what else to do to help her. Pirithous haunts her, and there is no pattern or consistency. Some nights, she wakes me up. Other nights, I’m afraid to sleep for fear I won’t be able to help her. But last night, I tried and…”
His voice trailed off and he swallowed, unable to continue.
“You cannot help her confront a nightmare, Hades,” Hecate said softly.
