AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A week it is.”
Hades took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a moment, his breath warm against her cool skin, before everything went dark as he sent her back home to the world above.
12
A MOTHER’S ELATION
For a moment Persephone shut her eyes and let herself lean into the warmth of his breath on her hand, his soft lips lightly grazing her skin, losing herself in the tenderness of the gesture. The dusty smell of the Underworld became a sharp, cool breath of air against her skin; it was gone as suddenly as it came and was replaced with the smell of trees baking in the summer sun.
Leaning her head back, she opened her eyes to the bright green canopy of leaves, rays of sunshine bursting through with ever shake in the breeze. The leaves sang as the wind blew lightly across the meadow Hades had dropped her in, the long grass dancing against her legs.
Through the gaps in the trees she could just barely see her mother’s cottage atop the hill. Smoke flew out of the chimney, the wind pushing it towards the coast. From this distance, the stones shone white and washed all the browns and golds out of the walls; it was glowing in the sun, a beacon for her to follow.
“I have to ask him how he did that,” she mumbled to herself. Whenever she traveled far distances her head pounded, with the pain sometimes debilitating enough that she had to lay down and cry. The only thing that helped alleviate the pain was nibbling on a good-sized chunk of willow bark for an hour, leaning against a tree trunk with her head between her knees.
Even the few times she traveled with her mother or another Olympian she would be in pain, but somehow Hades had managed to ease it before it set in.
Maybe she could love him. If he kept these niceties up.
Not having to hunt for the bark, Persephone trekked through the trees and up the hill to her mother’s home in record time. It usually took hours between arriving in the meadow and reaching the stone cottage since it was the only way to arrive and gave her a wicked headache. Searching for the bark never got easier either as Demeter had enchanted the trees to move with the wind – the entirety of each tree from root to crown moved around the meadow, scrambling themselves constantly.
It was great for keeping unwanted guests away; not so great for her daughter.
Demeter was in the front yard, waving to Persephone from the moment she stepped out of the trees. She was wearing her gardeningchiton, the cloth dyed a deep brown to mask the dirt, and had pulled her golden hair back into a series of a complicated braids that try as she might, Persephone could never master.
As she hiked up the hill, feet slipping on loose rocks every few steps, her mother’s mouth slowly thinned into a pale line. She was shaking her head slowly with her hands planted on her hips.
“What?” Persephone asked breathlessly, reaching for the water and water mixture on the matching stone gate, the colours more prominent this close. The glass moved out of her reach, the terracotta silent as it scraped against the stones. She scrunched her eyebrows together at her mother, and repeated, “What?”, a little exasperated.
Demeter only looked at her, amber eyes glowing. Persephone couldn’t tell if she was angry, or simply playing with her. Her mother was exceptional at hiding her emotions, it’s what makes living with her so difficult—so irritating.
“Your friends are inside,” Demeter said, turning away from Persephone and stalking for the door. “They’ve been here for three days. Waiting for you.” Her voice was clipped and cool.
Fury. Her mother’s eyes hadn’t been glowing, but blazing in anger with her.
Demeter threw the door open, gesturing once for Persephone to hurry inside.
Silently, she crossed the threshold and went straight through the open courtyard to the kitchen and poured herself a well-mixed glass of wine. Her throat was dry and parched from traveling and then walking up the hill. As she poured another, she realized she hadn’t had anything while she was with Hades in the Underworld.
Demeter leaned against the wall, arms crossed over her chest, staring deep into Persephone’s eyes. She was so angry that Persephone was sure she already knew what she had been up to while missing for days.
Days. Persephone had been gone for three days. No wonder her mother had taken on the characteristics of the Nemean Lion.
“Enough,” Demeter said as Persephone reached to pour another, her mouth barely feeling hydrated again. “You can have more once you explain yourself.” She walked to the small table and pulled a chair out, the legs scratching noisily on the floor. “Sit.” She held the back of the chair so tightly that her knuckles paled and the edges bit into the sides of her palms.
Persephone sat, wringing her hands together nervously as she watched her mother slowly sit across from her. Exactly as she and Hades had sat not long ago.
She was much more afraid of her mother than Hades, though. Hades was powerful and cruel, but Demeter was her mother, a powerful Olympian, and furious. She almost wished she had stayed with Hades. Almost.
As she stared at her hands, examining the dirt and blood caked under her nails, Demeter called Elektra and Melia from her room and pointed at the chairs on either side of Persephone. Once they took their respective seats she gestured for Persephone to start talking.
“Well,” she cleared her throat, “uh—I saved Pelops.” Persephone offered. She watched nervously as her mother stood from her chair and paced behind it, her fingers latching onto the back as Melia spoke.
“I think,” she started warily, “that your mother cares more about what the King of the Dead did to you. And where he took you. And—”
“Thank you, Melia, but I am stick of hearing both of you,” her jaw clenched, “and wish to hear from my daughter. You can leave if you cannot keep quiet.” Melia looked as if she would cry at Demeter’s tone, but did not move to leave or say another word.
Elektra, who looked equally afraid under Demeter’s gaze, reached her hand behind Persephone to grab her sister’s arm reassuringly.
