Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis Read Free Book Online Page B

any light fixtures and wondered how the corridors were illuminated. The hall was neither dim nor bright; the light just…existed.
    I heard raised voices. That sounds like Mom! I ran toward the voices and paused outside a half open door, peeking in uncertainly.
    “…should have just let Boreas have her?” Hades’ voice boomed through the small room, echoing off the wooden wall panels.
    My mother—I paused; it wasn’t my mother. It was an image of her, bleached of color. Her form wavered, a red tapestry becoming visible behind her, then solidified. Her lips were tight in anger.
    “Of course not! But what you did was—”
    “Nothing short of a miracle, Demeter. Perhaps you should be thanking me for bothering.”
    “It’s why you bothered that frightens me, Hades.” She gave an exasperated wave of her hands. “What you did was—” She broke off with a sigh. “You could have just sent for me. I could have—”
    “Done absolutely nothing,” Hades snapped. The soft glow of the lamps played over his face. The whole room was tinted red from the lampshades. “You barely have the power to swat a fly.”
    “But you—”
    “She would be better off dead!” Hades thundered. “Don’t you get that? None of you saw Oreithyia after he had finished with her, just me! I practically had to drown her in the Lethe to wash those memories away; there is nothing left of her! Is that the fate you would prefer for your daughter, Demeter? Because that’s what would have happened had I sent for you instead.”
    “Am I…dead?” My voice was shaking as I walked into the room. Silence descended on the room as they both stared at me. I felt like an insect being examined in a jar. I took a deep breath and straightened my back so I was standing at my full height, clenching my fists so my trembling hands didn’t give away my fear. I raised my chin and met Hades’ stare with what I hoped was a bored expression on my face, but what probably looked more like a deer caught in the headlights.
    “Persephone,” my mom breathed, her face relaxing. “Thank goodness you’re all right.”
    I tried to tear my gaze from Hades to look at her, but it was hard. I’d never seen anyone that looked like him. Movie stars, models, they paled in comparison, and as terrified as I was that I’d died, I couldn’t seem to look away from him.
    Seriously? He might as well be the devil . With that comforting thought I jerked my head to the side and looked at my mother. “Am I dead?” I asked again, suppressing the panicked edge in my voice. Being dead would explain a lot.
    “You’re not dead.” Hades spoke, yanking my attention back to him like a rubber band. His lips curved in a sardonic smile. I got the distinct impression that he’d enjoyed my struggle to look away. “Thanks to my intercession.”
    I narrowed my eyes in disgust. So he was one of those guys. “So I’m supposed to thank you for knocking me out and dragging me here against my will? Where am I, and how do I get home?”
    “Hey, I saved you!” Hades looked back and forth between my mother and me. “No good deed, huh?”
    “It didn’t feel like I was being rescued, it felt like an abduction! You kissed me!”
    “About that…” My mother glowered at Hades.
    “Can it, Demeter. That was the only way to get her down here and you know it.”
    “Where is here? ”
    “You’re in the Underworld.” Mom’s voice was gentle. “But you’re not dead. Hades has made it possible for you to travel between planes.”
    “Oh,” I said, nodding like I understood. “Can I go home now?” I glanced at Hades and added a grudging “Please?”
    “You may come and go as you please, but I don’t think that would be wise. You’ve caught the attention of the god Boreas. He attempted to subdue you, but I was able to intervene. Next time you may not be so lucky.”
    “Next time?” I didn’t like the sound of that.
    “Boreas isn’t easily dissuaded once he sees something he wants,”