Page 75 of Tempted By Hades

Zeus raised his hand, revealing a lightning bolt he had conjured while they were all distracted. Several gods attempted to subdue him, but he was too quick—he threw the lightning bolt, sending it directly toward the reunited trio of Georgius, Demeter, and Persephone.

Hades acted without a thought, leaping toward Persephone. His hand touched her a split second before Demeter did, and though their divine powers playing tug of war, he managed to wrestle Persephone away from her mother’s magic. Moments before the lightning bolt hit them, he transported them away from Olympus.

Chapter 14

Persephone

Persephone’s stomach lurched from the force of being hauled back to the Underworld, to Hades’s office. As the ground materialized beneath her feet, she stumbled forward.

“Are you alright?” Hades’ hands grasped her shoulders, steadying her. “Are you hurt?”

She shoved his hands away. “Don’t touch me!”

“Persephone—”

“No! You stay away.”

“Please, allow me to explain?—”

“Explain?” she exclaimed. “It all sounds very simple to me. You brought me here because he—my father—asked you to do it. So you could get revenge on your brother and claim Olympus.” she said. “That’s why…” She shook her head. “You came to the plant shop. You asked me about the asphodel…we kissed…” Her chest ached from the betrayal.

“Persephone, please?—”

“None of it was real, was it?” She hated the way her voice broke as she spoke. Her hand instinctively went to her neck but only caught air. She didn’t even have the comfort of her pendant now. “It was all lies.”

“That’s not true. Nor is it that simple.”

Persephone took a step back. “How could you,” she accused. The realization of Hades withholding the truth had stoked the flames of her wrath once more. “You used me to get what you wanted! All this time, you’ve been lying to me, even after you told me you loved me.”

“Please—”

“Don’t you dare come near me or touch me!”

His shoulders slumped and then he ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, I came to find you because the seer—your father—told me to bring you to the Sealing Ceremony. And the only way I could have you there was if you were my wife. Yes, I did it because of vengeance. Yes, I lied to you.” He paused as he caught her gaze, his eyes like twin onyx orbs as he stared right into her. “But if there’s only one thing you should believe that comes from my mouth is that I love you.”

“How can I even believe that now?” she said quietly.

“Persephone, what must I do to prove that I love you and for you to forgive me? Tell me, and I will do it.”

“I…” She didn’t know how to answer that, as his lies and deceit were so truly monumental that she wasn’t sure how he could possibly make it up to her. “I need…time and space.”

Silence hung between them like a heavy curtain. “You can take as much time and space as you want. But know this…I will never, ever love anyone else from now on. I will remain faithful to you. Even if it takes you until the end of time, I will be waiting. You only have to call my name, and I will be by your side.” And with those words, he disappeared.

Persephone held on to the nearest thing she could—the back of a settee—as her knees turned to jelly. The hurt and betrayal stung her, causing her chest to feel as if it was collapsing in on itself.

I need to think.

She transported herself to the one place where she could be alone and feel comforted—the courtyard. Unfortunately, when she arrived there, the first thing she thought of was that day Hades brought her here and told her this was hers. It only made the pain in her chest throb.

“Ah, I thought I’d find you here.”

Who the?—

Persephone whirled around to face the intruder. “How dare—Hermes?”

The messenger god stood before her, but he was not alone. Minthe was there, too, and Hermes clutched at her arm tightly. “Hello, my lady.”

“What are you doing here? What’s happening back in Olympus?”

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