Page 56 of Seph

The goddess sat. “You... aren’t?”

“No. I’m here to ask if you’ve seen your niece. Or your husband? Zeus and Persephone?”

Hera rose, her icy eyes turning into blue gaslights. Emily felt sweat pool in the middle of her back instantly just from the goddess’ single glance. Three quick snaps of her fingers flipped the store lights off, locked the front door, and transported the assistant and her offering back to the front entrance.

“Who sent you?”

“No one. My partner—partner in investigation—and I are following leads. We spoke to Demeter yesterday, and our path led to you. Please, can we talk?”

Hera’s lips thinned.

“Oi! There’s a customer in there!” Simeon’s voice bellowed from the outside, accompanied by hammering blows on the glass door.

Emily moved toward the door, a pained expression on her face. “You’d better let him in. He’s protective, but not very patient.”

“He’s passionate, whatever else he is. You have it good, young lady. Don’t throw it away. Penelope—let the demon in and leave. We’ll be in my office.”

“Ours was an arranged marriage. Zeus arranged it.” Hera lit a cigarette and offered one to Simeon.

The vampire declined, sitting on the other side of an enormous glass-topped desk. “Mythology has a grain of truth, eh?”

“Several. Look, I can’t help you. It’s no secret that Zeus and I don’t get along. I haven’t seen him in months. Maybe years. Time moves so differently here in the mortal realm. I tell you, I took a long weekend in Olympus once, and when I came back, I had missedseveralpresidencies.” Hera laughed a dry, mirthless chuckle. “He’s around, though. I have my eyes and ears in all of his haunts. Why do you think he’s involved with this... who was it again?”

Emily leaned forward on the visitor’s chair, which was several inches lower than Hera’s white leather swivel chair. “Persephone. Zeus’... niece.”

“Also his daughter, wasn’t she?” Simeon had opted out of subtle.

Emily could see why. Hera’s sharp eyes clouded for a minute. “Persephone. Sweet child. Beautiful. I always wanted a girl. Zeus, too. He has many, you know. I always put up with his bastards staying with us. Artemis and Apollo, Hermes, Dionysus, and Athena. Dear Athena. She’s the one step-child I actually enjoy talking to.”

“What about Aphrodite?” Emily asked timidly. This was like being on a talk show. She could sense dirt waiting to spill.

“That little tart? She likes anything on two legs. She broke my son’s heart... by marrying my other son! Can you imagine what awkward Saturnalia festivals we had because of them? And don’t even get me started on the Lemuria where Ares raised a battalion of Civil War soldiers and Heph unleashed his automatons.”

“Speaking of Lemuria... I’m on a deadline from Hades. He wants his missus back by November 1st. He swears up and down Zeus isn’t involved, but I don’t buy it. He wanted Seph from the time she was a young woman, that’s why Hades grabbed her up one day.”

Hera’s eyes flickered with anger, then clouded again. “Seph? Goodness, no one but my brother, Hades, calls her that. How did you come to meet her?”

Simeon looked at Emily and found her giving him the same confused stare. “Uh. Just said I’m on a mission from her hubby. He wants her back. Maybe Zeus knows her whereabouts?”

“Zeus’ whereabouts? Oh, who knows? In the city a few times a week. He checks into his penthouse on Long Island. The doorman is in my employ—I keep his wife permanently insatiable. That’sonegift Zeus can’t outbid me on. Tea? Coffee?”

“No, thank you. So, Zeus is around consistently, but not every day. On the days when he isn't at home, where does he go? Does he visit anyone or anywhere special?” Emily hedged.And is she in her right mind when she says days? Does days mean years? Weeks?

“I’m sure he visits his current bevy of mistresses. He hasn’t picked one to impregnate in ten centuries.”

“Eww. And also good. I guess?” Emily shrugged helplessly.

“I’m thinking that little business with the adder in his chamber pot might have finally gotten my message across.”

“Or he’s waiting for someone in particular. Someone special?” Simeon led.

“Do you know of someone?” Hera demanded, stubbing her cigarette out with a vicious twist of her perfect nails.

Emily dug her hand into Simeon’s to stop him from screaming. “Persephone. When did you last see her?”

“Hm. I can’t recall. It’s been a few years now, I know that. Maybe back in Athens, before Demeter moved?”

“Yeah. That was a thousand years ago.” Simeon crossed his arms.

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