Page 81 of His in the Dark

She is a vision. My Queen.

She is not preoccupied with the changes to my rooms. Persephone hardly seems to notice them. But theyarethere.More soft rugs decorate the floors. The fire burns higher in the grate. Our bed is piled with pillows and blankets. The finer things that can be softenedhavebeen softened. It is a sanctuary, now. A place to rest as well as retreat. Whatever her heart desires, Silvie brings at once. Wine and chocolates. Candles and crystals. She entertains herself with so many books of histories that stacks now line either side of the window. I shall build her a library. It does not escape me though that pages have been torn out and folded into flowers and lilies that sit atop the stacks of books.

Quietly I approach. When I place my scepter down, leaning it against the table where her wine sits and the half drunk goblet rests, she glances at me. The warmth in her cheeks and the smile that greets me reminds me that all is well.

I need only give her the seeds, a voice in the back of my head reminds.

I go to her, put my hands on her shoulders, and bend to kiss her cheek.

“It is dark,” she says softly.

“It is Samhain.” I press another kiss to her cheek.

Persephone lifts one hand to find one of mine and twines our fingers together. “Winter is coming,” she says softly. “It will be dark for some time.”

“It will,” I agree. Her eyes soften and within them the colors swirl. Her softness has not left her, although she strengthens with her power. “Walk with me.”

I take her down the path to the fields of Elysium, then spread a woven blanket made of the finest dark green threads that was left there by the crystal clear river and help her sit. The moon is just beginning to rise. Persephone leans against me, watching the sky. For now, it is quiet—almost lonely, and Persephone is quiet.

It begins shortly after. One soul, then another. Persephone studies them, her lips slightly parted. Coming home to the Underworld.

“There is beauty in the dark,” I say. “It is when the light of the souls is clearest.”

“Itisbeautiful,” Persephone agrees. “The veil must be very thin.”

“It will reach its thinnest very soon.”

“There are so many,” Persephone whispers. “So much light. So much beauty.”

“It is not a sin to take joy in that.”

“I can hear their pleas,” she says, pain in her voice.

“Answer them.”

Persephone leans closer, her hand tight around mine. “My powers do not work here.”

“Which powers do not work?” She has not tried. She may have power yet that she has not discovered. “You have more power than you know, my love.”

“Do I?” Persephone meets my eyes in the glow of the souls. “Because it does not seem that I have enough to be both parts of who I am.”

“You do.”

“You could not possibly know that…” she murmurs. Whatever plagues her is troubling. Again, I think of the seeds.

I take her in my arms and kiss her, lingering over each press of her lips on mine. Persephone opens her mouth to me, letting out quiet moans.

“Take me to bed,” Persephone begs. “Please.”

I take her back to my rooms in near silence and seal the door behind us. I put my fingers under her chin and tip her face up. Tears stand on her cheeks. Is it from the beauty of Samhain or her worries about Olympus? I do not know. All I want is to give her what she needs to dry them. To hold her head up high.

“You do not believe in your powers, my Queen.”

“What can they possibly be worth when I have lost half of who I am?”

Anger simmers at her words. She keeps saying that. But what once was is gone. She is not meant to be in Olympus. She is more powerful here. She is safe beside me. She is meant to rule!

“Everything. It is worth everything,” I answer her solemnly. It is time.Pasttime to make good on what I said to Zeus. Tonight the veil is thin and the power of souls and life and death mingles between the realms. It is a sign that we should mingle ourselves in that same way. “I have one more gift for you, my Queen.” The ritual must be done.

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