Page 4 of Winning Back Persephone

"There's the matchmaking service?" Hel suggested. "It's a bit more of a personal touch. And there are some events and parties you can go to. I think Qetesh organises lock and key parties, they might be your thing."

I raised an eyebrow. "Where you're expected to date someone based on something as arbitrary as randomly assigned keys unlocking randomly assigned locks?"

"You don't have to date anyone at them," she responded. "The keys and locks are just to get people talking."

"Hmm."

"You might have fun," she prompted. "I did when I went."

"I thought you weren't looking to date anyone?"

She shrugged. "I'm not, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun looking around. I don't always buy a new outfit when I go shopping either."

"I can't really say I relate," I admitted.

"That's because you were married to the same man for over two thousand years."

"We broke up for a bit."

"Ah, I forgot about that, it was before my time."

"It was a long time ago," I admitted. "I'm over it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you, though?"

I considered it for a moment. It had been two millennia ago, it wasn't something I should still have strong feelings about. "It made me feel better that the humans believed I turned her into a mint plant because I was jealous. But Iamover it. Neither Hades or Minthe did anything wrong, we weren't together at the time. I think it had been five or six years between us calling an end to things and the two of them starting their affair."

Hel gave me a strange look.

"What?"

"If you're calling it an affair, then it's probably not something you're over."

"Well, no. I guess not. Would you like it if your husband fell in love with someone else?"

"I've never been married. But as you said, you were broken up."

"I know, I know. But I've never stopped loving him." I looked over to where the god in question seemed to be laughing at whatever the beautiful redhead in front of him was saying.

I curled my hand into a fist and tried to ignore the intensity of the jealousy rising within me. I had no right to feel this way. I had ended things, he could do what he wanted.

"If you feel so strongly, why did you break up?" Hel asked. "Or is he the one who ended it?"

"No, it was me." I tore my gaze away. "Hades just likes things the way they are, he never wants to go for the next big thing, and I just felt like I needed someone who would go for that with me." But I was also starting to think that I was wrong.

"Mmm, you are always busy with your businesses. What's your latest one again?"

"Handbags. The launch is next month," I responded, happy to beoffthe subject of Hades, even if I was sure my mind would be back there almost immediately. "I've been having a lot of fun designing them." I lifted up the one under my arm.

"All right, give it to me." She held out her hands for the bag.

I gave it over, watching her intently as she investigated it. From the outside, it was sleek and black, with a chain woven through the handle, but within, it was bright, with the lining decorated in flowers.

Hel laughed. "This couldn't be more you."

"Mysterious and dark on the outside, but full of spring florals on the inside," I acknowledged.

"Not all of us make the stories about us our personality," she said, handing my bag back.

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