Page 95 of Flowers Near Me

Persephone struggled to not break down and sob. What good were these powers anyway? “Why didn’t you tell me I’m immortal?” Magic prickled over her skin.

Her mom’s eyes softened, and she inhaled a deep breath. “Because I wanted you to grow up to be kind and with an understanding of mortals that the rest of us lack. I wanted you to be better than me. I wanted you tolive and feeland for those to be natural things for you.”

Demeter looked up at the ceiling and her throat bobbed in a teary swallow. “You’re different from the others because you work hard for your power. It’s hard not to raise an entitled child. When you’re a goddess and can give them everything they want… it’s even more difficult. And I didn’t want you to be hard like me. I wanted you to be better, Sephy. And you are.”

Persephone rubbed her face. She needed her mom in this moment, and she needed a strength she didn’t have. “Well, I’ve been a mess, actually. I almost killed two people.” She kept the fact that Hades was immune to herself. How would her mom respond to her change of heart regarding him?Not well,if she had to guess. A problem for another time when she didn’t feel like she was spiraling into the depths of depression.

There was a tenderness in Demeter’s smile that Persephone recognized. Part pride and part sympathy.

“I’ve heard about your magic, Sephy. Have you tried to conjure the poppies?” Demeter asked. Persephone felt the rush of her mom’s power wash over her body, giving her energy.

“Yes. Hecate’s been a huge help with controlling my power. The poppies aren’t a problem anymore. Now it’s whatever’s causing me to be so weak.”

Demeter’s nostrils flared, and her mouth pressed into a flat line. The scent of earth and grains hit Persephone. “He had no business using you like that. Trying to run you into the ground so you’d be too weak to leave.”

“It wasn’t like that. He was the one that sent me here to Laura’s. Said it’d be better for me to be above ground with family and sunlight.”

Demeter’s brow shot up. “That’s the only thing he’s done right.”

She doubted she could win Demeter over to Hades’ side—especially not when she was in such poor health—but she felt the need to still defend him. “Things have been busy, but I’ve not been overworked. Their office culture is like ours and you’d love his assistant, Charon.”

Leveling her gaze at Persephone, Demeter replied, “I have no qualms with Charon, but I’d imagine you’d be a dream to work with after working for him for as long as she has.”

“No, not just—” A stabbing pain erupted on Persephone’s side, and she clutched at the spot. She held her breath, willing the pain to fade. A powdery floral scent preceded an eruption of sprouting poppies. The spasm in her side relented, and she took in a full breath.

“Oh, my…” Demeter trailed off, staring wide eyed at the blooms now covering the bed. “This is what you were telling me about.” With a featherlight touch, Demeter stroked a silken petal. Golden pollen sparkled. “It’s beautiful, Sephy. A sign of potent magic. Soon you’ll conjure objects and will portal all on your own.”

A mother’s confidence could dispel any fear of inadequacy. If Demeter thought Persephone had potent magic, then it had to be true. “I hope so. I haven’t gone longer than a day without shooting pains. Why is this happening?”

Plucking a flower and breathing in its scent, Demeter replied, “It’s residual decay from Hades’ power. You’ve been stuck in Underworld Unlimited for so long and needed to get out. You’re not meant to be hidden away like that and brought out like a doll when someone wants to flaunt you around.”

You had no problem keeping me a secret.It pained her to admit it even to herself, when she knew her mom only wanted to protect her. And right now, she needed her mom to know that she had been fine these past few months.

“Listen, it wasn’t like that. I’ve been well taken care of.”

“Of course. Why would he break his favorite toy once he got it?” Demeter waved her hand over the poppies and they turned a light pink. She gathered them in her hand, then conjured a vase to set them in.

“Mom. There’s a lot we need to catch up on. It was not bad there at all. I enjoyed my time with him.” Fates,did she sound like a wayward teenager pleading with her mom that her new boyfriend ‘wasn’t that bad?’

Demeter’s eyes snapped to Persephone’s and the thick scent of wheat fields and summer sun enveloped her. Her mom set the flower-filled vase on the dresser and sidled next to Persephone on the bed. Those familiar dark green eyes softened. “Do you love him?” Not harsh, accusatory, or biting. Just sadly inquisitive.

“I don’t know, but I’d like to find out.”

Her mom gave a tight nod and looked down at her interlocked hands sitting on her lap. She returned Persephone’s gaze. “And you’re certain you’re under no compulsion or spell?”

“Does it seem like I am?” Rubbing the center of her chest, Persephone sucked in a deep breath.

Her mom sighed. “I don’t sense any enchantments.”

Grasping her mom’s hand, Persephone gave it a tender squeeze. “I’ve missed you. Why didn’t you respond to any of my messages? Were you disappointed?”

Shaking her head, Demeter closed her eyes, then focused on Persephone. “I didn’t handle things well, Sephy. I’m very sorry about that. I tried to get you out of that contract. When Zeus affirmed it, I finally gave up and by then, felt terrible I’d abandoned you. I didn’t want to make things harder, but I can see how I did. I even tried to give you a helpful warning when we last spoke.”

Don’t make a fuss and don’t involve my team.Her mom knew bigger things were at play and did her best to protect her.

“You didn’t fail me, Mom. I made a mistake, and you had to scramble.”

“You’ve done nothing wrong. With the Fates, meddling only makes things worse. I was worried if you bucked against the contract, it’d give him more reason to force you to marry him sooner.”

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