Page 90 of Dead End

“Learn the ropes?” my mother repeated. “You’ve been training for this since you were a child. What’s left to know?”

“She doesn’t remember, Persephone,” my father reminded her. “A blessing and a curse.”

“If I weren’t trying to keep my loved ones safe, I wouldn’t be here at all right now. I would’ve told Hestia to find another god to take over.”

“The cycle repeats,” my mother said, with a sad shake of her head. “We left you to protect you. You left your loved ones to protect them. When does it end?”

And all because of The Corporation.

“Why don’t you want to stay in the underworld?” my father asked. “It’s your home.”

“No, my home is in Fairhaven, Pennsylvania. I have my own house and everything.” I’d broach the subject of mydemon prince inamorato later, lest I give my father a heart attack.

My parents exchanged smiles. “She owns her own home, Hades.”

“I heard. How’s your mortgage? What kind of rate did you get?”

My mother smacked his arm. “Not now.”

“I paid cash,” I explained. “There wasn’t a lot of interest in the house. It’s kind of a fixer upper.”

My father grew quiet, which my mother immediately noticed. “What are you thinking, Hades?”

“I suppose we could try to rule and release Hestia from any obligations, but our authority might be challenged while we’re in our weakened conditions,” my father said.

“I can rule,” I said. “It’s not like I can go anywhere.”

My mother observed me carefully. “It’s them, isn’t it? They found you.”

“You should rest,” I said. “I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow.”

“Good idea,” my father said. “You need to take care of yourself, my treasure. Eat and sleep as you normally would. We didn’t survive only to watch you fade to nothing.”

I kissed them each on the cheek and departed the room. Phoebe had a hot meal waiting for me in the dining hall. I ate slowly, my mind spinning with questions for my parents and answers for theirs. There would be plenty of time to get through them. In fact, we had all the time in the world.

“Would you like dessert, Your Ladyship?” Phoebe asked.

“No, thank you.” I longed for sleep more than sugar, which might have been a first.

“I wish the Arae were here to see this day,” Phoebe commented as she cleared my plate.

“Why are the Arae not here anymore?” From what I recalled, they were spirits of curses that dwelled in theunderworld. Their purpose was to curse the living who were guilty of the death of another.

Phoebe nearly dropped the plate. “Oh, don’t mind me, Your Ladyship. Hestia always says I prattle too much.” She darted from the dining hall.

My limbs felt heavy as I walked to my chambers. I changed into the silk pajamas and heaved myself into bed, still thinking far more than I would like. I’d have to ask Hestia what happened to the Arae. Why would they no longer dwell here?

I fell asleep the moment my head touched the pillow. Small wonder I dreamed of the Arae. I slouched against the wall in the throne room. My parents sat upon their thrones in their full godly forms. One of the Arae stood before them to face judgment. According to the statement read by my father, she’d abused her power and cursed a soul in Asphodel Meadows who’d merely insulted her.

“Melinoe.” My father beckoned me forward. “Sometimes a ruler is required to do what he would rather not. Exacting judgment comes with the crown.”

“What will happen to her?” I asked. My voice sounded strange to my ears.

“She will be sent to Tartarus to live out her eternal punishment,” my father replied.

Little did we know that one of her sisters had been lurking outside the throne room during the proceedings. Upon hearing the judgment, she rushed into the room in a violent outburst and dragged me away. With her final breath, she cursed me. Then the unthinkable happened.

I died.

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