Page 18 of The Queen & the King

Poseidon in love.

“You were in love,” I sputter out, trying to reconcile this information.

Poseidon looks over my shoulder, back toward the castle. “You have to go.”

I follow his gaze but find nothing. When I turn back to speak to him, there’s nothing but a damp spot of ground left on the banks of the River Styx.

Dick.

I huff in annoyance. Fucking Poseidon. I head back toward the palace and see Morpheus waiting at the front doors. He has his hands folded in front of him, watching me approach with his eerie, fathomless eyes.

I tuck my hands into my pockets, following the path cut through the garden. I reach out to touch the black roses, closing my eyes and pretending it’s not the flowers but her scent perfuming the air.

I don’t even care that Morpheus sees me taking the slow stroll through the garden, reminiscing about a life I only got a glimpse of, a handful of days with Persephone when we weren’t at odds or war. My steps falter at the single red rose, the one I’ve done everything to keep alive. I brush one of the wilting petals with my gloved finger.

“I’ll find you, my spring. I’ll bring you home,” I whisper to it as if she is listening through the rose.

I move away, heading toward the patient Morpheus. He nods at me solemnly, wordlessly following me upstairs to the guest room.

He’s never been a talker, and sometimes, like now, I find his silence reassuring. But the silence ends the moment Melinoë arrives. Her very presence sets Morpheus on edge.

She glares at me. “Remember the rules, Hades?”

I nod, moving to lie down on the bed.

Melinoë moves to the other side of the bed, keeping the furniture between her and the leader of the Oneiroi.

“Try not to fuck it up this time, Morphie,” she hisses.

The God of Dreams’ lip curls back slightly from his teeth. He pulls the iridescent sand from his pouch and sprinkles it over my eyes.

Falling into the dream is like sliding into a perfectly heated bath. When my eyes open in the dream, my breath hisses softly past my lips. Persephone is looking up at the apple tree. Fuck, she’s beautiful. My arms tingle, and without looking, I know that the creeping darkness that had climbed up to my forearm has retreated slightly. Her hair is loose, tumbling down her back in big curls, and her dress clings to her curves, showcasing every luscious inch of her.

I glide closer, speaking softly, even though I want to grab her and shout to the world. “If you touch them, they will turn to gold.”

She tenses slightly, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Why would I want to change them when they’re perfect the way they are?”

“Making them gold does not change their nature.” I reach above her head, brushing her hair slightly. I touch the leaf, and the green turns to gold immediately. “It only reveals what was hiding beneath its surface.”

She turns towards me slightly, reaching up to touch the same leaf, our fingers brushing. At her touch, the leaf turns into a ripe apple, responding to her power.

I pull my hand back, whispering, “Take it.”

Persephone plucks the golden apple, rolling it in her palm. Her lips pull back into a bright smile. “What kind of tree is this?”

I love you. Smile for me. Remember me.

“It’s a normal apple tree, but with special attendants.” I strive to keep my tone neutral and unaffected, even though my heart feels like it is about to crack my chest. “Three nymphs spend their lives tending to these trees.”

Her lips twitch, looking at me. “Hm. I didn’t think you’d be back.”

Nothing could keep me away, my spring.

I lean against the tree. “Why?”

“I was surprised to see you at my house yesterday,” she murmurs, holding up the golden apple. “Why are your eyes blue here and not in reality?”

A cold finger of unease shoots down my spine. I straighten, closing the distance. “Persephone, where did you see me?”

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