The God & The Shadow

Chapter 49

PERSEPHONE
(This chapter contains a scene of which a character intentionally inflicts pain on another through the use of possibly disturbing methods. Please be advised.)

Brie was already forming the portal when Persephone stepped out of the mansion. Nixon spared her a glance and looked away, then slowly looked back at her.

"What are you wearing?" He drawled, his jaw dropped too low.

Persephone looked down at what she was wearing. It was a simple tight black dress with thin spaghetti straps. Her neck winked with the onyx necklace she wore, pairing the black and gold rings on her fingers and the heels she had to stifle any indication of pain whenever she walked in them. "What's wrong with it?"

Brie turned to look and returned to the growing portal. "Looks fine to me."

"No, no. You're not even supposed to come with us. You're supposed to stay in the house where you're safe and definitely not wearing that." Nixon said, his fists curling.

"And you'll just leave me here while the rest of you enjoy? How is that fair?" Persephone asked with her voice gradually raising.

Nixon combed through his blond hair and walked closer to Persephone until they were at arms-length. "I'll stay here with you. Just go back inside and change."

"No." She immediately replied.

He looked taken aback at her answer. "No?"

Persephone vehemently shook her head. She was reluctant at first, of course. The goddess didn't like rebelling against her mother until she realized Demeter never said anything about prohibiting them from leaving.

Plus, she'd never get a chance like this again when she becomes Queen. Persephone already lived a sheltered life, she didn't want to pass any more opportunities such as these.

"I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not. And you can't make me change what I'm wearing because quite frankly, I like how I look tonight." She shouldered past Nixon and stood beside a now grinning Azura.

Brie snapped her fingers and the red portal illuminated the front of the entire mansion. Wind whipped their hair, Persephone's heels digging in the soil in fear that she might just get carried away.

The witch brought a tentative hand inside the portal, then retracted it. She turned and gave Azura a raise of her eyebrows, "Don't underestimate me ever again."

"I can do it anytime I want to, witch." The angel retorted back.

Brie rolled her eyes and walked through the portal. Azura followed not too long after until it was just her and Nixon.

He took a deep breath next to her and looked down. "Don't make me regret this."

《♤》

The blaring of lights gave Persephone a headache. She'd never seen anything like it before: the partying, the drunken patrons dancing all over the club, couples making out in the darkened corners, and the deafening noise that could block out your voice.

Maybe she should've stayed at home as Nixon had told her. Maybe she should've changed into something more comfortable like Nixon pressed on her to do. Maybe she shouldn't have come with because Nixon was right.