The God & The Shadow

Chapter 54

PERSEPHONE

"You don't get to do this, Hades. You have no power here."

He pocketed his hands and raised his chin, every bit of his relaxed stance exuding power. "I don't get to do anything. I do what I want."

Demeter scoffed. "You sound like a child."

"Do I?" His gaze transferred to Persephone who surprisingly didn't balk. She knew better than to show fear and let Hades use it to his advantage.

"Don't you dare even look at her, Hades. There is no bargain of yours to collect here." Demeter spat.

"Mother—"

The goddess turned and pointed a finger at her daughter, still blocked by the large figure of Nixon. "Be quiet, Persephone."

Hades' cool demeanor dropped and turned into something that inspired trepidation in Persephone. "Now is that any way to treat your daughter, goddess?"

"Leave, Hades." Demeter grumbled, the flowers at the bottom of her dress growing with thorns.

He stared at her for a moment, then turned to Persephone once more in a heartbeat. She knew she should be shaking in fear, which she was deeply in, but she wasn't. If anything, her body had never felt this much absence of tension.

Hades slowly extended his hand to her and held it out. "Persephone,"

"What are you doing?" She heard Nixon ask.

The god ignored him and kept his arm locked, his eyes intently on her as if she were the only person he saw. "Persephone." He called out.

Her feet started moving before she even realized it. Absently, she descended the few stairs and walked towards Hades. This wasn't what she wanted. Was he controlling her?

"How," she whispered to him when her body stopped in front of him and her hand moved to fit his own, his hand sending a chill up her spine.

"That's impossible." Demeter spat from behind her. Persephone wanted to turn, but she feared that if she might, Hades might retaliate. No, she kept her eyes on him, and she made sure she wouldn't balk.

Noticing this, Hades eyes flickered in approval. Then he moved closer. "May I?"

She could feel his breath over her ear. Everything heightened when she realized just how close he was; his hand in hers, separated by a thin piece of cloth; the way he looked at her; how he was here for her.

Tentatively, she nodded. Hades' fingers trailed down her gloved hand and pulled on the loose cloth at the tip of her middle finger. Exposing the entirety of her arm, he dropped the discarded glove on the ground.

Persephone couldn't stifle the gasp she let out when his hand finally touched hers. It was a feeling she'd never felt before, like everything felt right for once.

"You ought to believe, Demeter," he said out loud, his hand brushing the left palm of Persephone. She raised her eyebrows in confusion. What was he doing?

They were both looking at her hand when Hades' thumb swiped her palm one last time to finally reveal a silver scar. She felt her hardened jaw tremble when she saw it, suddenly the air in the Twelfth Realm not enough.