Hell Is An Empty Heart (Book One of The Triple Moon's Chronicles)

29 | Tantalus (Part 2)

That was perhaps why Hades didn't want her to be there.

Hastening herself to stand up, Persephone knew she had to leave this chamber to follow them. She ran at full speed against the fog, fragments of her memories guiding her steps. The guards had pulled her by force into those doors, up to those stairs, all along those hallways. All she did was the exact opposite of it until she heard Hades' shivering voice. With drops of sweat trickling down her brow, Persephone sought refuge between two enormous columns, as she continued to watch them nearing the throne chamber.

She eyed them from a distance, and then after they vanished into the chamber, she too sneaked in. There, she slithered behind one of the tree judges of Hell, Aeacus, whose seat matched his gigantic, inhuman frame, providing Persephone with the perfect spot to observe everything.

Time wasn't to admire the place where they brought her once as the defendant, and yet Persephone couldn't help but remember their spotlight on her. The shadows of his acolytes debated over her case, while Hades' cruel helmeted face humiliated her naivety.

In this moment of loneliness like the one she was now, her only friend was still in the wall-sized mirror behind Hades' seat. It stared at her, exposing her flaws—this heart of her who had fallen for those undeserving children. The looking glass caught her eyes, disembowelling her reflection, but it also forced her own strength to emerge, as she could now face it with the acknowledgement of her own misjudgment.

Today, the same mirror kept her company as it revealed to her, without betrayal, her actual weight in their court—a narcissus picked solely for the pleasure of their king. Persephone lost it and fell to the ground, pained by the reality. She was the jewel of her mother, but here, left alone, she had to earn everything on her path, beginning with the heart of the impassible Hades.

Persephone no longer knew if she hated him more than she felt pity for him. No matter how she felt, she was certain she couldn't stay within his realm. It was in this moment of mental conflict that a light appeared in the farthest reaches of the throne chamber.

Hermes emerged closer to Hades' court, his lovely brown hair rising on his head, his body half-burned, and his clothing in shreds. Worse of all, Persephone's best friend dragged with him a broken leg.

Applauding deliberately falsely, Hades gave a harsh squint at Hermes. "Welcome back from Tartarus." The corner of his lips then curled up—a mixture of scorn and pride. "I was expecting you a bit earlier than this, though."

It didn't take more for Hermes' rage to explode with his skin mottling and his nostrils to flare at the insult, yet all he could do was just to jab a finger forward. "You won't get rid of me so easily, Hades!"

After this outburst, Hermes collapsed on his knees. He only had enough ambrosia left for this act, as Tartarus had drained it all from his veins. A teardrop hung on the tip of his nose as he recalled the reason he was there, and Persephone's image gave him the strength to raise his chin up at Hades. "I love Persephone with all my heart and I will get her out of your claws, then she will love me."

In this instant, Persephone caught him red-handed. The red handedness was hers from the blood of Hades, but the wound was bleeding from her heart. Her chin quivered, realising that Hermes, the one who had lavished her with unending affection, was actually pressuring her to return the favour like everyone else. The taste of betrayal grew bitter in her tongue, and her eyes went blank at the truth. Demeter was right. There were no innocent men. They all only acted kindly for one reason and his declaration gave her the motivation to carry out her new callous plan.

She lost all qualms about seducing Hades to get what she wanted.

Her reflection suddenly appeared in the mirror, causing Hermes' eyes to become wide. "Persephone!" He then shook his head to protect her from being spotted by others, and yet she still couldn't face him. Her gaze remained fixed on the ground, concealing herself from him until a loud bang forced her to turn her attention back on him.