Between Worlds (TEMP HOLD)

Hades Palace: War Room

Hades' Palace
WAR ROOM
ARIEL'S POV

"Tell them the truth, Hades." Zeus slams his fist against the table.

     "Why not unravel your lies as well, brother?" Hades spits angrily. The fire in his eyes is brighter than the one burning in the fireplace. I stand protectively in front of Xavier, although we're blending well into the wallpaper. "You know... how about what happened to our father? Or Demeter?"

Poseidon leans back in his creaking chair. "Tartarus has claimed our father for more than a millennia, Hades. Have you gone absolutely mad?"

I can feel the heat of Xavier's fingers brushing against mine; the metal of our wedding rings touching. His warm breath against my neck is still shaken. He hasn't spoke much since being in those eternal waters, but he hasn't been able to keep his hands off of me. I could feel Castiel's absence, and Persephone's missing presence made each of us tense. Despite Xavier being so close, despite his hands touching mine and my thoughts lingering on him — I couldn't help but wonder if he found out the truth, yet.

But this is something new. After traveling to Persephone's meadow, there remains a Goddess trapped in her eternal cage. In her daughter's meadow — watching as the world moves forward without her. But their father Kronos? That got Xavier's attention.

Hades slams a watch down upon the table. "Hermes is the first that came up with the idea of his imprisonment." The watch glitters off the light from the flames. "Hermes uses these for his minions in the world above — a Grim Reapers has different programming than the ones he so generously donated to us. How is it these watches are powered, do you think?"

"We have always been told the watch is powered by mortal blood. It takes you where you want to go . . . At a price." Hera lingers by the fireplace, sipping her favorite glass of wine as she watches the flames.

"Don't be so gullible." Hades hisses. "You would believe me if I told you it was really powered by unicorn blood."

Hera rolls her eyes.

"Our father powers these watches. He is trapped in the very accessory Hermes himself keeps locked away. But there's only one problem, and that problem has now been released by the God of the Underworld himself." Zeus' face is turning red with anger. "Persephone and Castiel are gone. The mother in law you sought to Hide is now free. Knox now has leverage with Hermes to enter his dwelling. A war of the gods is upon is, and I refuse to be on the losing side. I refuse to take a cowards side. You have done so much wrong Hades — no amount of apologies could make things right."

"Should we simply guess what must be 'made right?'" Poseidon sighs.

"Tell them Hades." Zeus crosses his arms over his chest.

Hades glares and just that look alone makes me shiver with fear. "Castiel is not my biological son," the room falls deathly quiet. Xavier stares. Few gods have mixed reactions. Hera gasps. Poseidon leans forward and his eyes are filled with hate. Zeus is smug with knowledge he already acquired. "After taking Persephone from her meadow — I could not have children. That was the deal Zeus and I agreed on. So when Persephone fell pregnant, she was no longer allowed to go to the world above unsupervised. And I gave her a choice that wove her fake love into the Underworld air — everywhere. She could either give the child up to the world above, where he would live on with mortals, die with mortals and have a chance to be free from his tainted name... or he could become my legacy. It took her thirty days to choose, and despite the fact that Castiel was not my legitimate son — I loved and spoiled him like he was my own. Until today."