Hades III

fired

Stella

Stella had her arms wrapped around herself. We walked side by side, though there would be no chance of touching. I led her back towards the main part of the castle and into the kitchen.

"Thank you," she whispered before she left the kitchen again.

She went to her room. I grabbed the last sandwich and sat down to eat. I knew she was in that wing, but I wasn't sure why.

It was not exactly a wing we used a lot, but on the other hand, if it was used, she didn't want to be there.

Ghosts weren't a new one. I'd heard it before. Plenty of times, actually, but it made sense that was what she'd think.

Ghosts existed on Earth, if someone wasn't fully crossed over. I had a man on that one, though sometimes it was more difficult than it should be.

I finished off my food, rinsed the plate and put it in the dishwasher before leaving the kitchen. Persephone was coming, and I didn't particularly want to meet her right now.

She had yet to learn Stella was the housekeeper. That would be disastrous – I'd only said it was a girl recently dead, and that her name was Stella. But at least Stella knew if Persephone went crazy.

I went to my study, now Stella had mentioned ghosts, it had been a while since I'd checked up on that.

It was the woman from the first night. She wore a gorgeous dress, pale green which only accentuated her green eyes and dirty blond hair. She had flowers in her hair, and she would be beautiful, if she didn't look at me with so much hatred in her eyes.

"You," she sneered. "You are the housekeeper?"

I nodded and slowly put down the apron.

She entered the kitchen, shutting the door and walked to me, trapping me with the counter behind me. It was Persephone, it couldn't be anyone else, but I wasn't sure why she hated me. That first night, when I'd opened the door for her, she hadn't taken much notice of me.

She pointed at me, her finger inches from my face. "You filthy lying whore!" She sneered. "Get the fuck out of my house."

"Macaria hired me, it's up to her," I squeaked.

Persephone smiled a smile which wasn't pleasant at all. "Listen, I'm the mother, I decided."

"Not when she's clearly old enough to answer for herself." I said. I patted myself on the back for reacting to her like this.

Persephone was cold and furious at the same time. It was scary, yet I also found it oddly ironic. She was furious about what? I didn't know, and I wasn't about to let her bully me.

"And what do you know about that?" she asked.

"Clearly more than you," I said.

She slapped me.

The impact took me by surprise. I was frozen for several long seconds. Minutes maybe.

"Now listen, whore, get out," she almost spat at me.

I looked at her. "Never."

She grabbed my arm and forced me towards the door.

The door opened from outside, and Hades entered. "Persephone, let her go."