Beneath

Chapter Three:

"Pass the pepper, please."

Hades stood, laying his book down on the dining table as he grabbed the canister, passing it to me. "You've been dodging my questions all afternoon, Emma."

"No," I said, pointing the ladle at him. "I have nothing to say in response, which is different than avoiding the topic."

We both glanced across the living room towards a still-smoking pile of ashes and he sighed heavily, pouring himself a glass of wine.

"If I hadn't decided to stop by your place at just the right moment, that could be you."

I yanked plates from the cupboard, slamming the doors shut for good measure. "What do you want, huh? An apology? I'm sorry, Hades, for trying to protect myself, but I'm grateful that you saved my life. Oh yeah, and dinner is ready."

"Please be more careful in the future. That Fury came for you because you still refuse to acknowledge the spirit world, something I've told you, again and again, would happen and you didn't believe me. This is the consequence."

"I just want to live my life, have a couple of decent friends, go to a museum without becoming part of the history, and maybe even get a boyfriend who I won't have to hide things from. You know, normal stuff. Is that too much to ask?"

"You've never been normal, Emma, not from the stories your Grandma has told about you. Don't start now."

"You know what I mean."

"I do," he said, taking his plate as I sat opposite him. "And I would love to tell you that all of that is possible, but I won't lie to you. Because of who you are and what you can do, nobody will ever understand you. Not like I do. I can help you if you'd let me."

"Oh, no, I know you want to, but I'm not going to let some nasty-ass spirits uproot my life here. This is all I know, and where my family lives. Abandoning them because I have issues with things they can't see isn't fair."

"So, what do you want me to do, then? You're the first person I've ever known who can communicate with the spirit world and bring plants back to life. But if you let the souls continue to use your energy like a rechargeable battery pack, you could be seriously hurt in the process. I'm asking you to trust me and trust that I have actual answers to this problem. But I can't keep coming to Portland. I have responsibilities in the Underworld."

I glared at him as he broke crackers into his soup, listening to the sound of the rain tapping against the living room windows and, very faintly, the moaning of several souls I knew waited in the parking lot, lined up like a firing squad.

"According to Grandma, you make deals. That's what you're known for, right?"

His lips twitched. "Among other things, yes."

"So, if I wanted to make one with you, how does that work?"

He set his spoon aside, folding his hands in front of him. "That depends. What do you propose?"

"I get that you want to help me, but if I let you barge into my life whenever it's convenient for you, it'll probably drive me insane. Which is why I need you to let me know when you want to come see me, in case I don't feel like company."

"You're making demands. I thought this was a negotiation."

"It still is, with conditions. Deep down, Hades, you know it makes the most sense."

"What about the proposition I made yesterday?"

"Apprenticing myself to Persephone? I doubt the Goddess of Spring wants an annoying human following her around everywhere."