Page 38 of Love and Death
“Yes, but—”
“Mortal.One extra word, and somehow, just enough to destroy a kingdom.”
“A soul powerful enough to bring about the birth of new kingdoms or raze the very Underworld to the ground in its wake,” I mutter beneath my breath. “Hades’ deal never required a mortal soul ... It was Death’s soul he needed.”
The spring goddess nods solemnly.
“Then why not say as much?”
“It was not a lie that they were bound to secrecy, or that a soulwasrequired,” she says. “Even I could not tell them outright that it was Death that Hades really wanted. So, I used it to my advantage and simply had them believe it was a mortal soul instead.”
“And the restrictions on power that were put in place? Why?”
“To weaken Death and steal unwitting power in the guise of the king’s protection.”
“Why …Howare you telling me this now?”
“Is it not obvious? Death’s soul has been relinquished. Hades has paid the price.”
“Hades has never paid the price,” I spit.
“Then now is our chance,” she begs, grabbing fistfuls of my shirt as she gets to her feet and searches my face with hopeful eyes. “I want to help you … help Hazel get what you most desire. What weallmost desire. Please, I want to make amends for what I have done.”
I watch her for a long moment, my expression hard and unreadable.
“No.”
I turn on my heel to walk away, tossing her from me in the process. I should have known better than to hear her out. I will not waste another precious second on her.
“I know why you came here! I know who you are looking for,” she calls out behind me.
“Is that so,” I say with a cold laugh, continuing on toward the exit without so much as a glance back. I refuse to let her make a fool of me any longer. “And? What of it?”
“I can help you. I know where he is.”
I stop in my tracks, the disgusted sneer distorting my face slipping away as I slowly turn to face her again.
“And just who,exactly, do you think I am looking for?”
“The mortal’s father.”
I utter a curse under my breath, my jaw hardening as my mind races to try to understand her angle.
“Why should I believe you, let alone trust you?”
“Because I know what it is like to make a mistake and have to live with it—pay for it—for an eternity,” Persephone says, rising slowly from the arena floor, her eyes pleading with me to listen. “Because I know what itmeans to be caught between love and duty … to make choices that tear you to bits, piece by piece, for the sake of the realm. I know that what I have done cannot be undone, but I can do everything in my power to help make things right.”
“How? How can any of this be made right?”
“I do not know, but give me time, and I will prove my worth. I will prove that—”
“You ask for something I do not have! Time has run its course, and I will not be fool enough to trust you at your word alone.”
“I can give you time,” Persephone says. “Ihavegiven you time.”
“What?”
“Unbeknownst to him, I have already slowed Hades’ progress through the forest. According to my sources, he has been walking in a circle for the better part of two hours now.”
