Page 30 of Queen of Shadows and Roses
‘Aphrodite? I’m definitely not into women,’ I gasped, and Tee laughed.
‘Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, Sephy. But no.’ Tee flashed me a cheeky smile. ‘It’s a welcome party, that’s all. Oh, and you’re allowed to bring an escort of your choice.’
I exhaled in relief. Tee might be right. Could I indulge in their silly little game and get something from it? I’d give it my best shot and enjoy being the object of the gods’ affections without cringing too much—for a time, at least.
But marry one of them? Not a chance in hell.
‘Great,’ I muttered, wringing my hands together.
‘Hades wants you to have an early dinner with him,’ Tee said, observing me. At the thought of seeing him again, my stomach made an idiotic dipping motion, and edgy nervousness washed over me. Knots of apprehension tangled with shame over the dream twisted in my gut. I gave her a curt nod.
‘Let’s go and burn off some of that rage. Come on. Let’s go training and kick Charon and Thanatos’s butts.’
Exhausted,I sipped a glass of nectar to ease my sore muscles while Tee prepared omelettes.
‘So, tell me about gods having fangs.’
Tee’s head turned, her surprise evident. ‘He showed you his fangs?’ Her brows knitted together, and I nodded. ‘Hmm,’ she mused. ‘Their fangs are retractable.’
I squinted at her, wondering why he’d not concealed them. ‘He said you were behind the whole blood-drinking scheme. Is that true?’
Tee released a throaty chuckle. ‘Yeah, I was a bit of a dick in the old days.’ I let out a surprised laugh, and she shrugged. ‘It’s true.’ She placed the omelettes on the table and I dove in immediately. ‘The custom of consuming blood has always held a magical and mysterious significance. It serves as a symbolic connection to life and death. I drank blood during my feasts?—’
‘Yuck.’ My mouth twisted in disgust, and she laughed.
‘I came up with the idea that the gods retain their powers, even without worship, after Titanomachy.’
‘The great war between the Titans and the gods,’ I mused, and she inclined her chin.
‘Zeus despised the concept, but the prospect of possibly losing the cosmos one day was enough for him to agree. After all, no one is infallible. Even the gods.’
‘But they’re immortal?’
‘Nothing that can be killed is truly immortal, Sephy.’
‘I suppose.’ My hand moved to my divine blade, and a thrum of energy skittered across my palm.
‘So they all drank my potion and gained an alternative source of lifeforce. That’s part of the reason they lost interest in the humans and the chaos they were causing in the mortal realm. Many humans are driven by arrogance and greed.’ She exhaled in frustration. ‘And it’s a significant reason why Zeus respects me, even though he hates my guts.’
‘He’s a douche-canoe.’ At my words, Tee released a peal of laughter.
‘I could brew the potion for you. Do you fancy having fangs?’ Tee gave me a sly grin.
‘Eww, no thanks. Fangless is good if you don’t mind.’ I scrunched up my face, and she spluttered a laugh. ‘Anyway, I’ve been swotting up on the gods. Erm, particularly Hades.’ I felt blood rush to my cheeks at the mention of sort of being a total stalker over him.
Then, the questions fell out of my mouth in one long exhale. ‘He kidnapped me, but he also took the original Persephone, didn’t he? Was she like me? Do I look like her? Is that why he kidnapped me? And her poor mother was frantic with worry. What happened to Demeter?’
‘You are the original Persephone, Sephy, and you know it.’ I wrinkled my nose and the odd feeling that she might be right gnawed at my gut.
‘But how?’
Tee gave a half-shrug in response. ‘Hades will need to tell you the entire story.’ I grumbled expletives at her words. ‘Just know, Sephy, your soul is hers; your body and face are hers. You are her.’ I scrunched my brows together.
‘Even with the remote chance I am her—which is very much debatable—I’m a different person. I'm me.’ I squinted at Tee and raised my chin.
‘Well, you’re certainly more feisty and stroppy than you used to be.’ I coughed out a shocked laugh. ‘You’ve been reborn, Sephy.’
‘Reborn?’
