“You are puzzled?” Hecate asked.
“I just…where does all this stuff come from?” Persephone asked.
“It is made by the souls.”
“Why?” Persephone was confused. The dead did not need any of this stuff.
“I think you misunderstand what it means to be dead,” Hecate said. “Souls still have feeling and perception. It pleases them to live a familiar existence.”
“Lady Hecate!” a soul called.
Once one of the souls spotted the goddess, others did, too and approached. They bowed and grasped her hands. Hecate smiled and touched every soul. She introduced Persephone as the Goddess of Spring. At that, the souls seemed confused.
“We do not know the Goddess of Spring.” Of course, they didn’t—no one did.
Until now.
“She is the daughter of the Goddess of Harvest,” Hecate explained. “She will be spending time with us here in the Underworld.”
Persephone blushed. She felt compelled to offer an explanation, but what was she supposed to say? I entered into a game with your lord and he held me to a contract I must fulfill? She decided staying silent was best.
She and Hecate walked for a long while, exploring the market. Souls offered them everything—fine silk and jewels, fresh breads and chocolate. Then a young girl ran up to Persephone with a small, white flower. She held it out in her pale hand, bright-eyed, looking as alive as ever. It was a strange sight, and it made Persephone’s heart feel heavy.
Persephone's gaze fell to the flower. She hesitated because if she touched the petal, it would shrivel. Instead, she bent and allowed the soul to thread the flower into her hair. After, several more souls of all ages approached her to offer flowers.
By the time she and Hecate left Asphodel, a crown of flowers decorated Persephone’s head and her face hurt from smiling so much.
“The crown suits you,” she said.
“They are just flowers,” Persephone said.
“Accepting them from the souls means a lot,” Hecate said.
Persephone and Hecate continued toward the palace, and as they crested a hill, Persephone stopped short, finding Hades in the clearing. He was shirtless and chiseled, sweat glistened over his defined back and biceps. His arm was back as he prepared to throw the red ball his three hounds had brought her earlier.
For a moment, she felt panicked, like she was intruding or seeing something she wasn’t meant to see—this moment of abandon where he was engaged in something so…mortal.
It ignited something low in her stomach, a fluttering that spread to her chest.
Hades threw the ball, his strength and power evident in how impossibly far it went.
The hounds bolted and Hades laughed, deep and loud. She froze. It was warm like his skin and echoed in her chest.
Then the god turned and his eyes found Persephone immediately, as if he were drawn to her. Her eyes widened as she took him in. His skin was sun-kissed and her eyes trailed from his broad shoulders to the deep v of his abs. He was beautiful—a work of art, carefully sculpted. When she managed to look at his face again, she found Hades smirking, and she quickly averted her eyes, blushing.
Hecate marched forward, like she wasn’t even fazed by Hades’ physique.
“You know they never behave for me after you spoil them,” Hecate said.
Hades grinned. “They grow lazy under your care, Hecate.”
Then his eyes slid to Persephone. “I see you have met the Goddess of Spring.”
“Yes, and she is quite lucky I did. How dare you not warn her to stay away from the Lethe!”
Hades eyes widened, and Persephone tried not to smile at Hecate’s tone. When the Goddess of Witchcraft was finished lecturing the Hades, his eyes fell on Persephone. She felt flushed under his gaze.
“It seems I owe you an apology, Lady Persephone.”
Persephone wanted to tell him he owed her far more—but she couldn’t make her mouth worked. The way Hades looked at her took her breath away. She swallowed hard, and was relieved when a horn sounded in the distance. Persephone watched both Hecate and Hades turn in its direction. “I am being summoned,” she said.
“Summoned?”
Hecate smiled. “The judges are in need of my advice.”
Persephone didn’t understand, and Hecate didn’t explain. “My dear, call the next time you are in the Underworld. We’ll return to Asphodel.”
“I would love that,” Persephone said.
With that, Hecate vanished, leaving her alone with Hades.
“Why would the Judges need Hecate’s advice?”