The heavy oak door slammed in his face. Rage ran wild through Hades. How could he have been stupid enough to not only use Persephone as a pawn but to keep so much from her. It was his own fault she was gone, and he hated himself for it. Demeter was an issue he'd gladly deal with after he found Persephone safe.

Cerberus and their friend Daniel went to start the boat, Hades lagged behind and racked his brain trying to figure out where she could be. An Underworld security camera caught her at the docks, so he'd guessed she'd run here, but where?

Cerberus started the boat and called for Hades, but a part of him knew that she was here. He could burst through the front door and have Cerberus hold Demeter as they ripped apart the house, searching for her. A plausible option that he took into serious consideration. He kneeled down and took a fistful of snow, the cold bit at his skin. She was here. She had to be.

When he closed his eyes in attempt to clear his mind, a crash sounded from the garden, causing him to raise to his feet and walk over. As he did, he saw footprints in the snow leading to the closed garden shed. Slamming and crashing erupted like an alarm. The destruction continued for a few minutes and he waited patiently.

When the noise from inside came to an end, he slowly opened the door, confident at what he'd find on the other side. The light from the yard lamp peaked through the windows and illuminated the splattering of blood red pomegranate juice, a trail of it leading to the center of the shed where Persephone sat, head hunched. Her bright blonde hair stained red.

She peeked at him through a slit in her hair and snarled. He kneeled in from of her and went to speak. Before he said a word, she took a deep breath and raised her hand, driving the box cutter into his arm. He fell to the ground with a curse. The impact was painful but not the worst he'd experienced. With his teeth clenched, he pulled out the knife and tossed it to the ground. With labored breathing, he slowly made himself eye level with her again. She quickly grabbed the blade off the ground and readied to slash again but he lifted his bloodied arm and grabbed her wrist and forced it down. His arm burned and blood dripped from is coat sleeve.

She dropped the knife and Hades threw it to the back of the shed.

"I'm sorry," he said through clenched teeth.

His arm was pounding. He reached out and moved her hair, looking at her bright blue eyes that were consumed with sadness. "Please, forgive me. I swear I'll tell you everything you want to know. You have my word."

She looked at him and stared into his eyes, probably trying her best to read if he was trying to fool her again. He knew how to hide his emotion, but not this time. This time, he let his guard down and showed her his sincerity, looking back at her, he hoped she'd choose to give him another chance.

Her eyes glazed with tears. "What you wrote in the file was true . . . She's a monster . . . I don't want her to get away with this . . ."

"Let me help you," Hades muttered, practically pleading.

Persephone stood and waited for him to raise himself.

"And if I catch you in another lie?"

He raised a brow. "Once you have my word, you can count on it. When I make a promise, I keep it."

She went to leave and nodded for him to follow. When they left the shed, Cerberus was waiting outside, his arms crossed, gun held loosely in his grasp. He looked at the red stains covering Persephone and back to Hades, who had blood on both hands and gave Persephone a nod of respect.

She made a solemn turn toward the dock, The slump of he shoulders gave off that she felt defeated. Hades called her name and she turned.

"Where are the vegetables stored?"

She pointed at a larger gray shed a few yards off. Hades nodded and pulled a lighter from his pocket. He ran his thumb across the top, his bicep screaming in pain and threw the lighter onto a pile of dried logs that were most conveniently laid against the shed's wall. They watched for a moment while the flame grew smoke billowing. Hades walked back and turned to Persephone.

"Now we're really in this together," he pulled a piece of pomegranate flesh from her jacket and laughed. Popping the seed into his mouth he gave her a side smile and the trio left.