Another chapter! Y'all might be happy to hear that I am participating in NaNoWriMo this month! And I started off the month on a great foot; I was 3 days late and spent all day yesterday writing nearly this entire chapter! Go me! (I do not recommend writing 4K+ words in one day. I nearly died.) After today, I should be fully caught up, and I anticipate another chapter coming your way soon. Thanks a million to all who have read, faved, followed, and reviewed the story. The love is appreciated more than you know! Thanks for giving Twilight Maiden a shot, and happy reading!

Foolishness.

What foolishness.

Minthe had absolutely believed that the ordeal with Acheron and Gorgyra would be the demise of that horrid wench who lay claim to Hades' heart.

After all, it was Minthe herself who had given Gorgyra the awful news of her husband's infidelity.

Only as a concerned friend, for all that Gorgyra knew.

Minthe knew exactly what would happen once the Nymph knew the truth. She would lash out. She would lure Annis back to her home to punish her with no ounce of mercy. Since Annis was attached at the hip to Persephone, save for her clandestine liaisons with somebody else's husband, Minthe also knew that the goddess would come running after her.

Gorgyra would not take too kindly to anyone stepping in while she got her revenge. Then the both of them would be out of Minthe's way.

Rhadamanthus would not be happy that Persephone would be caught up in the aftermath of the affair, but what did she care for his feelings? This was about her. He would find somebody else to lust over soon enough.

Of course, her plan required some intervention. Annis would have been discovered eventually but Minthe could not wait for eventually. The situation needed a push. A spark on the kindling to ignite the fire.

But the Nymph did not anticipate in Hades swooping in to rescue them. His duties as a god had eaten up his time. He was always off judging or doing some other task that needed his attention.

Yet he somehow knew that goddess was in distress and he came to save her. Now, they were cozying up in the garden, talking and laughing.

Hades even gave her one of his rings.

He had never done that for her.

Minthe cursed herself under her breath. It was foolish to go rogue and try to make her own plan. What she had done only served to bring them closer.

She needed to see Rhadamanthus as soon as possible. She needed to admit her mistake to him, and perhaps they could work towards a solution.

Something had to be done before it was too late.

For with every tender moment Hades and Persephone shared, their plan was in danger of failing.

Persephone

Persephone had not wanted their time together to end.

With those barriers broken and the fear of the truth ebbing away, Persephone was eager for Hades' company. Their conversation in the garden did not end with her fleeing fearfully or bashfully finding an excuse to leave immediately, as their meetings were often prone to ending.

Rather, it ended with a goodbye that had to be started again and again, for they could not manage to bring themselves to part. At last, Hades finally urged her to go find Annis; the Nymph would likely be anxious to see her friend after the ordeal with Acheron and Gorgyra.

Persephone reluctantly agreed that she needed to reunite with Annis, but she found it not quite that simple to tear herself from his side. Even as she stood from the bench and walked away, saying yet another goodbye to him over her shoulder, she felt as though she were leaving something behind.

Hades watched her, those dark eyes glowing with a warmth that no longer struck fear in her heart, but rather a strange sense of longing.

How long had she been in the Underworld? The nights and days did not cycle as they did in the world above. All she knew was that when the sky shifted from a hazy dusk to a deep, dark twilight, then that was what the residents of this world considered the night. And many, many of those dark evenings had passed her by. So perhaps, she had been in this strange new home for a few months?

And it had taken her until now to let her guard down with Hades—a man who she found herself getting along with better than she had gotten along with anyone before. His humor was subtle and wry, peppered with bits of sarcasm here and there. His demeanor was morose, but he had a strong and unwavering countenance that made her feel safe and protected.

Ironically enough.

She had seen his character all along but it took her until just now to let herself believe it to be true. Who could blame her for her doubts and skepticism? After all, he was her abductor. It was him who brought her unwillingly to his world.

But she did not consider him her captor any longer. The Underworld was no longer a prison. And if it came to be that she would never be able to leave this place, then Persephone did not think she would mind it so much.

There was a wild, breathtaking beauty in the misty world of souls. The rules of Olympus and the world above did not matter here. Hades and his subjects lived by different rules. There was danger hidden in every shadow and one needed to tread carefully, but this world was less cruel than the one shrouded in harsh sunlight.

Persephone wondered if her mind had been touched by madness to believe that this place might possibly be better than the one she left behind. Her thoughts swirled around in hazy musings as she wandered idly through the hallways of Hades' dwelling. Persephone twirled that heavy ring on her thumb and recalled the moment when his hands, so big and warm, held hers as he slipped it on. She could not stop thinking about the way his skin felt against hers.

She should have hated him, but Hades was proving to her time and again that he was exactly the god he claimed himself to be. What she saw in his actions—in his demeanor and words as well—showed his character. And she was drawn to him. It was a struggle to accept that her abductor was also a kind, gentle, and just man.

Why could she not stop thinking about him?

She somehow made it back to her chambers without wandering off in a daze. As Hades promised, Annis was there waiting for her. The Nymph jumped up from where she had been sitting on Persephone's bed and rushed over to greet her.

Persephone had trouble pulling herself out of her own hazy head as the two of them strolled across the room and through the doors to the balcony. Annis could tell that Persephone was a bit off and she inquired as to what happened when she met with Hades. A knowing look was scrawled across her face and Persephone could feel the heat of her blush on her own cheeks.

She fell into one of the chairs on the stone balcony and swept her gaze over the gardens below.

"Nothing happened." Persephone did not know if she was lying or not. "We just talked for a while."

"You were talking for quite a while. I worried that something had happened to you," Annis remarked with her usual mischief. Persephone brushed her off, doing a poor job at trying to act as if all were normal. She did not know what even she herself thought about this shift in their relationship, and talking about it now felt far too overwhelming.

Persephone hastily changed the subject. "Annis…" She let her countenance grow somber. "What happened? With Acheron?"

She watched as Annis' face fell from a smirk, closing her eyes and her lips turning downward. In the light of dusk, Persephone saw the shadow of a bruise darkening the lovely olive skin of her jaw; where she had been fiercely struck by another Nymph's angry palm. She closed her eyes and took in a steady breath, looking as if she had the weight of the world on her slender shoulders.

"It was a few weeks before you came to the Underworld, when he took notice of me at a party." Annis started, still hanging her head and closing her eyes. "We were both indulgent in wine and we snuck away to… become more acquainted with one another. After that, we could not stay away from each other."

Annis opened her eyes and Persephone saw that her amber irises were glimmering with regret and tears. "He was a mistake," Annis admitted, her voice trying not to break. "I knew it from the start, but I was so eager to have him. Nobody so handsome or powerful had ever paid me that sort of attention before. I knew who he was. I knew that he had a wife. I knew that she was a jealous type and prone to fits of temper. But I did not care about any of that. I was smitten. I was desperate. I was foolish."

She went on to tell Persephone how they needed to keep their affair a secret; Gorgyra would most certainly act out if she knew the truth. But as time moved on, she became less and less careful as her feelings for Acheron grew. The watchful eyes of the Underworld were finding them out, and more people than they would have liked soon knew about their salacious relationship.

Including Hades. Persephone asked what he said to her about it and Annis admitted that he gravely warned her against her actions, but did not demand that she end her affair.

"He was fair and just as he always is." Annis said and Persephone actually trusted the truth of that statement.

Annis then told Persephone that somehow, she was still not quite sure how it happened, that Gorgyra found out. When she found out and how long she held onto that information before acting, was also a mystery. But what mattered was simply that fact that Gorgyra knew and she acted out. Violently.

"I never went to Acheron's temple before today. I never would have gone there if I had not been led to believe that he himself was summoning me. Gorgyra deceived me. She sent me a message making me think that Acheron was the sender. But I was so blindly infatuated with him, I did not listen to that voice in my head telling me that it was unusual for him to ask me to come to his home. I only saw what I wanted to see; that perhaps this meant we could stop hiding. I was wrong… I was terribly wrong. Then, to be abused by his wife's hand while he just sat there and watched. He let it happen. After he proclaimed to care for me… it was unbearable. To realize that inwas nothing more than a fleeting lover to him when I… when I wanted to love him, even though he was not mine to love. That rejection hurt worse than Gorgyra's fists."

"Oh… Annis… he was wrong to let that happen." Persephone moved to go sit beside Annis. She draped her arm over her shoulder and pulled her in close.

"Gorgyra was wrong to attack you. I am sorry that this happened to you. I don't believe that you were foolish. You just…" Persephone sighed. Annis made a mistake, but she already knew that. She did not need her friend to heap more guilt on her shoulders.

"I made a mistake." Annis let the tears fall down her cheeks. "I wanted love, and I wanted it too much."

Neither of them said anything else as Annis broke down in tears. Persephone held her close, resting her head on her shoulder. She gently stroked her hair while Annis emptied herself of emotion, giving her comfort as best as she could.

The warmth in her heart she carried with her after her time with Hades was growing cold at each word that Annis said to tell her story. Guilt crept in where happy feelings had fluttered and doubt darkened her memory.

Was it wrong of her to let herself start to care for Hades? After all, it was all because of her that Annis sought love in the arms of a man who turned out to be a cold-hearted, miserable god. Annis could have found love in Hades but instead, he loved Persephone.

Hades loved her.

Persephone could finally let herself admit it. She stopped playing silly games of denial in her head and accepted that he did indeed love her. But her feelings for him in return were far too new and tumultuous to even try and identify. And it was less frightening to let them stay unnamed.

But did she even have a right to pursue him? Would it be a betrayal to Annis?

Would loving Hades in return be a betrayal to herself?

Hades

His world was getting crowded.

He had noticed quite a staggering influx of new souls as of late. River Styx was overflowing with boats, filled with the macabre new arrivals as they were ferried down the dark waters. The pockets of Charon's tattered robes were jingling and heavy from all the coins given to him by his passengers.

Hades spent nearly all of his time at the amphitheater, judging those who would go to Elysian, the Isle, or Asphodel.

Whenever there was an unusually high number of souls coming to his world, it meant that something catastrophic was happening with the mortals.

There was a small window of time between audiences and Hades had summoned to meet with young messenger god. Hermes acted as his eyes and ears for the world above, since he did not care to leave his realm often to traverse the lands where other nosy immortals could watch him. The golden haired god would bring him news and important updates on a regular basis, so he found it unusual when Hermes did not immediately come to him and tell him what might be going on with all the new arrivals.

And as he watched the god flit across the Styx with his winged gold sandals, there was obvious apprehension scrawled across his youthful face. Hades waited for him on the other side, standing beside a billowing willow tree, and wondered what he was so nervous about.

What made Hermes nervous, normally so jovial, and why was he hiding it?

"Lord Hades," the younger man greeted as he landed lightly on the bank of the river. "How may I be of service to you?"

Hades frowned. Hermes' formality was somewhat odd. He liked to be playful; telling jokes and being mischievous, never taking Hades too seriously or being overly formal. With his bright hair and sky-blue eyes, he was a light in the gloom. So the way he was acting now told Hades that something was going on and Hermes did not want to share.

"As you know, there has been an increased number of souls entering the Underworld. What can you tell me of the mortals and why they all seem to be so eager to meet me?" Hades inquired, watching as Hermes all but squirmed beneath his gaze.

"Well… that is an excellent question." The younger man started off, his voice trembling slightly. "You see… there has been a shift in the world above."

"A shift?" He repeated skeptically, raising a brow.

"Yes, Lord Hades." Those blue eyes were busy studying the swaying of the willow branches in the wind; looking at anything but Hades himself. "A shift—a change, if you will."

"What sort of change?" Hades crossed his arms over his chest and held back a disgruntled sigh. He was trying not to grow impatient but he also did not care to play a game of questions.

Hermes was all but bouncing on his feet. His tanned skin held a telling blush and his eyes shifted everywhere. Even his golden curls seemed to shake with nerves.

"The air has gone cold," he muttered lowly, as if talking quietly would soften the blow of what he was about to say. "Fields have died. The bounty of the world has gone barren. People are starving and dying… and that… is why…"

The answer hit him like an arrow in the chest. "What?" Hades cried incredulously. "What has caused this change?"

"That is… hard for me to answer." Hermes was now raking his hand through his hair, tangling his curls into a hopeless mess. "You see… it is because Demeter has abandoned her duties. She has gone missing. Nobody knows where she is or what she is doing. And she is purposely neglecting her duties because she is… distraught over Persephone." Hermes finished awkwardly.

Hades felt the breath flee from his lungs. His face twisted into a grimace of disgust and horror. Now he could understand the messenger god's hesitation to tell him.

Needless deaths were happening. All because of him.

Guilt like he had known never before washed over him in waves.

"She is forcing Zeus' hand." Hades added grimly for him. His fists were clenched at his side and he was glaring at nothing off in the distance. "She is causing the mortals to die to send a message to Zeus. He is not heeding her rash actions, is he?"

Hermes nodded to confirm Hades's suspicions. The older god grimaced, then swore beneath his breath.

"This is all my fault…"

Hermes could say nothing in return. He shuffled on his sandals and found the ground beneath his feet suddenly quite interesting.

How could Demeter do this? What sort of abhorrent wish did she have in her heart to let the people above suffer needlessly? He sighed so heavily, that it was nearly a pained growl. Of course he knew her wish; to have her daughter back. The one thing that she might never be able to have again was the only thing she wanted.

The silence weighed heavily down on the two immortals. Hermes eventually mustered the courage to ask Hades if there was anything more that he needed. But Hades could sense that Hermes was aching to get away from this awkward conversation. So he dismissed the god, dully thanking him for bringing him this news.

No wonder the boy did not tell him immediately, Hades thought to himself as he watched Hermes zoom across the Styx. What horrible news to bring to somebody; telling them that innocent mortals were dying because of their actions.

Hades could not shake the guilt. He had no right to even want the guilt to be gone. For none of this would be happening if he had not kidnapped Persephone in a moment of panic. If Hades had set aside his selfishness and fear, then all would be will with the world. He was doing the thing he hated the absolute most; making the mortals suffer because of the whims of immortals.

His own damned whim was causing death on earth, and where did those dead go when they lost their life? To his realm. His home was rapidly filling with the consequences of his actions.

After what he had done, he deserved nothing less.

Hades remained grim and morose all the way to the amphitheater. He wished that he did not have to attend to his duties. How could he face all those souls who were here because the gods they worshiped were failing them?

When he reached the vast circular seating area carved from the black rock of the Underworld, he saw that it was fully occupied. Filled to the brim with men, women, and children alike. His heart ached when he saw it. Death was a part of life for the mortal people, but what of these humans were here because of a peaceful end and how many met an untimely demise?

More heavy sighs left his lips as he trudged where he and the judges were to sit. Everyone else was gathered, waiting for him before they began. Only one seat remained for him. To his utmost displeasure, Hades found himself with no other choice but to be seated next to Rhadamanthus.

He had been doing his best to avoid the Judge lately, thought it had not been an easy task because of the time they were forced to be in each other's presence.

Whatever fragile respect that Rhadamanthus had for Hades that kept his attitude at bay, was wearing thin these days. A smug smile would light up his face whenever Hades came near, and those pale eyes would watch him with triumph and bold scrutiny. The silver-haired man was growing careless, believing that he had some sort of upper hand over the god of the Underworld.

Because of Persephone. Because of her willing choice to befriend him, despite knowing that Hades did not approve. He knew exactly what Rhadamanthus wanted from her. And Rhadamanthus knew exactly how Hades felt about Persephone.

"You seem cheery this morning," he called out playfully as Hades drew near.

Hades said nothing to his companion as he settled himself into his seat even though he could feel the heat of Rhadamanthus' smirk burning into his skin. He gave the judge at his other side permission to start the proceedings, also asking him to take the lead. His guilt felt like a stone on his chest and it did not mingle well with the presence of the slimy man at his other side.

The judge began to address the first few souls that came forward. Hades tried to concentrate on his words, but to his dismay, felt Rhadamanthus leaning in.

"You and I have been seeing much of one another lately." His voice was smooth and sharp as he whispered into Hades' ear. "What a nice change. I was starting to miss your company from when you came to me for council."

"An action that I am questioning more and more each day," Hades replied sardonically, leaning away from his offensive closeness. He kept his focus trained solely on the judging at hand, trying not to look at Rhadamanthus.

He heard a wicked laugh just inches away. "You wound me, Hades." Rhadamathus teased, completely unphased and in fact, amused by Hades' sour reply.

The judging completely lost his interest. Hades growled like a bear as he turned to face Rhadamanthus. His sharp features were still pulled into that damned smirk and his eyes were shining with triumph as his intended slight hit its mark.

"It is Lord Hades." He corrected him darkly.

"Oh, forgive me. I forget myself sometimes." He laughed again while rolling his eyes as if he had made a silly error; not a blatant insubordination. "Well, I must admit that I do not miss you as much I would, if it were not for the lovely creature that visits me in your absence. She is far better to spend an afternoon with than you."

Rhadamanthus was trying to get under his skin. He was trying and dangerously close to succeeding. Hades was getting questioning looks from the other judges as his conversation with Rhadamanthus started to reach their ears. He turned his attention back to the judging of the souls. They deserved his attention, since it was likely his fault that they were there in the first place.

"That is her choice." Hades grumbled under his breath as he watched what looked to be an entire family stand before the judges. "Not mine."

But Rhadamanthus was not finished with him. He leaned in again, utterly ignoring his duties, and whispered to Hades once more.

"And a good thing it is, for I would miss her far more than I miss you. I am surprised that you have not locked her away in that palace of yours and forbidden her to see me."

Hades gripped the arms of his chair so tightly, there were cracks left behind in the stone.

"She is free to live as she pleases in this world." He reminded him but could hardly keep his anger from seeping into his tone.

"Indeed she is." Rhadamanthus purred. "And she has chosen to befriend me. She has chosen me, Lord Hades." He added acidicly.

Hades was still trying his best to focus on anything else. But Rhadamanthus would not relent. He pushed once more, leaning in ever closer until he could feel his breath warning his ear.

"She chose me. Over you."

Hades could not help the rage that swelled inside of his chest. A deep growl of thunder rumbled in the misty sky. If Rhadamanthus wanted to push him, then so be it. He whirled around in his chair until he was nose-to-nose with the lesser god. Rhadamanthus was completely taken aback by this display, gasping in fright. His eyes were wide and even flashing with hints of fear as he hastily backed away from Hades.

"That may be, but I get even a whiff of any harm coming to her because of you, I will punish you in such a way, even Zeus himself would be ashamed to hear of it." His voice was as dangerous as the thunder that kept on rumbling overhead.

The judges went silent and they turned to watch Hades berate the silver-haired menace. They had all been aching to see him be put in his place for ages.

"Despite your silver tongue and sly mind, I have trusted your council because you do not mince your words or shy away from telling me the truth. But lately, my mind has been changing about you." He narrowed his eyes at Rhadamanthus and leaned in until their noses were almost touching. Hades saw the facets of his pale eyes in every shade of icy blue. He saw the faintest dusting of freckles on his nose, the marks hidden in his ivory skin.

Freckles just like Persephone. Evidence of their shared parentage.

And that made the anger swell all over again.

"Your council is not trusted and your company is detestable. You have lost that tiny modicum of respect for me, and it is making you deplorable. I do not know what your goal is in goading me into anger, but this is your first and only warning. You must tread carefully, Rhadamanthus, for you are on thin ice."

The god could only gape at Hades. His surprise at Hades' rare outburst was undisguised. He had seen an angry Hades before, but never had that cold fury directed at him before. Even the judges watched warily as they themselves had rarely seen Hades give in to anger.

But Rhadamanthus' surprise did not last long. His cheeks reddened with a blush from embarrassment, but he let out a shaky laugh as he tried to gather his composure.

"Now you finally sound like the god of the Underworld." Rhadamanthus taunted as he shuffled in his seat to get away from Hades. But his cavalier attitude shifted and his eyes grew steely.

"I have grown weary of being careful." Was his daring sneer back at Hades. "These new changes in the world have been inspiring me to turn over a new leaf."

"And what would that entail?" Hades coldly demanded.

Rhadamanthus raised one of his elegant eyebrows, letting his thin lips curl into a smile. "Not being careful anymore."

Hades was fuming. The other judges were wearing looks of alarm as this unabashed rebellion. The arm of the stone chair was crumbling beneath his fingers. The light had become shadowy as the clouds grew darker. A deafening peal of thunder shook the ground.

And that smile on Rhadamanthus' face never faltered. He wanted this reaction from his superior, Hades could only surmise. For what, he could not imagine. Perhaps to prove that he was the better choice? Or to show that he was not one to be trifled with?

Whatever pathetic reasons that Rhadamathus had, Hades was tired of playing his game.

"You are an obstruction to the judging process. Leave, and come back when you are ready to take your task seriously." Hades ordered without ceremony. The other judges were now murmuring amongst themselves.

Rhadamanthus balked once more. The red on his cheeks returned and that smirk lost some of its luster. He said not another word as he rose from his seat with a haughty air, as if he had chosen to leave on his own fruition. His white robes swirled around Hades' ankles as he turned on his heels and marched away. That silver hair of his gleamed eerily in the dim light, making him seem like a ghost in the night.

Hades watched him walk away, scowling at the back of his head.

He would have to watch this one closely from now on.

Not only for the sake of Persephone, but for his declaration of no longer wanting to be careful. If his past actions had been him being "careful," then Hades dreaded to see what he considered reckless.

Persephone

Persephone had been told not to traverse to the fringes of Tartarus on her own, but the need inside of her for council was too great to heed to caution. She needed to speak to the goddess of the night.

Nyx dwelled on the borderlines of the Underworld and Tartarus, right beside the dreaded spit of land that imprisoned the Titans, so Persephone snuck away from her room to traverse the land and find her friend.

Persephone had never been farther than the ancient pavilion tucked away in the grove, deep in the forest near the border. But she had a fairly good sense of where to go beyond that point.

The trees here were old and wild. Their bark was rough and their roots gnarled as she picked her way over the narrow path. The light was blocked out by the branches entwining overhead, casting a nighttime shade over the world around her. Yet even as she emerged from the forest, the darkness did not diminish.

A sky full of morose clouds greeted her, hanging over the wild world that opened up before her. The vegetation was sparse—only hardy shrubs and scrawny trees dared to grow in the rocky ground. The terrain was steep with craggy ravines and jagged cliffs.

She had to watch her step as she followed what looked like a rather loosely kept trail. It took her up the side of the ravine, winding back and forth until it took her to the very top of the cliff. Persephone was breathing heavily with exertion, but she dared not leave the path and venture into the unknown wilds. At the top, she saw the yawning entrance of a cave on the side of the cliff face.

Slender pillars had been etched from the stone on either side, accompanied by an awning with carved figures that she could not quite identify. It was all weathered and worn, looking to be as ancient as the goddess herself. Persephone took a minute to study this structure and wondered if this was Nyx's dwelling place. Her feet took a few hesitant steps towards the entrance, but she lost her nerve as the mouth of the cave seemed to grow deeper and darker.

Persephone was starting to rethink her choice to come see Nyx on her own. But those burning questions in the back of her head were not ones that Annis or Hades could answer for her. She sighed lightly as she turned back to the path from which she came. Perhaps she just needed to muster up her courage before venturing into the hungry mouth of the cave.

Persephone followed the line of the ravine below here until it ended abruptly at the edge of a valley. The flat land seemed to be veiled in deep shadow. Persephone could hardly see any sort of distinctive scenery—just darkness and mist.

Though, as her eyes traveled to the horizon, she could see something bright and fiery. Shadows danced ominously on the clouds as that indistinguishable red flickered.

Exactly like fire.

Persephone gasped in both fright and amazement. Was that Tartarus? Persephone inched closer to the edge of the cliff to get a better look. Could that flickering red on the horizon be the eternal imprisonment for the Titans?

For Cronus.

The vicious being who devoured his own children for fear of a prophecy? Persephone frowned in contemplation as she realized the hazy connection. She twirled Hades' ring and mused on her time with Rhadamanthus and her meeting with the Fates. Prophecy and fate bringing fear and desperate actions was not something unfamiliar to her…

She stepped closer to the edge, her eyes never leaving the glowing horizon, mesmerized by the flames that seemed to erupt from the very ground itself—

There came the crunching of footsteps on stone and then a familiar voice calling out. "Persephone? What are you doing here?"

The goddess whirled around to see a slender figure leaning against one of the pillars, black hair falling over her mist colored robes and delicate features heavy with concern.

Persephone was instantaneously relieved to see her friend, instead of having to go into that cave to find her.

"I came to see you!" Persephone exclaimed as she skipped over to Nyx.

"All the way to the borders of Tartarus?" Nyx questioned with her brows raised as she watched Persephone make her way over to the entrance. "Is something the matter?"

"I just…" Persephone came to a stop beside her friend and felt a bit foolish, though there was no reason to.

"I needed to talk to you. About matters that I cannot ask Annis or Hades… only you."

Her blue eyes glimmered with curiosity. "Very well. Come with me." She straightened up her stance and gestured for Persephone to follow her into the cave.

Persephone needed a bit of encouragement before she was able to slip into the inky darkness awaiting her. Nyx, leading her by the hand, guided Persephone into the dark cave. She fully expected for the blackness to swallow her whole, but as they walked into the cave, a cool light illuminated their path. Scones with fire in the palest hue of blue were gently burning every five feet or so.

"I did not see this light from the outside," Persephone marveled as they walked along a path that slopes downward. "If I had known, I would not have hesitated to enter."

Nyx smiled proudly and explained that her dwelling place in the cave was welcoming to friends; the torches would always light for her. But her home would act more unkindly to strangers and those who were less than friendly beings. For instance, if Minthe ever tried to show up, then she would sorely regret her choice.

When Persephone inquired further, Nyx simply told her that she was fortunate to have to never know what dangers could befall here here.

Nyx guided Persephone further into the cave, going deep into the mountain. The torches provided that cool light until the sloping path ended abruptly at yet another entrance.

A wide, cavernous space opened up before them. Dozens of stalactites of a pale white stone hung from the ceiling. The floor beneath was of an inky black marble. Right in the middle of the room was a massive brazier full of those same blue flames, casting the roof into a mysterious shade of blue.

Persephone admired the simple but stunning space as Nyx led her across the floor, past a small throne etched from limestone and reflecting the flickering flames to make it glow blue. She stopped them at the end of the room. A small, slender underground river cut through the ground, flowing over smooth, black river stones.

The two goddesses sat at the edge of the river and dipped their toes into the clear, cool water. Once they were settled, Nyx turned to Persephone and smiled gently.

"Speak your mind, Seph," she encouraged. But Persephone was silent for a brief moment. She turned from Nyx to the shallow stream trickling over the rocks.

She did not know how to start. Her mind was a flurry of thoughts and confusion. Now that she was removed from the situation, Persephone's mind kept turning to Gorgyra. Persephone felt pity for the Nymph, amidst her lingering resentment and she was not quite sure why she was feeling such conflicting emotions. Demeter would have told her to only feel anger, and she felt that Annis would likely agree. But Persephone had to know why she was feeling both pity and resentment so strongly.

"I am sure that you heard about the incident with Annis and Acheron." Persephone said at last, speaking to the flowing water instead of her friend.

"I have heard." Persephone listened too Nyx's soft whisper. "And you were an unfortunate witness."

"And almost a victim." Persephone grumbled, but then she let her ire turn into a sigh. "I cannot understand why Gorgyra only wanted to punish Annis. Why not also be enraged with her husband?"

"She had been wronged and in turn, wronged others. She was ultimately, hurt. Betrayed by the one who should have loved her, and her love turned to rage, and her rage turned to anyone she could blame. Anyone except the one who had hurt her the most; the one whose love she wanted to possessively hold on to. If she did not show any anger towards him, perhaps he would love her enough to not seek out another affair?" Nyx patiently explained to her.

"So she is to be excused of her anger?" Persephone wrinkled her brow in slight confusion.

"No," Nyx shook her head; Persephone could see in the reflection of the smooth water. "It is not an excuse for her awful behaviour, but rather a way to understand what was going on in her heart."

"I see. I think I understand." Perspehone said, glancing back over at Nyx.

"Hearts bound by love will do outrageous things for those they hold dear." The older goddess went on to explain. "Love can be wonderful but it can also be a dangerous weapon."

Persephone pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. "That rings terribly true…" she remarked, thinking of her mother's often overly-zealous love. "But why do I feel sadness for her? For Gorgyra? Shouldn't I feel enraged and only that?"

"Because you recognize that she too, was suffering. And I do not think you are the kind who can abide people suffering. You are compassionate, even for those who have wronged you. That is a feeling that you should try not to let your anger burn away. Compassion is what keeps mortals and immortals alike from acting as heinous beings."

"My mother would not have agreed with you." Perspehone had to let out a small laugh. "I think her compassion was, as you say, burned away long ago."

But Nyx was understanding. She smiled gently at Persephone and nodded.

"Many of the immortals have forgotten this. We have lived too long and been wronged too many times to remember the goodness in ourselves. Hades is one who remembers. Thankfully, he was there to protect you and Annis both."

Nyx was only trying to be reassuring. Persephone had no doubts about her intentions to comfort, but her words did not bring any sort of assurance. The other goddesses unknowingly touched on the other thoughts that were troubling Persephone.

"There is too much that I do not know. About life and love. Even about myself. I am a goddess and yet…" She released a heavy gust of air from her chest. "I do not feel like one. The way that Gorgyra and Acheron were easily able to subdue me… they could have harmed me… this should not be. I should not be so defenseless and helpless."

Persephone suddenly scrambled to her feet, agitated and feeling so vulnerable for saying this last thing out loud—a woe she had carried with her for far longer than just the incident with Acheron.

"I am… I am a daughter of Zeus." It tasted bitter on her tongue to say it, but it was a truth unable to be denied. "A daughter of Demeter. I was born a goddess but never allowed to be one."

"You cannot blame yourself for what happened at the River of Woe," Nyx had likewise stood to her feet, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The circumstances of your upbringing are not your blame either. You have not known much freedom. It is not weakness but rather… just a lack of knowing your true self."

Persephone turned to the brazier, watching the blue flames flicker.

"I know that it is not my fault," she mused aloud. "And you are right; I have not been granted freedom. But here, in the Underworld of all places, I am more free than I have ever been."

A thought struck her like an arrow. She gasped and then whirled around to face Nyx, excitement bubbling inside of her. She had so much freedom now, and why was she wasting it?

"Nobody is here to stop me from becoming me." Persephone's exclaimed. "I can become the goddess I was born to be. Can you show me?"

Nyx widened her azure eyes in confused wonder. "Show you what?"

"How to be a goddess!" Persephone repeated, too excited to see that Nyx was visibly hesitant. "Beyond just petty tricks. Help me to learn how to use these strengths I was born with, but was never allowed to let flourish. I have thought about this incessantly ever since the ordeal with Acheron. I cannot ask Annis for help because she is not a goddess. And Hades…"

She felt her heart flutter when she thought of him. "It would be silly to ask him. That leaves me with you. You are the only one who can help me."

"Persephone…" Nyx looked so helpless. "I am not certain if I can help. My powers are different than yours." Persephone could tell that she was trying not to crush her enthusiasm but her hesitation was genuine.

"I understand but… I need this." Persephone insisted. "I do not want to be useless any longer. I do not want to be stagnant. I am coming into myself more and more the longer I am here, and I do not want to be held back."

Persephone reached out to grasp her friend's hands in hers. "Please, Nyx. I need guidance."

"I will do my best." She promised, still so uncertain of herself but her willingness to try was what Persephone needed.

"Your best is more than enough." Persephone assured her with gratefulness.

Nyx nodded but remained silent for a moment. Her gaze was contemplative.

"Have you ever wondered that perhaps this power was with you all along?" She pulled her dark brows together into a frown as she asked. "And maybe it is not training that you need, but rather someone to have confidence in you?"

At first, Persephone feared that Nyx was rapidly going back on her promise of guidance. She pulled her hands away and crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to get upset.

But then she actually pondered what Nyx said. Could it be that all she needed was just a chance to try?

"I have not wondered such a thing before. But perhaps there is truth to that theory. I was born with these abilities. Maybe it is not so much training that I need, like you said but for somebody to allow me to be. And confidence that I can indeed be the goddess I am meant to be."

She paused, searching Nyx's face. "You would have confidence in me, right?"

"I have the utmost confidence in you, Seph." The goddess promised warmly before adding. "And I know that Annis would as well."

Then her blue eyes flashed as brightly as the fire in the brazier. "And so would Hades," Nyx added knowingly.

"I'm sure…" Persephone has to turn away again, but it was already late. Nyx had seen.

She reached out to grasp Persephone's chin, turning the goddess back to her. Her azure gaze pierced into Persephone and she let her flawless features settle into a wide, silly grin.

"Something is different." Nyx told her.

"About me?" Persephone tried to act as if she knew nothing about anything, but Nyx was far too sharp for her futile effort. .

"About you. With Hades."

Persephone did not reply. She just grinned back at Nyx and let her interpret for herself what that meant. All of this with Hades was still so new. Conflict about what she should do swirled around in her head and in her heart.

Rhadamanthus still popped up in her thoughts, and Persephone was hopelessly lost between him and Annis and Hades. There was not a straightforward solution, or so she believed.

But Nyx was not a liar. Something had changed with Hades, and Persephone had no idea what to do about it.

Hades

Tartarus was a place that he only visited when he was in a certain mood.

Gloomy. Morose. Somber.

More so than usual.

Frustrated. Agitated.

Inconsolable.

Lost.

He had come here last when Persephone was first taken to the Underworld. That was certainly not his proudest moment and he needed to disappear for a bit while the dust of his stupid choice settled.

So Hades had traversed the land in search of an unusual council.

There was one secret he carried. One that he knew his siblings would disapprove of. One that would surely bring judgement and confusion from those who did not understand; those who would not want to understand.

Eons and eons before, Zeus had exiled their treacherous father and put Hades in charge of his imprisonment. But Zeus had no say over what Hades did with him once he was held in his realm.

It had taken years for him to start paying his father visits in his prison. That first contact had been a hardship for them both. Time had changed the Titan from the monster he had been when he devoured his children. He was a shadow of the mighty being that he had once was.

Instead of pure anger, Hades mostly had pity for Cronus.

Ever since then, when Hades was in a state of mind that was distressed or woebegone, he sought company in the father he once loved. With events in his life that needed more than the sharp advice of a brutally honest god or the motherly presence of Nyx, he came to Cronus.

Sometimes for advice. Sometimes just to vent. Sometimes to sit quietly and draw solace from his presence.

He could not explain the draw he had to his father, but he was compelled every so often to visit that lonely prison in Tartarus.

Perhaps he had never stopped craving a father's presence; after all, Hades was the only of his siblings that had any semblance of a relationship with his father before he went mad.

There was a time, a brief window in his life, where Cronus had been a loving father… before he consumed his son… and only Hades had been a witness to that side to him.

The others were all consumed before they even had a chance to know him.

It was not a simple relationship, the one he had with Cronus now. His father had not been receptive at first. In fact, he had been cruel to his son, lashing out with vitriolic hatred because of his defeat and imprisonment.

But Hades did not give up. He could not. That draw to his father was too compelling. It had taken ages to get to the point to where they were now; Cronus had settled in his resentment and began to show interest in Hades.

Over time, they formed a careful bond; one of shaky trust and fragile respect. Cronus could still be vicious when Hades happened to catch him in a foul mood and Hades sometimes lost his temper and harshly berated his father for his past actions.

But Hades always came back. And Cronus always seemed to be eager for his company.

It seemed foolish at times, to pursue a bond with his father after everything that happened, but he could not help it. He could not forget the man he once was and part of him foolishly hoped that maybe… maybe… he could find that man again.

Hades was leaving behind a conversation in which he had vented to Cronus about Rhadamanthus. The Titan did not have much to say, but Hades was not needing advice. It was not wanted. He just needed a pair of ears to listen to him. Advice could come later, and perhaps from Nyx. She was better than anyone else he knew about matters of the heart, especially matters of love.

Hades was trudging along the rugged landscape that just so happened to be close to Nyx's cliffside dwelling.

Perhaps he could visit her?

But then he spotted a slim figure wandering through a trail that wound through the scraggly brush. The sight caught him by surprise. It was not Nyx. Instead, it was a familiar young woman that made his heart both ache and swell.

"Perspehone?" He called out her name. Her long, ash blonde hair ruffled in the wind as she turned to him. Perspehone spotted him and even from a distance, he could see the bashful smile play out on her rosy lips.

A welcome change after her being so fearful of his presence.

He could feel his heart soaring in his chest as she waited for him to catch up to her. She crossed her arms over her stomach, but it was not a defensive stance. Rather, one that was relaxed.

Her hair swirled around her face and those hazel eyes of hers watched him with interest. She wore robes of the deepest shade of purple, contrasting in the most beautiful way with the sun-kissed color of her skin.

The way she stood on top of the hill with the dusky sky as the backdrop and the sage-colored bushes swaying around her, Hades thought that she looked as if she belonged in this world.

Hades reached her and that smile of hers only grew wider as he drew near.

She was so lovely, it was unbearable.

"What are you doing here?" He asked with mild surprise. "And how did you slip away from Annis?"

"I am rather skilled at dodging Nymphs." She replied saucily. "And I wanted to pay Nyx a visit. And since she is not exactly in Tartarus but rather just close to it… I thought it would be fine." Persephone cut her eyes up to Hades, all mischief and innocence, waiting for him to chide her.

He regarded her seriously for a second. "You should not be so close to Tartarus," he warned, but that look on her face was too irresistible. "But you are brave to come here on your own. Brave and perhaps a bit foolish," Hades finished with a playful tease.

"I cannot say I disagree with you," Persephone played along with him. "Perhaps I need somebody who knows this place much better than I to escort me back home?"

Home. Hades warmed at her use of that word. She was calling his dwelling her home.

Hades took a step closer to her, taking in the sight of her standing so close to him with that lovely smile on her face.

"I think perhaps I could be of use to you. I know this world well. I could show you the way, if you will allow me to?"

He raised his arm, offering for her to take it. Those hazel eyes fluttered to his waiting arm and she blushed daintily. He watched as she chewed her lip in concentration, trying not to let her smile widen.

He wanted to hold her and never let go. He wanted to kiss her as if his survival depended on it.

"I think I will." Persephone decided. She let her arm curl through his and even went so far as to step close to his side.

He could smell the sweet scent of flowers wafting from her skin. Every time she was close to him, her floral scent would permeate the air and Hades would fall for her all over again.

And this closeness now was driving him wild. But he kept his composure and gave her a gentle pull to guide her along the path. They walked together, sharing no words but instead simply enjoying the other's company.

Not even his ugly encounter with Rhadamanthus could sour his mood as Persephone wound her arm willingly through his.

That wretched god told him that Persephone had chosen him over Hades.

But as Hades walked side by side with her, he noticed that she still wore his ring on her finger.