Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 74198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
“I need her with me,” I snap at him. “That is something you will never understand.” My gaze flicks between Hades and Hecate in front of me, and now Zeus is at my back. I stalk toward the edge, Aphrodite’s hand in mine as she pulls me from the center of the room so that the parties may be separated but see one another. Zeus at the throne, Hades by the entrance, and me at the edge of the hall.
And so war has come to me. Perhaps all I needed truly was patience.
“I do understand Demeter,” Hades tells me and it’s a lie! He cannot understand this pain. A crowd forms around Hades. A circle of spectators lies at the edge of our circle. These matters, hearings of sorts are never truly private—not on Olympus. And all the gods and goddesses will take a side. I hear their whispers. That I was crazed. Oh the looks on their faces though when they learned of Zeus’s betrayal. Was I not right to be crazed? Driven mad by deceit and loss.
Some of the crowd only want to drive those who argue into a hotter frenzy, as a sport. Some of them have an eye toward their own children and their own futures. Some of them want Zeus’s favor. Others want my favor so I may bless them with abundance. Whispers spread from the threshold, as well. Hades is here, they call to those who chose not to come. How could they resist such a spectacle. Hades has come from the Underworld to steal Persephone away again.
My hand stretches yet again at the thought, and I can imagine blowing the fine red powder in his direction. Hades himself moves toward me, glancing at Zeus as he does.
Come closer, you fool. Breathing heavily, I wait. I allow him to move freely. Come to me so that I may end this once and for all.
“I knew not what a sickness love was until I loved Persephone. She is all I think about; all I want. The pain her absence causes me is one that is worse than all of the hells I could manage. No, Demeter, she is not a daughter to me. She is my queen. And every day in the Underworld is torture without her.”
“Then you wish for us all to live in hell.” These men will drive me to madness. They cannot look past themselves. They cannot see what grief they are capable of causing, even when it is laid out in front of them. It is far too much to bear. “You wish for the Underworld to be here. You wish for the destruction of this place, and when Olympus has fallen, you wish for the mortal world to fall as well.” Murmurs rise within the space as fear flows freely.
Hades shakes his head and raises his voice for all to hear. “I do not want every realm to be the Underworld. I only wish to rule my realm with my queen beside me where she belongs. It is known. She is now the queen of the dead. I only wish to be granted what is demanded by law and not condemned to an eternity in hell. She took my hand in union, she ate the seeds that bind her to the Underworld. And yet, you claim I have no right to her presence. You attempt to keep me from her!”
Seething with rage, I cannot trust myself to speak at his accusation.
“And where does that leave us?” Zeus shouts, rising from his throne and pushing his way closer. Both men coming closer. I stay as still as can be. The Fates blessing me with a possibility I could not have dreamed of. Both of them at once, suffering the spell I hold in my pocket. “Where does that leave my realm and all the gods and goddesses in it? Do you think your precious Underworld would still stand without our work?”
A few voices rise to agree with Zeus. The two gods are too far away but as they posture and tensions rise, they grow closer and closer together, closer to me as well.
Come closer, I will. At the thought, Hecate’s eyes catch mine and my heart races. Do not interfere with my justice, witch!
Hades ignores the voices, carrying on about balance and Olympus's rule being the one true law. He narrows his eyes at Zeus. “If I were you, Zeus, I would be far more concerned about my own status.”
Casting my gaze out to where the gasps come from, I realize more gods and goddesses gather around. I would not be surprised if all of Olympus was here. Hermes and Eros peek from the corner, arrows at the ready. My heart races. Would they take aim at me if I were to do what I came here to do? I had not thought past my intention. Aphrodite reaches out for one of my hands, but does not take it. She is too struck watching the argument come to a head. Athena, too, has been swept aside by Zeus, but she leans around him, staring at Hades.