“S-sure,” he said. “You want the get-away vehicle again?”

“It’s not my preferred method of escape, but if it’s the only choice…”

He smiled, more at ease now. She wondered what had him on edge.

“I might have something better.”

Pirithous grabbed his keys, shut off the light, and locked up before leading her to an unmarked door at the end of a hallway.

It was the entrance to an underground tunnel.

She glared at him.

“You made me get into a trash can when you knew this existed?”

Pirithous laughed. “I didn’t have a key then.”

“Oh,” she said. “Well, in that case…”

“Come on.” He gestured for her to enter, and Pirithous closed the door behind them. The tunnel was cement, cold, and lit by track lighting that made everything look pale green.

“Where does this lead?”

“Olive & Owl Gastropub in Monastiraki Square.”

Pedestrian tunnels were common in New Athens, but Persephone had never been in one.

“Is there a reason it isn’t open to the public?”

“Probably because the executives of The Acropolis don’t want to share.”

Huh. That made sense.

“You’re leaving work early today,” Pirithous observed.

“I just need a mental health day,” Persephone said. She didn’t want to explain what was in the paper, or that Hades had come to her work and caused a scene. Luckily, Pirithous didn’t press. He just nodded and said, “I understand that.”

They walked in silence for a little while, and then Persephone asked, “What were you working on earlier?”

“A list,” he answered. “Just some...supplies I need.”

She thought about asking him what kind of supplies, but he didn’t seem interested in talking about it—in truth, he seemed just as distracted as she felt.

Finally, they came to the end of the tunnel, and Pirithous unlocked the door.

“Thank you, Pirithous. I owe you.”

He shook his head. “Haven’t you learned anything about owing people?”

Those words hit her hard, and his question gave her pause, but the mortal was quick to change the subject.

“Be careful, Seph.”

He closed the door, and she heard the lock click into place on the other side.

Persephone made her way through the Olive & Owl Gastropub, exiting into Monastiraki Square, a stone covered courtyard with several pubs, coffeehouses, and a large church. The clouds had thickened in her time underground, and a light mist hung in the air, coating everything in a slick layer of rain. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her dress and headed to her apartment.

It was on the way home when Persephone received a text message from Eliska that Lexa was awake. She changed directions and headed for the hospital instead.

She wasn’t sure what she expected when she had imagined her reunion with Lexa, but when she laid eyes on her best friend, she knew she had let her hopes get too high.