She grinned. “I think that’s the first time you ever thanked me.”

“It’s the first time you gave me a reason,” he teased, and then nodded to the instrument. “I can teach you to play it…if you want.”

“I’d like that.”

After a beat, he became serious again, his jaw tightened, and his eyes hardened.

“I’m really sorry about Lexa, Persephone. If it means anything to you, just know...I didn’t actually know her soul was broken when I healed her.”

Persephone looked at her feet. She hadn’t known either, hadn’t known what it would mean for Lexa or her loved ones.

“Thanks,” she said, looking at him again. “Wanna come in for some wine?”

“No,” he said quickly, and then laughed. “I would like to keep my balls, thank you.”

Persephone wouldn’t put it past Hades to manifest without warning. Still, even with the offer, Apollo lingered.

“There’s something else.”

Persephone waited.

“I’d like to let you out of the contract,” the god said at last.

Persephone’s eyes widened. “What?”

The god smiled ruefully. “I’m trying to change.”

“I see that,” she said, and paused. “But I prefer to hold to my bargains, and if my calculations are correct, we still have five months and four days left.”

She appreciated how Apollo was trying to be different and she knew change took time. She wanted to spend these next few months watching him, guiding him. She trusted he could change with her, but other people? She wasn’t certain.

Apollo raised a brow and challenged, “Coffee tomorrow, two o’clock?”

“Is that a demand or a request?”

“Both?”

“Fine, but I get to pick the place.”

Persephone swore she saw a moment of hesitation in Apollo’s eyes—a gut reaction to disagree and demand control, but then his eyes softened.

“Fine. See you then.”

And he was gone.

CHAPTER XXVI - A TOUCH OF SERENITY

CHAPTER XXVI - A TOUCH OF SERENITY

Two weeks later, Lexa was released from the hospital. Their apartment felt smaller with six people inside, all fawning over Lexa. Eliska and Adam bought groceries and stocked their pantry to overflowing, Jaison had moved more of his things into Lexa’s bedroom and took immediate responsibility for her medicines. Sybil, Persephone, and Zofie hung back, watching everything unfold, unsure of what to do.

Persephone wasn’t sure what the worst part was—the fact that that Lexa seemed to be completely detached from the situation or that her parents and Jaison were ignoring how different she was. She spent long stretches of time sleeping and when she wasn’t asleep, she stared at the wall. When asked direct questions, she just gaped at the person speaking until they repeated themselves, and sometimes, even then she didn’t answer.