She struggled to free herself until her gaze caught something looming overhead.

“Furies,” Persephone whispered, breathing hard from her frantic effort.

The goddesses floated; their pale bodies seemed to glow in the dark.

“Bride of Hades,” their voices echoed. “You are safe now.”

Smoke coiled in the air and all at once, Hades appeared in his Divine form. Huge and imposing, he towered over her, a void of black. He eyes, fierce and furious, met hers before he whirled toward the lifeless Pirithous.

Suddenly, there was a gasping sound as he brought the Demi-god back to life.

He began to breath hard, a strange whining coming from his throat. He didn’t speak, but his eyes grew wide when he saw Hades.

“I brought you back to life,” Hades said. “So I can tell you that I will enjoy torturing you for the rest of your eternal life.”

He didn’t seem lucid enough to register what Hades was saying, but the god continued anyway.

“In fact, I think I will keep you alive so you can ruminate in your pain.”

He snapped his fingers, and a pit opened beneath Pirithous’ feet. His screams were shrill as he fell into the Underworld.

Hades turned to Persephone, and with a wave of his hand, her bonds were broken. She fell into Hades as he approached, and he gathered her into his arms and turned to the Furies.

“Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone, see to Pirithous.”

They bowed their heads.

The Furies vanished, and Hades teleported to the Underworld. It was in his bedchamber, that she fell apart. Hades sat with her cradled against him, soothing her with whispered words until her tears were dry, until she no longer felt like she was imploding on the inside. Finally, she pulled away.

“Bath,” she said. “I need to scrub him from my skin.”

Hades mouth hardened, and Persephone felt as though she could see his mind working, deciding on the torture he would inflict upon Pirithous. Despite this, his voice was calm when he spoke.

“Of course.”

Hades walked her to the bathes, and she shed her clothes and entered the hot water. Steam curled around her, and she inhaled the scent of vanilla and lavender. She scrubbed her skin until it was red and raw. When she was finished, she left the water, wrapping herself in a fluffy, white robe.

Hades hadn’t joined her. He sat some distance from the pool, watching her. She went to him and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. She needed his comfort, his closeness.

“Tell me what happened?” He said, and there was an edge to his voice that told her he wasn’t ready, that if she spoke of her abduction, she would release the violence within him.

“I will tell you if you will promise me one thing,” she said.

He raised a brow, waiting, and her eyes fell to his lips.

“When you torture him, I get to join you.”