“I’m sorry, Yuri. Sometimes I forget—”

“That I’m dead?” She smiled, but Persephone felt small and silly. “It’s okay. That’s one of the reasons I like you so much,” she paused a moment, and added. “Hades chose his consort well.”

“His consort?” Persephone’s brows rose.

“Isn’t it obvious that Hades intends to marry you?”

Persephone laughed. “You are being very presumptive, Yuri.”

Except that Hades had made his intentions clear. You will be my queen. I do not need the Fates to tell me that. Her chest tightened, the words forming knots in her stomach.

Those words should have made her heart melt and the fact that they didn’t disturbed her. Maybe it had something to do with their recent breakup. Why did she feel such apprehension when Hades seemed so certain about their future?

Yuri, oblivious to Persephone’s internal war, said, “Why wouldn’t Lord Hades choose you as queen? You are an unwed goddess and you haven’t taken a vow of chastity.”

The soul gave her a knowing look that made Persephone blush.

“Being a goddess does not qualify me to be Queen of the Underworld.”

“No, but it’s a start. Hades would never choose a mortal or a nymph as his queen. Trust me, he has had plenty of opportunities.”

A shock of jealousy shot down Persephone’s spine. It was like a match landing in a pool of kerosene. Her magic surged, demanding an exit. It was a defense mechanism, and it took her a moment to tamp it down.

Get a hold of yourself, she commanded.

She wasn’t ignorant to the fact that Hades had other lovers throughout his lifetime—one being the red-headed nymph, Minthe who she’d transformed into a mint plant. Still, she had never considered that Hades’ interest in her might be, in part, due to her Divine blood. Something dark wound its way around her heart. How could she let herself think this way about Hades? He encouraged her to embrace her Divinity, worshipped her so that she might claim her freedom and power, and he’d told her he loved her. If he was to make her his queen, it would be because he cared for her, not because she was a goddess.

Right?

Persephone soon distracted from her thoughts as she and Yuri returned to the Asphodel Valley where she was swarmed by children who begged her to play. After a short game of hide-and-seek, she was dragged away by Ophelia, Elara, and Anastasia who wanted her opinion on wines, cakes, and flowers for the upcoming Summer Solstice Celebration.