“If you had any tender thoughts in your heart you would spare me this torment,” Persephone said, squeezing her eyes closed.

“If I thought you powerless, I would do so. But you have the will to see this through.” Hades’ hand fell away, leaving Persephone with only the memory of the warmth of her skin. “Xenia will stay with you for some time,” she said. “Suffer well, dear Persephone.” She turned from them and went to her chariot. The vehicle jolted forward, the horses breaking into a gallop that soon carried Hades far, far away.

Persephone breathed out a sigh. Her heartbeat felt too rapid, her hands trembling.

With Hades gone, Xenia came forward, holding a jug of water and clean rags. Persephone had almost forgotten about her presence.

“This may sting,” Xenia said.

She began to bathe Persephone’s wounds. It did sting, but it was nothing compared to what she’d endured before. Persephone closed her eyes and clenched her teeth together. After her back had been gently patted dry, Xenia smeared a paste over her wounds and bound them before slipping off Persephone’s damp and ichor-stained chiton and dressing her in a fresh one, draping it loosely over her bandages.

Xenia dipped a cloth in ambrosia and held it to Persephone’s mouth. Persephone sucked on it greedily as the warming liquid soothed her wounds. Even now, she could feel her flesh itching and knitting together under the bandages. With such prompt attention, it was unlikely to scar.

As her back started to heal, she catalogued the rest of her body’s complaints. Her arms and shoulders ached, and she longed to lie down, or even to sit. There was a spot on the side of her nose that needed scratching, and she could not quite reach it by rubbing her face against the willow’s trunk.

“May I?” Xenia asked.

Persephone nodded, her cheeks flushing. Xenia gently rubbed at the spot until Persephone turned her head away. The woman had seen her bathe before, but somehow this felt more personal.

“How long will you stay?” Persephone asked.

Xenia began packing up the rest of the bandages. “Until nightfall, at least.”

Persephone glanced up, unable to see much of the sky through the willow’s leaves. They had left the palace in the early morning, and it couldn’t be more than an hour later.

“How long does she mean to leave me like this?” she demanded.

“I really can’t say, mistress. This is not a punishment I’ve witnessed before.”

Persephone pulled uselessly at the cloth that bound her wrists to the tree. It did nothing but irritate the already inflamed skin on her arms.

She looked at Xenia as the woman poured water over her own hands, washing them. “You could release me,” Persephone said. “Hades is gone. No one need ever know.”