Tempting as it was to run, she had no place to go and no desire to repeat the events of the previous night. Hades wouldn’t be satisfied with just a taste this time, and tonight with the wedding feast and resulting guests, the halls would not be so empty if she decided to humiliate Persephone for trying to escape.

Her stomach felt unsettled. It would be easy to blame it on the rich food, but it was more the thought of what was yet to come. If only she hadn’t been so captivated by that narcissus! Would she now be safe in her mother’s chambers and not preparing to surrender her maidenhead?

Whatever the answer, it couldn’t help her. Persephone crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, trying not to think of all the could-have-beens. Avoiding the thought of something only made it worse, and so her mind stepped around in circles until she finally fell asleep.

She woke to find a weight pulling down the other side of the bed. She opened her eyes to find Hades sitting next to her, her face golden in the candlelight. She was still wearing her wedding chiton, though she had removed the ornate belt. As Persephone watched, Hades reached up and withdrew a single long pin from her bun. Her hair tumbled loose, falling down to frame her face.

“I would say you sleep like the dead, but the dead are frequently unable to rest. Is that a talent of yours?” Hades asked.

Persephone stiffened. Her mind was still foggy from waking as she shook off the last few remnants of her slumber. “I’ve always been a deep sleeper.”

“I would not call that ‘sleep.’”

Wasn’t it the same for everyone? Persephone couldn’t remember a time when there hadn’t been the dreaming earth, calling her to its welcoming, protective embrace. She shrugged, glancing away. “From what people say of your schedule, you could use a little rest yourself.”

Hades laughed and stepped away from the bed. “True. There is always something else to demand my attention. But not tonight.” She stood by a side table and opened a carafe of wine, pouring a chalice. “Care for some?”

Persephone began to shake her head but thought better of it and nodded. Hades poured a second chalice and brought them both with her to bed.

Persephone sat up, pushing the sheets away and tucking her knees under her. She held the chalice in her lap for a minute, summoning the courage to drink. It was made from grapes from the surface, so there was no hesitancy on that end, but she wasn’t entirely sure whether one chalice would be too much or simply not enough. She almost wished Hades had taken her in her sleep, so she didn’t have to deal with the consequences of her marriage in her waking hours.

“May I help you?” Hades asked.