“Then we shall both be poorer for it.”

She didn’t believe her. It had to be some kind of trick.

Hades stood, walking toward her. Persephone stiffened, but Hades merely leaned over and unwrapped her himation, sliding it off her shoulders. She tossed it aside. “Tell me what happened today. You might as well start with how you acquired those bruises.”

Persephone glanced aside, shivering a little, the fine hairs on her arms standing up. Still on her knees, she told Hades it was merely the result of being trapped in the storage chest on the wagon. Then she backtracked and started with seeing Theseus near the library, working down all the way to when she climbed out of the box to find Pirithous’s head rolling at her feet.

One thing bothered her. “How did you find me so quickly?” Persephone asked.

Hades was facing away from her at this point, staring out of the window with her hands clasped behind her back. Brooding, Persephone supposed. The view certainly didn’t warrant such close inspection.

Hades turned and gestured toward her neck. “That chain. I had it enspelled by one of our sorceresses. All the best and brightest of humankind make their way to my domain, sooner or later.”

A charm? Persephone’s hand went to her necklace, the necklace for which there seemed to be no clasp. “It won’t come off.”

“As intended.”

Even if she reached the surface, she would never be free. Not until she could find someone talented enough to remove it.

“You poisoned my hound,” Hades said. “My houndmaster tells me it may take years to recover his training.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you?”

Perhaps Lethe’s water would make it easier for her to bypass Cerberus a third time, if she ever had the chance to try. She could not truly be sorry for that. “I had to,” Persephone said.

Hades nodded, apparently satisfied with her honesty. “Zeus and Poseidon will be unhappy to hear of their children’s misdeeds, but considering the circumstances I am well within my rights to punish them. However, these kinds of incidents must be handled delicately.” Hades leaned her back against the window frame, her arms crossed over her chest, one of them bandaged at the bicep. “As for your punishment—”

“My punishment?”

“Yes, your punishment. I haven’t decided—”

“But why?” Persephone asked, her eyes filling again with tears. Hadn’t she been punished enough?

Hades was clearly not accustomed to being interrupted, but after a moment’s pause she went on. “You are not above the law, my dear. No one is permitted to leave the underworld without permission.”

“Not even you?”