A Touch of Ruin (Hades & Persephone 2)

“Yeah but...she deserves it. She was an asshole.”

“I think it’s time to go,” Persephone said, reaching for her purse.

They left money on the table to cover their bill. Lexa looped her arm through Persephone’s as they exited the cafe. The sidewalks were teeming with employees returning to work, tourists, and street vendors. It was a hot but cloudy day, and the air smelled like roasting chestnuts, cigarettes, and coffee.

“Do you have time to stop by the office?” Lexa asked. “I can give you a tour.”

Persephone checked her watch. She still had thirty minutes before she had to be back at the Acropolis.

“I’d love that.”

She wanted to see where Lexa worked and, if she were being honest, explore. She’d felt embarrassed when Lexa had listed off facts about The Halcyon Project, none of which she knew.

Lexa officed out of a building called Alexandria Tower. It was the opposite of Nevernight with an all-glass and white marble exterior. Lexa held the door open for Persephone. Like every place Hades occupied, the interior was luxurious. The floors were veined marble, the receptionist desk a pool of black obsidian, and gold accents sparked amid the dark furniture. Persephone felt right at home.

A nymph seated behind the receptionist desk stood quickly. Like all her kind, she was beautiful—all sharp angles and wide eyes. She was a woodland nymph—a dryad, evident by her almond-colored hair, mossy eyes, and the faint green-tinge to her skin. These were the nymphs Persephone had spent the most time with growing up in the greenhouse. She’d never considered it before, but now she wondered if they were just as much prisoners of her mother as she was.

“Lady Persephone,” the woman at the desk bowed. “You honor us with your presence.”

Lexa giggled, and Persephone blushed.

“I’ve brought Persephone for a tour, Ivy.”

The dryad’s eyes widened, and Persephone got the impression she didn’t like being surprised.

“Oh, of course, Lady Persephone. First...can I get you anything? A glass of champagne or wine, perhaps?”

“Oh, no, thank you, Ivy. I have to return to work after this.”

“Let me make a few calls,” she said. “I’d prefer everything to be perfect before you go up.”

“It’s alright, Ivy,” Lexa said with a playful laugh. “Persephone doesn’t care.”

The dryad paled. Several months ago, this behavior would have made Persephone uncomfortable. It still gave her anxiety, but she recognized it for what it was—a servant of Hades wishing to please, and Persephone didn’t want to keep her from that, so she stepped in.

“Take your time, Ivy,” Persephone said. “In the interim, a water would be nice.”

The dryad smiled. “Right away, my lady.”

Persephone took a few steps away from the desk and swept the room. She loved the character of the building. It wasn’t as modern as Nevernight, boasting antique accents like glass doorknobs, gold heating grates, and a radiator. A formal seating area was arranged in front of a set of large windows that overlooked the street. Persephone paused in front of it, admiring the busy cityscape on the other side.

“I thought you weren’t thirsty,” said Lexa as she joined her by the window.

Persephone smiled and said, “You can never have enough water.”

“Really, what was that? I could have had this tour underway.”

The goddess sighed. “I’ve learned a few things since being in the Underworld, Lex. You see me as your best friend, so bringing me here means nothing but a bit of fun for you, but these people—they see me...differently.”

“You mean they see you as the Queen of the Underworld?”

She shrugged. That was definitely true of the residents of the Underworld. “They serve Hades, and no matter how much I argue, they seem to think they serve me by association.”

More than likely, because they were ordered too, she thought.

“Being of service pleases them. The more I fight it, the more I offend, I think.”

“Hmm,” Lexa said after a moment, and when Persephone looked at her friend, she found her smiling mischievously.