Chapter Twenty

   She followed Persephone down the cave corridor biting the inside of her cheek to keep from cursing the gods around her. This was ridiculous, she didn't have time to be playing marriage counselor she needed to get to Cassandra there was no telling what Hera would do to her while Kate was here wasting time.

   "It's not a waste of time, if you can help don't you think you should?" the Mother asked.

   "Why am I the one stuck helping them? You and I both know I am the last person who should be helping a relationship," she turned the corner, and her breath caught in her throat. She was standing at the entrance to what looked like paradise. Everywhere she looked there were plants, and flowers filled with all the colors you could imagine filled the cave walls and floors. Sitting off to one side on a patch of what looked like poppies was Persephone picking at the fabric of her dress. Kate slowly approached her unsure if she would be completely welcome, their last encounter had been tense.

   "What do you want mortal?" she asked not looking up at her, tense it would be then.

   "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

   "Okay? What is okay?" she gestured around her, "I live in the ground, a goddess, a spring goddess, living in the ground. It almost sounds poetic, the Goddess of Flowers sprouting from the ground only to bloom for a season and return to the ground. But who cares about poetry, I hate living this life, I hate not knowing if my husband married me because he truly loved me or because the Morai fated it to be so."

   Kate kneeled next to her and hesitantly took her hand, "I don't know much about love, really nothing, I've never really been in love but I do believe Hades truly loves you. I mean I have never seen anyone dote on someone the way he dotes on you."

   Persephone looked up at her and the sadness in her eyes hurt Kate's heart, "No trinkets, gifts, that isn't love, trust is love and he has no trust in me."

   "Maybe if she didn't act like a brat every time she came home he would trust her," the Crone chimed in bitingly.

   "Not helpful right now Hekate," Kate responded tensely, she turned her attention back to Persephone, "Have you ever asked him why he doesn't trust you?"

   Persephone shook her head, "No, but I know he doesn't if he did he would give me more power here, the only thing I have ever done is help the children, and don't get me wrong," she squeezed Kate's hand tighter, "I love helping the children, when they arrive here they can be so afraid and it is my responsibility to help them adjust to being here. But once they adjust they just," she flitted her hand about, "They go away, and I have to start all over again, it's hard and it hurts to watch them go. If I had more power maybe I would be able to help more than I do now."

   Kate thought for a moment, the whole reason she was upset was because she wanted to do more than be a lounge about who wore beautiful clothes and ate candy all day. She was betting it never crossed Hade's mind to give her any more responsibility.

    "So tell him that Percy, tell him you want to be the Queen of the Underworld in more than just name."

   Persephone shook her head, "It's not that easy Kate," she pulled them both to their feet and gestured to the flowers around her, "This is all he thinks I am capable of."

   "Really? Because I remember a goddess who left me for dead, she seemed powerful and more than capable of telling her husband what she wants."

   "That girl is an act, Kate," she released her hand and started to pace, "Not to mention I was pissed at you, well not you but-"

   "Hekate, yeah I remember," she shivered remembering the feel of those souls clawing at her, "But Persephone, your pissed at Hades use that to tell him what you want."

   Persephone looked back at Kate puzzled, "Just tell him what I want?" she shook her head, "It won't be that easy."

   "No probably not, nothing worth doing is easy," she smiled softly, "My grandmother used to tell me that, I think it was to help prepare me for this," she pointed to her head, "But it applies to marriages too."

   The goddess looked around her studying the flowers around her, then she squared her shoulders and looked at Kate, "Let's go then," she squeezed Kate's hand, held her head up high, and started to leave the garden room, but she stopped and turned back to Kate her brow furrowed in thought.

   "What exactly were you asking my husband for anyway?"

   Kate stuck her other hand in her back pocket and looked just about anywhere other than Persephone's eyes, she felt almost like she had betrayed her but it wasn't her who had used Persephone as a bargaining chip, "I needed a favor from him."

   Persephone tilted her head and studied her closely, "What kind of favor?"

   Kate exhaled heavily, "I need to borrow his helmet to get to the throne room on Olympus," she said it so quickly she was sure it had come out garbled but Persephone just nodded and made her way back to her husband's office.

   When they walked into the office Hades was pacing back and forth, gesturing with his hands towards open air in front of him. She leaned in closer so Persephone was the only one to hear her, "Is he okay?"

   Persephone nodded, "Yes there is a spirit with him, he tends to talk to them when he gets upset, if I had to guess it is probably Odysseus, even in death he is still one of the smartest mortals I have ever known."

   "Oh," Kate said nodding like it made all the sense in the world to her, but as she watched she just saw a man, granted a god, talking to thin air.

   Persephone stepped closer to her husband and cleared her throat, "Hades."

   He spun so fast towards his wife Kate was sure she felt a breeze but maybe it was the spirit taking its leave how was she to know?

   "Persephone, I am so sorry my love," he took her hand and guided her to the chair behind his desk. As she sat he began opening and closing drawers searching for something. The two women shared a look knowing what he was about to do. Kate inwardly groaned, how did he not see he was just creating a bigger hole for himself?

   "You need to understand for the most part Hades talks to no one but the spirits he is in charge of, Persephone and I were the only gods who he ever spoke to so he tends to be awkward and unsure about himself in other people's presence," the Mother said trying to explain away his behavior in only a way a mother could.

   "Just because he is awkward doesn't give him the right to be ignorant especially when it comes to his wife." A drawer slammed shut bringing Kate's attention back to the couple in front of her. Hades had obviously found what he was looking for as he pulled a small velvet-covered box out and handed it to Persephone.

   "I am sorry Persephone."

   She looked to Kate and then back to Hades, she gently took the box from him but instead of opening it she set it on the desk and rose to her feet.

   "I don't want trinkets Hades, I am tired of you treating me as though I am delicate and will break at any moment. I need you to see me as an equal, as your queen."

   "You are my queen," Hades looked from the box and back to his wife utterly confused, it almost made Kate want to take pity on him but this was something they needed to do.

   "This is true, I wish they would hurry up though, Hera still has Cassandra and there is no telling what they are doing with her," the Maiden said frustrated.

   Kate felt her anxiety and it made her antsy, she turned to the bar and poured herself a drink knowing the Mother was judging her.

   "Of course, I am judging you, do you need to have a drink every time things get a little stressful? What would you do if Deimos showed up now?"

   "Probably pee my pants, and wonder why he was here since this is Hade's home and he was certainly not invited," Kate said into her glass sarcastically.

   "No Hades, you may call me queen but you do not treat me as such, I have no power here, no one respects me."

   "Who doesn't show you respect?" Hades interrupted angrily.

    "They fear me Hades, no one respects me they fear me for what you might do if they so much as look at me wrong. I am a glass doll you have put on a high shelf and I want down."

    "Go Percy," Kate muttered taking another sip.

   "I don't understand Percy, I thought this made you happy, I thought this would be what you wanted," Hades stood with his hands held out, his palms up at a complete loss.

    "Tell me what I need to know, show me how to rule here, with you," she said stepping closer to him and taking his hands, "Like now for instance," she turned her attention to Kate who saluted with her glass giving her new friend a small nod.

   Hades looked at her as well and realization dawned, "I see, okay well then," he went and sat in his chair pulling Persephone onto his lap and making her smile softly at him, "For now this will have to do until I can get you a chair of your own." Persephone giggled.

   "Now my love, this mortal says she requires a favor from us."

   Persephone became serious and nodded, "I am aware, what was the bargain you offered her?"

   Hades clammed up and avoided her gaze, "If she would spend a week here with you each month for eternity she could have the use of my helmet."

   For a moment Persephone said nothing seeming shocked but she soon understood, her husband knew she was lonely and needed a friend, finally, she nodded.

   "That seems fair to me, Kate?" she looked to her new friend, "What do you say?"

   Kate set her drink down causing Hades to make a face at her, and made her way to the desk slowly, "Yes, I need your help and that seems to be a fair deal."

   Hades gently pushed Persephone from his lap, and standing went to a bare space on the cave wall. Kate watched in astonishment as he waved his hand in front of it and a helmet of the deepest black slowly began to take shape. He picked it up and walked over to her, "We will shake and you will give your oath to adhere to the terms of our bargain." He held his hand out waiting for her to take it.

   "What do you think Hekate?" she asked studying the helmet, it seemed simple enough. If she were to put it on it would cover her entire head, and her nose, and cheeks would be guarded with her eyes and mouth bare.

   "It is our best hope of getting into that throne room undetected Kate, we don't see any other option," they replied in unison.

   Kate reached out and took Hades offered hand, "I give you my oath to abide by the terms of our bargain," suddenly she felt a chill come from his hand traveling up hers and settling in her chest. She knew there would be no getting away from this.

   Hades handed his helmet to her, taking it she put it on her hips not wanting to put it on until she had to.

   "Thank you, both of you," she looked from Persephone to Hades, "You have no idea how much you are helping me."

   Persephone came from around the desk and wrapped her arms around Kate hugging her tightly, "Thank you, Kate, I can't wait to see you next month."

   She hugged her back and then pulled away nodding to Hades, and made her way back out of the office cave. Now it was time for the hard part and she was sure she wasn't ready for it, her bracelets warmed against her skin reassuring her she would not be alone.

   "You are never alone Kate we are always with you."