Chapter 56

                                    

                                          
PERSEPHONE
                          
Persephone wanted to leave.
                          
No. She needed to leave. She needed to get away from wherever she was, away from everyone and everything.
                          
But she had too many questions unanswered for her to leave just yet. How did she get the mark of Hades? Was it because of the deal he offered? Was it because of her naivety and stupidity that now she was here?
                          
Every step she took with Hermes was a moment longer in whatever maze she was in. She'd learned about him before; the god of trade and the herald of gods. What she couldn't quite grasp is why he was here with Hades and is currently treating Persephone as if they'd been best friends for a long time.
                          
"Honestly, I don't blame him for doing it. He did say that he'd call me back, I just didn't know when he would." 
                          
Persephone blinked. "I'm sorry, who are we talking about again?"
                          
She saw the god's eyes roll as they rounded a corner. "Warren. My boyfriend? Come on, Persy, we've talked about this."
                          
They did, but she paid little attention to the god's ramblings. She'd been too distracted by her current situation, the pain of her bare feet already numbing and her white dress too soiled for it to even be labeled as beautiful.
                          
Persephone did debate changing, she'd seen the clothes at the foot of the bed when she woke up. It didn't take a genius to conclude that it was Hades that put them here, she just didn't know why.
                          
If she changed clothes, it would've been a signification of trust and permanence. It meant that she intended on staying. It meant that she liked it here and it was what she wanted, which was the complete opposite. 
                          
Once she gets her answers from Hades, then she'll leave. Persephone hadn't the clue where she'd run off to, but anywhere else seemed appealing more than this place.
                          
Hermes pushed the doors wide open accompanied by a smile and Persephone's jaw immediately dropped. She couldn't find the words to convey what she felt, cannot formulate the shock that pervaded through her body.
                          
"Welcome to the Underworld, Persy." He held her right hand, still gloved in silk, and led her out. 
                          
It was beautiful. Flowers were blooming, the grass looked greener than anything else she'd seen. She could hear the steady flowing of a strong current of water and the constant chirping of the crickets under the midnight sky. From the outside, what she thought to be a dungeon was a huge stonewall castle with many plants creeping into its crevices, so many opalescent flowers bursting from within, lighted by the multiple lit torches.
                          
"You look surprised," he commented when he saw Persephone's reaction as she looked around.
                          
"This— this wasn't what I expected."
                          
He snorted and let go of her hand to block her path. "This place is literally called the 'Heavens Below'. Why are you so surprised?"
                          
Persephone tilted her head at him. She thought he was joking, what with all of his previous bantering inside. But he looked dead serious even though she hadn't seen him do that before.
                          
"Growing up, the books I've read never mention that. They called the Underworld a horrible place, where souls are tortured." She explained, recalling the short learnings she had revolving around Hades.