I knew the Olympians. I knew their games, their sins, their debauchery, how fickle their attention and affections were. I saw the results of their actions every day, and it disgusted me. They were all kings and queens, accustomed to taking whatever they wanted, no matter the cost, no matter if it was consensual.

That was how I was created, and many others were like me in that aspect. It made me sick to my stomach to think about how my mother looked at me, a removed love with undertones of horror. I couldn't blame her for it, though.

"Persephone, sister, why does your face look so sour?" Aphrodite spoke suddenly, pulling me from my thoughts, her voice a sultry but irritating whine from where she was reclining on a lounge across the room.

"The only acceptable type of sour is sour wine!" Dionysus moved closer and I could feel his unruly curls brush against my hair as he peered into my goblet. "You should have some more! Do you not like it?"

I took a long drink to appease him and to get him away from me. It would help me not think for a while, but the course of a few hours felt as insignificant as a grain of sand to immortals. "No, it's lovely."

"Aren't you enjoying yourself? We could find you a nymph to keep you company, if you wished." Aphrodite leaned towards me, grinning like a wolf, but my gaze lowered to watch how the translucent fabric of her peplos fell away to reveal skin. "If you're worried about not knowing what you're doing, I would be more than happy to offer my expertise."

I took another long drink to prevent myself from having to stammer a reply to my sister while they laughed.

"And even with this beautiful music, too! Well, I happen to be enjoying myself." Apollo was lounging with Ganymede, the cupbearer and lover both Zeus and Apollo shared, completely naked and covered in oil. Because Apollo's hands were busy with his lyre, Ganymede brought a goblet to Apollo's lips.

"All of you look far too deeply into my thoughts, siblings. I was just thinking about the harvest. There's some kind of disease that's been wiping out a lot of crops."

"Persephone is her mother's daughter, after all." Athena walked into the room, removing her helm and shaking her dark hair loose.

"You look absolutely horrible," Aphrodite commented, voicing what we were all thinking.

"Does the blood of my enemies not count as proper rouge? I haven't noticed," Athena quipped. Blood stained her armor, and her sword, though sheathed, was most likely covered in it. Dried brown made crescent rings under her short nails.

"Welcome home." I made room for her in the lounge next to me, which forced Dionysus to find a new seat elsewhere. "Where have you been?"

"Troy." She accepted the seat and sat with a heavy sigh, unfastening her chest plate. "It has been a long day."

"I'll help you," I offered, giving my goblet to her, which she quickly downed. She moved closer to me as I helped her out of her armor, and I paused to ask, "Ganymede, can you please bring some oil to me?"

He obliged only because it was his job to serve us, much to Apollo's disappointment.

I coated my hands with oil and began rubbing her shoulders. I did not mind that her skin was smeared with blood and that it mixed with the oil. As any immortal would, I had seen a lot of it in my time, if not distantly. My thumbs made their way down her spine as she attempted to relax into my touch, but her muscles remained corded and tough, refusing to loosen at all costs.

Aphrodite and Apollo cast a few side glances at each other, and I ignored them. They thought we were lovers, and I supposed we looked like we were. Athena was naked, sitting between my thighs, and resting against my chest as my hands kneaded her sides. We were only friends; they could believe what they wanted. Although I thought about the possibility of us together often in my youth, Athena had voiced to me and to the others many times that she had no care for matters of the heart and sex with any gender. They didn't believe her, but I did.

Even with Athena, though she was less like the others, I was still careful to keep her close. All the gods were occasionally struck with rage and pride that they could not see past. I kept the memory of what she did to Medusa and Arachne as a reminder, or a warning. However, she didn't chase after unwitting mortals and rape them, either, like some of the gods. I fought not to look at Apollo with revulsion, who was known to boast about his conquests.

"I'm glad I caught you before you returned to the mortal world. We do not often meet when we are both there," Athena said, moving her hair over her shoulder to braid it.

"No, we do not," I agreed. I assisted my mother with agriculture, and Athena's wars were places crops did not grow.

"How long are you here before you must leave?"

"A day or two. I'm not entirely sure. Mother said she would call on me when I am needed."

"Ah, yes... Demeter." Athena paused and the silence between us grew ripe. "How is she?"

"I'll let you know when I see her." I slipped, letting some of my bitterness flow into my voice.

My mother, Demeter, stayed in the mortal world. It was her domain and nearly as far from Zeus as she could get. After my birth, she left me on Olympus for the other gods to raise. I lived here, with them, and occasionally went down to Earth to help my mother. I had inherited her green thumb, but thankfully, nothing from my father.

Athena spoke softly. "At least Zeus let your mother live, Persephone."

"She is a child of Cronus and Rhea, just as he is. He wouldn't kill her."

Zeus was our father, a creator to many gods, but he was not well-liked. He took after his own father in more ways than one. Zeus swallowing Metis and Athena because of a prophecy—that the offspring he had with Metis would overthrow him—was nearly identical to what Cronus had done to start the Titanomachy.

In a way, I did enjoy my brief leaves of absence from Olympus. The Olympians' antics were exhausting, as the desire for peace and quiet was hardly one of their priorities, and I was constantly forced to act as though I enjoyed myself or risk being harped at. While the others came and went to perform their duties as gods, offering reprieves from revelries, I drifted aimlessly until each harvest when my mother finally summoned me. Regardless of looking forward to my respite from the chaos and drama, my complicated relationship with my mother always soured any prospects of truly enjoying myself while I was away from home.

Dionysus changed the tone, pouring another glass of wine for me and refilling Athena's. "We'll have the grandest harvest party before you leave!"

"That's not necessary. I have to do this every year!" I chuckled and sipped my wine.

Athena turned to me. "Thank you for this. Here, let me return the favor."

I obliged and we switched positions, Athena's lean thighs putting pressure on my hips. I unclipped the fibulae holding my peplos up and let the fabric fall to my waist. Nudity was not uncommon in Olympus. The Olympians were all lovers in some way or another, and no one would bat an eye at me. I passed her the oil and she slathered it over my skin. I sighed when her thumbs pressed into the muscles lining my spine.

"You're tense."

"Says you," I laughed and lifted my gaze to the rest of my family in the room, who were eyeing us again. "Don't you all have something better to do than watch us?"

"You've grown quite beautiful, Persephone. Naturally, it is because I had a hand in raising you." Aphrodite smiled and went to brush a lock of golden red hair behind her ear, but thought better of the futility and pinned it back into her updo. "I swear, the Charites are never around when I need them. Hera hoards all their time to herself."

I watched it all, transfixed. She was incredibly beautiful, more attractive than any mortal could ever imagine, and even to the gods, her beauty was blindingly radiant and always shifting.

Athena's beauty was not as soft and startling as Aphrodite's, but sharp and defined, like a sculpture. Her brows were full and straight, a prominent feature on her face, as was her sculpted nose. Her jaw was square, strong and defiant. She looked how she acted and in that way, her beauty was her own and I admired her for it.

"I haven't grown in ages, sister. You know this."

"But ahhhh!" Aphrodite's eyes glinted. "You are yet to become a woman, Kore. Anyone of us could help you with that problem, even Athena, if her fingers wandered just a little bit lower..."

Athena removed her hands from me out of decency. "Aphrodite, quit looking into something that isn't there. You know of the heart, you know what people feel, and you know as well as I that I feel none of it."

Aphrodite huffed something under her breath about Athena not being normal and Athena rolled her eyes.

"Ever bitter that I'm immune to your powers. Your insecurities are no concern of mine." She shrugged. "As for Persephone, I do wish you wouldn't tease her. People can't help fantasizing about me."

Aphrodite laughed. "And they say I'm vain!"

The doors opened loudly and we all looked to see Artemis stride through them, her bow strung across her back and a faithful stag trailing behind her. Her eyes began to sweep over the room. "Have any of you seen my... Ah, Apollo. I thought I'd find you here. Good to see you've been enjoying yourself."

Apollo sat up from where he had been lying with Ganymede, brow furrowed in displeasure from her tone. "What do you want?"

"Asclepius needs your help. He told me you were supposed to arrive hours ago."

"My son?" A moment passed. "Oh, yes! Well, as you can see, I was a little distracted."

"I can tell." Artemis did not appear amused. She had assisted with the difficult birth of her brother just days after she had been born, and had continued to act as the responsible figure in his life ever since. She looked around the room and her eyes landed on us. "Athena, welcome home. I'm surprised to see you here and not in some great war room."

"I had Nike take over for me. I've been away for weeks and thought it was time to return. There were some projects I had started that I thought I would finish."

"Did you hear the news?" Artemis asked the question coyly, waiting for the rest of us to react as she casually stroked the stag's head.

Aphrodite's eyes lit up as she leaned towards Artemis. "News?"

"Hades is coming to visit our father and Poseidon."

Silence as we all looked at each other. Hades hadn't visited Olympus since before my birth. I had never met him, but there were plenty of legends of the eldest son of Cronus.

Hades was the fourth child and first son to be devoured by Cronus.

Hades was a war hero during the Titanomachy.

Hades drew the lot for the Underworld, his third of the spoils.

Hades was rich beyond compare.

Hades was malevolent and frigid.

Hades was king to only the dead and the rocks.

"When?"

"Tonight."

"Do you know why?"

"No."

The doors behind Artemis opened again and she dropped to a knee as Zeus walked in. We all immediately bowed and chorused, "Father."

"What are you all doing here? Is there a party?"

"Unfortunately, no," Dionysus sighed. "I wanted to throw a harvest party for Persephone before she leaves, but she refused."

"It is time for the Harvest, isn't it?" Zeus eyed me carefully, a look that lasted several seconds longer than I was comfortable with. I picked up the peplos that had gathered around my waist and the fibulae beside me and clipped the top up again to cover myself. "You're beginning to look so much like your mother, Persephone, so much."

No one said anything at his unmistakable implication. I swallowed my revulsion.

Zeus had never turned his attention to me before, but that didn't mean he wouldn't. I just hoped it never happened and that if it did, I could somehow fight him off, unlike my mother, unlike so many women before me.

"Tell your mother I said hello and that she should really consider visiting sometime. I miss her."

"I will." I forced a false smile. Beside me, Athena moved closer and wrapped her arm around me protectively. She knew of his intentions and she was not a goddess he would cross easily, even if he was king of the gods. "Hopefully, you don't miss my mother too much. I doubt Hera would be very pleased."

Zeus lost his smirk, but continued to address the rest of the room. "Hades is coming to speak with me tonight, and we are not to be disturbed."

"Why? Is something wrong in the Underworld?" Athena shrugged on her armor. "I haven't heard anything from Hermes or the Keres, and they tend to speak of such matters."

"It's none of your concern, daughter. You have your battles to fight elsewhere." He left without another word and we let out our breaths. He was the only person any of us had to hold our tongues around, and it was difficult.

My siblings were quiet, strangely so, and I suspected something had happened, although whatever it was remained unknown to me. They had been paying closer attention to me than usual in the last few months. Perhaps my secretive, private nature prevented my siblings from realizing how observant I was, or perhaps it was their own vanity for noticing nothing more than surface traits in those around them. They thought I wouldn't notice the cut conversations when I entered rooms, the artificial pleasantry and small talk that followed, the heavy glances exchanged when they thought I wasn't looking. If I had any idea what the meaning of it was, I would have confronted them about it long ago, but they had revealed nothing to me all this time, and they wouldn't start now.

They resumed their gossip and snide remarks about other deities who weren't present, but their talk seemed forced, as if they thought they could speak over the strange conversation I had with Zeus.

After a while, I dismissed myself. "I think I'm going to retire for the evening. It's been a long day, thanks to all of you."

Athena stood with me, gathering her things. "Before you return home, would you walk with me to my temple? There's something I'd like to show you."

Aphrodite raised her eyebrows suggestively, which sent everyone else into throes of laughter. We ignored them and left. The room and the gods had been suffocating me all day, with their forced sibling bonding before my departure, and I was glad to step outside and breathe the warm evening air of Olympus. The sky had already been painted with streaks of orange and red, as Hemera entered Erebus and Nyx left it, or so the mortals said, and I realized I had been with my siblings longer than I thought.

"Athena, what do you want to..."

"Shhh, Persephone. Wait a moment and don't move. Stand right there, don't speak."

"What?"

"I said don't speak. The lighting is absolutely exquisite on you and I want to commit it to memory."

I waited and watched her calmly. I watched her clear eyes flicker over every inch of me, assessing the contrast, the shadows, the planes of my face, and even the folds of my peplos, doing exactly what she had told me to do when she taught me how to paint.

"Okay, I've finished. This will make a wonderful portrait. Come, I want to start it immediately." Athena offered her arm and we strolled through the golden streets of Olympus.

"Our siblings are too much for me sometimes. They smother me and it is unbearable."

"I will agree with you. Their games of sex and marriage and affection are something I will never understand and never wish to." She paused for a moment, watching me. "Will you be glad to leave?"

I gave her the simple answer. "Yes."

"You should come with me to the mortal world sometime, Persephone."

"I am a goddess of flowers and weeds and growth. You would have no use for me on your battlefields." I gave her a lopsided grin, thinking it was sweet of her to offer.

"Your godly gifts may not help you, but I put a sword in one hand and Artemis put a bow in the other when you learned how to walk. We've trained you. You are a warrior, whether you like it or not. You are far more capable than you like to think."

"I don't think war is for me, Athena, but thank you for the offer."

"It is important to know how to defend yourself, especially from men. You haven't forgotten my training, have you?"

"No."

"That's good. You will need it."

We arrived at her temple. All of the gods in Olympus had one to serve as their home while they stayed there. I had a temple, but it was small. I wasn't one of the Dodekatheon, the Twelve Olympians, but Athena was. Her temple was mostly constructed of white marble, simple and minimalistic compared to the temples of Hera and Aphrodite. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with scriptures she'd probably read five times over; an armory that contained countless weapons and pieces of armor, all used, was tucked away in a side hallway opposite her bedroom; the central room of her temple was currently littered with art supplies. I obliged her wish, staying as her companion while she began working on a painting of me. She wouldn't let me watch.

"I know you're impatient but I promise it won't take much longer. If a human were to paint this, it would take months."

"For a painting this small?" I pointed to the canvas in disbelief.

"Yes, but the goddess of the arts works quickly and makes no mistakes. You'll love it, I promise. You can gift it to Demeter when you see her."

I let out one harsh laugh. "If she'll accept it."

Athena stopped her brushstrokes to focus on me and sighed. "She loves you, Persephone, truly. I know it is incredibly difficult for you, but your situation is rather complicated."

"I remind her of him, I know. I see it in her eyes every time she looks at me. I don't blame her for it. I know it was his fault and she couldn't do anything about it, but..."

"But?" Athena nudged me to continue.

"I wish she would have tried with me and not left me here."

"She was quite vulnerable after the ordeal. The earth suffered for it, too. When you were born, life was breathed back into it, but Demeter was left altered. She was very frail and in no condition to raise you."

"Those are excuses."

"They are," Athena agreed. "I will not pretend to know how Demeter felt. You have every right to be angry with her, for leaving you with the gods here. They do not make for good parenting, but I hope I helped you retain even a little shred of sanity."

I smiled. "You did."

"I'm nearly finished. You should really try to give this to Demeter."

The mention of my harvest visit shifted my mind to another topic. "I'm tired of this cycle, living here, my brief scheduled visits with my mother. I wish it was all over and I was free."

"Where would you go? The mortal world? What would you do there?"

"I've never thought about it. I should be free to do as I please. I am a goddess and we aren't told what to do."

"We are goddesses, but we all have responsibilities..."

"I have none. I can make the flowers grow, and Hera and Aphrodite adore my bouquets, but I'm not required for anything useful, like you or the others. What little I can do is matched by Chloris."

"If you decide to leave, I'll support your choice. You are your own woman."

"That's reassuring, thank you."