"Well, what are we supposed to do with her?"

"I don't know! That's what I called you here for, Aeacus! You're one of the judges!"

"For mortal souls, you absolute imbecile! She isn't dead!"

"Oh, dear, I hadn't noticed that..."

"We're here! Now, what is all this commotion we've been hearing about?"

"This isn't some spectacle! You aren't all supposed to be here. Don't you have better things to do?"

"A live woman banging on the doors of Hades' palace and begging to be let in is not a normal occurrence. As if my brother and I would miss this for the world!"

"She isn't just a live woman! She's a goddess! Look, she's dripping ichor all over the floor."

"And what were those things out front? Were those plants? How did they get here?"

"Her doing, I think. She must be one of those mixed-with-nymph goddesses."

A feminine voice broke through the men arguing. "She looks familiar, somehow."

"Hecate, when did you get here? Is she one of your lampads?"

"No, of course not. Why are you all gawking over this poor woman? She's clearly injured and you just left her on the floor?"

Someone scoffed. "You came here without being summoned, too."

I groaned in pain and heard everyone pause. I was still on the floor, the cold stone pressed against my cheek. I must not have been unconscious for very long because my body still ached, somehow even worse than before. The pain had locked my muscles.

"Uh, girl, are you conscious?"

"Mhmmm," I mumbled as I opened my eyes and tried to ease myself into a sitting position. People had crowded around me, three luminescent immortals, but two were somewhat transparent spirits.

"What are you doing here?"

"Who are you?"

"Are you actually a goddess?"

The woman, Hecate, offered me a hand, which I took as I struggled to stand. My vision waved and I felt my body go with it. "Someone, get her some water and then she can answer your questions. Here, sit down." She pushed me into a plush chair that had not been behind me a moment ago.

One of the wraiths hurried off into the castle to follow her command.

I sagged in the chair, sore and exhausted, while everyone watched me.

"You look terrible, child. What happened to you?"

"The journey here was long and rough. I'm afraid I didn't wear proper footwear." I cracked a smile as I looked at my feet, bruised and blisters still oozing ichor.

"Where did you come from?"

"Eleusis."

"That sounds familiar, but I'm not quite sure where... We don't go to the mortal world very often, I'm afraid."

"It's my mother's domain."

"Demeter?"

I nodded. The wraith returned with a goblet of water and I drank greedily. Gods and goddesses did not need sustenance to survive but my trek here was not the kind of physical activity my body was used to.

"Can you answer our questions now?" One of the male gods asked and the one next to him, nearly identical save for their hair color, elbowed him. "What? We all want to know."

I chuckled. "Yes, I suppose if I were in your situation, I would too."

The god with black hair smirked at his victory over the one with white hair. "What's your name?"

"Persephone."

"And your father is who?"

"To disappoint you all, it's not a nymph." I almost laughed. "It's worse."

The white-haired god's eyes lit up. "You're just killing us with anticipation!"

Hecate, clothed in black like the rest of them, sighed beside me. "As you can tell, we don't get very much excitement here."

"You're a hypocrite, Hecate. You came here for the same reason we did."

"At least I had the decency to help her off the damn floor, Hypnos."

"My father is Zeus." I interrupted them and received looks of mild sympathy and disgust. "He isn't too popular here, I take it? At least I can finally speak freely."

"Indeed. Zeus is not our friend, to say the least."

"So you were an Olympian?" The spirit dressed in a fine chiton and himation asked me.

I let my face show my disdain. "Not by choice."

"What brings you here?"

"Yes, I certainly don't get many goddesses banging on the door and pleading to be let in." The servant spirit that answered the door finally spoke, unable to contain his curiosity.

"Markos..." Hecate warned.

"No, it's okay." I paused, chewing on my lip while I contemplated telling them the truth. "Are you sure I can speak plainly about Zeus here?"

"Yes."

"He was planning on coming and taking me from Eleusis and you... you understand why I couldn't let that happen, right?"

Hecate touched my shoulder gently. "Oh, your poor girl. I understand why you were so desperate."

"Zeus is such a bastard, even if he is the son of the king and queen of the Titans."

"He's sick. Takes after his father, but honestly, it's not very surprising. Did I not tell you I thought so when he was discovered to have not been eaten by Cronus?"

"But why did you come here?"

"I was told that it would be safe for me."

"By who?"

"The same person who invited me to stay here."

"Who would be...?" Hypnos implored me to finish.

"I didn't catch her name. She never told me."

Hypnos' eyes slid over to Hecate suspiciously and she held her hand up to him. "Don't look at me. I've never met Persephone before."

"Who do I have to ask to stay here? Hades?" I looked around and my eyes settled on the god with black hair. "Are you Hades?"

There was silence from all of my audience before they burst out laughing, doubling over and wiping away tears, even the spirits.

"I am definitely not Hades. My name is Thanatos."

"We are clearly twins, Persephone. Hades does not have a twin." Hypnos wrapped his arm around Thanatos. "So, I take it you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Boys, be nice. Not everyone knows."

"I absolutely cannot wait until Hades returns."

"Yes," Markos nodded. "Hades will know what to do with her."

"Can I at least bathe before you all kick me out? I brought my own clothes." I shook my bag and they laughed.

"I'm sure that would be fine. Markos, get someone to draw a bath for her, would you? Any one of the guest rooms will do." Hecate ordered him away.

"I'm certainly staying here until Hades returns. I want to watch the story unfold."

"I'm with my brother on that one."

"And I have to stay because I'm the only one that cares enough to be decent to her." Hecate rolled her eyes at the twins.

"You gods and your lack of responsibility." Aeacus spat. "I have to get back to Minos and Rhadamanthus because we have actual jobs to attend to."

"I don't know about you, Aeacus, but I think this is the first break I've taken in, say, five hundred years, give or take. Were you even a twinkle in your mother's eye back then?"

Aeacus shook his himation in annoyance. "This is not my problem and I have no business being here. I don't know how many meetings Minos and Rhadamanthus have disagreed upon since my absence. Now, good day!" The spirit huffed with finality, letting the front door of the castle shut with a bang behind him.

"I can't believe Markos called Aeacus here. The theatrics on that one! You'd think he was touched by Dionysus!"

We laughed at Thanatos' joke as Markos returned. "This way, my lady," he said tersely, clearly not wanting to address me with such formality. Hecate helped me stand and I tethered myself to her arm as we followed Markos, who paused to look back at us. "I said my lady, not all of you."

I waved him off. "I don't mind them wanting to see if Hades kicks me out of the Underworld or not. They can come along, even the twins, if they can handle themselves and not look while I bathe."

They looked at each other and set their hands over their hearts. "We promise."

Markos and Hecate rolled their eyes but continued moving. We ascended the grand staircase, Hecate enlisting Hypnos to help carry me. I soon found out the palace was larger than it looked like on the outside, if that was even possible. It had to be at least the size of an entire polis. There were hundreds of rooms we passed, their purpose unknown. Who could need so many rooms? Apparently, not even Hades. Most of them were lit with torches and furnished but, judging by the dust, I knew no one had been in them in ages. We traversed bridges and waterfalls that I had seen from the outside and I was glad I had Hecate and Hypnos helping me walk because I surely would have collapsed again without them.

"Here we are." Markos stopped and opened a door, ushering us in.

"You couldn't have chosen a closer one, Markos?" Hecate huffed, her pale face flushed. I was finally coherent enough to study her. She, naturally, was beautiful. Her skin, like the other chthonic deities I had met, was almost the color of white marble. I supposed their skin was so pale because they didn't get much sunlight. Her eyes were a crystalline blue, ice-like and clear, and her light blonde hair was gathered on her head with pins. She wore a black peplos and himation, embroidered with silver thread.

"You told me to pick any of them. Now, I believe everything you may need should be in there. I have to prepare for Hades' return." Markos left with a bow.

"I really need to have a talk with Hades about Markos. I'm not very fond of him. He seems a bit too hostile. If you ask me, he belongs back in Asphodel."

"It's not really any of our business who Hades employs. We have our own homes," Thanatos murmured as he followed Hypnos into the room. "But yes, he is a little hostile."

"This way, Persephone." Hecate led me by the hand to the bathroom attached to the suite. A large basin carved from the same stone of the palace was filled with steaming water and lined with soaps. "Will you need help?"

"I shouldn't but..." I trailed off with a sigh as I tested the muscles in my arms. "I'm so sore that I might."

"Actually, I have something that may help with that. Get in and I will be back shortly." Hecate sat me on the edge of the basin. "You two behave or I'll turn you into some kind of animal, like Circe does."

"Doesn't seem to hinder Zeus that much," Hypnos retorted and Thanatos laughed, both still in the other room.

"Undesirable animals," Hecate corrected after she got over her revulsion, but left the bathroom. "It should only take a moment, Persephone!"

I would have laughed at their exchange, but the threat of him was still hanging over my head and it prevented me from finding it very amusing. Instead, I slowly bent down to ease the sandals off my feet. The blisters were finally starting to heal but I still had to practically peel the shoes away from my soles.

As I leaned against the basin for support, I realized I hadn't heard Hecate's footsteps cross the stone floor, so I knew she was still here. Straining my ears, I heard her whispering to the twins.

"Don't make fun like that about her own father. She clearly has no love for him, but he wants to rape her. She came all this way for protection and is terrified of him, like any woman should be. Be kind to her, even if she doesn't stay. She is certainly not like the other Olympians. She has shown courage, at the very least."

"I didn't think..."

"Clearly!" She snapped. "My threat to you would be far worse if either of you touch her."

"Alright, woman! We get it. Persephone is off limits."

"Then we understand each other. I'll be right back."

I didn't like that Hecate felt she needed to be so careful with words around me, but at least she seemed kind. I removed my chiton, filthy and ripped beyond repair, and slowly eased myself into the steaming water. There was nothing else I could do, so I simply sat and let the water ease the tension in my muscles.

One of the twins piped up from the bedroom, but their voices were so similar, it was hard for me to tell them apart.

"So, child of Zeus and Demeter, yes?"

"Correct," I replied slowly.

"What do you rule over?"

"Just plants, vegetation, and plant growth."

"Take after your mother, I see."

"That isn't very..."

"Exciting?" I chuckled. "Tell me about it. Flowers grow wherever I touch the earth, even here, I suppose. What about you two?"

"Nyx and Erebus."

"The Protogenoi? You must be old then."

"Old as life," Hypnos replied.

"Old as death," Thanatos corrected him and then I heard him yelp, probably from Hypnos elbowing him because of his bad pun. Thanatos was the god of peaceful death and his brother was the god of sleep.

The grime of Pan's grove, the ocean, and the cave swirled in the water as I dunked my head under the surface, running my fingers through my knotted, greasy hair. When I surfaced to take a breath, Hecate was there to offer a small bottle.

"That was quick. What is it?"

"It's a potion. It should help with the pain and make you heal faster."

"Do I drink all of it?" I uncorked it and sniffed it warily, surprised when it smelled floral and sweet.

"Yeah, that would be best. It would work more quickly if you did."

I drank the liquid in one gulp and immediately felt the tension ease in my muscles and I was able to move freely again. The cuts on my palms and soles closed and left no scars. I sighed blissfully. "Thank you so much, Hecate."

"No problem at all. Now, I'll leave you to it."

I went to work scrubbing the filth away from my body with a rough stone, the dirt turning the water brown and my skin turning a healthy gold. I washed my hair with floral soap and massaged my scalp until I felt myself slipping into a light sleep. Remembering I had to speak to Hades, I got out immediately, drying off and stepping into the peplos my mother had made for me. Since it was mostly black, I figured it would honor him in a way and make him more amenable to my request to stay. If he let me, I could search for the goddess who invited me here in the first place.

I fished around in my bag for the matching fibulae and jewelry, pulling the peplos over my chest and clipping it one shoulder at a time. I wrapped my himation around me and slid the armbands up to my biceps. My hair was too damp to do anything other than twist it at the nape of my neck and pin it there, finding hairpins on the basin.

"I'm nearly ready. I apologize that I'm taking so long!"

"It's completely fine, dear! You've had a very long day."

I smoothed my himation and stepped out of the bathroom. Thanatos and Hypnos had been bickering and lounging across a few chairs, but their jaws went slack when they saw me. I blushed. "Am I not some wild half-nymph, now?"

"I completely and fully apologize, Persephone." Hypnos bowed his head.

"We had no idea you were so ravishing!" Thanatos interjected, trying to beat Hypnos out of complimenting me.

"Tell me, are you spoken for? Any consorts I should know of?" Hypnos raised an eyebrow as his eyes swept me.

"You two had better only be thinking the purest of thoughts about our new guest." Hecate rolled her eyes. "You do look lovely, dear. You must have had an extremely difficult journey to tarnish yourself so. I'm glad you've made a full recovery."

"Well, I'm still exhausted. I know I need more rest."

"I can certainly help with that." Hypnos smiled and moved to pat the seat next to him.

Before I could even react to his flirtations and tell him I had no interest in men, we heard voices coming from the hallway.

"Markos, I don't see what could be so important. This is the realm of the dead. There isn't much urgency to be found." A feminine voice, soft and tired.

"Trust me. You'll want to see this."

Markos pushed the door open and led the woman inside, dressed in a black peplos and wearing a himation as a veil. She sighed as she took off her himation, revealing her raven-like hair and moonstone skin. "What are all of you doing here? Don't you have more important things to do other than pestering me?"

Hecate nodded over to me and the goddess followed her eyes. She stopped short and quickly inhaled her gasp of surprise. As if watching a mirror, I was stunned into the same stillness as she had been.

I recognized her voice. This was the goddess from Olympus, the one who offered me a safe haven, and she looked exactly and unexpectedly how I dreamt her. She had a narrow and long face, punctuated with large, dark eyes, a straight nose, and a wide mouth, that tapered off with a sharp chin. Her deep-set eyes were wide and her mouth parted slightly, as if working to speak.

Markos interrupted the moment. "Before you say anything, my lord, I would like to ask you not to punish me because they made me take her in and bathe her without your word."

Hecate, Thanatos, and Hypnos all bowed their heads in respect. "Welcome home, Hades."

I looked at the three of them suspiciously. "If this is a joke, it's not very nice."

"It isn't. I am Hades." The goddess sighed. "It's something of a long-running jest that my brothers and sisters started. They think it's amusing and it's gone on too long to protest otherwise. The humans believing that I'm a man is no concern of mine."

"Why didn't you tell me when you talked to me?" I cried, ashamed of my ignorance and altogether confused.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Thanatos looked between us, bewildered.

"I'm the one who invited her here. She may stay as long as she wants to, though I have to admit I'm astonished to see her here already."

"What does that mean? Was I not supposed to leave Eleusis?"

"No, of course not. I know of your situation and, as I said during our prior meeting, my realm is open to you always. I suppose I'm just surprised she made it here by herself. You did, didn't you?"

"Hermes gave me some advice and an obol for Charon, but yes."

"I would expect nothing less from someone as determined as you were." Hades quickly smiled at me before turning to the others. "All of you are like carrion birds. Go back to your duties. I will handle this from here."

Hecate and Thanatos mumbled complaints but Hypnos grinned. "Am I safe to assume we have a new guest?"

"As I said..."

I nodded and smiled. "For the foreseeable future."

"Welcome to our home then, Persephone. We hope you enjoy your stay." Thanatos smiled and left with his brother and Hecate. Markos excused himself and shut the door behind him.

"We have much to discuss, Persephone," Hades sighed, running her hands through her hair as she sat on one of the lounges. "Will you sit? You must be exhausted. I promise I won't keep you for long."

I obliged and sat beside her. "I wish you would have told me who you were when we spoke in Olympus. Markos and the twins wanted to kick me out because they thought I was some wild woman. I suppose I can't blame them for the last bit, I looked atrocious."

"I'll speak to them, then."

"But about not telling me your name?"

"I suppose I... I don't really know. I didn't want to scare you."

"Scare me? I'm insulted that you think knowing your name would have spooked me!"

The corner of her grave mouth raised slightly. "I know that now. You are far more courageous than I ever could have imagined. You coming to the realm of the dead by yourself... amazing," she breathed, looking over me with admiration. "How did you do it?"