The Librarian

The Underworld was just as I remembered it; bone ceilings, undead guards, wailing souls and my boyfriend's father. Yet it was still paradise when compared against hammering nails into my bruised thumbs.

Hades looked at us with a glowering expression, as if just maybe he was contemplating the arson of the entire world. "Leuce?" He spat. It wasn't a question. "I knew I should have burned that good-for-nothing tree!"

"No offense intended, sir, but don't the myths say that you loved her?" I asked, trying my best to meet his fiery gaze, but it was like staring into the sun.

"The myths do say that, but they are wrong. Don't believe everything you read." He snapped, his rigged spine collapsed into his bony chair with a collapsing sigh. "What are we going to do?" He nearly sounded despairing.

"We could declare war?" Nico suggested, "She doesn't stand a chance against your army."

"No!" Hades and I said at the same time and we looked at each other in confusion. "Fighting is not the way to solve this." I elaborated.

"I will not lower myself by acknowledging her as a threat!" Hades declared.

"We can solve this other ways." I said, "She doesn't have Nico to use as blackmail now, right? She has nothing to use against us!"

"So let's fight!" Nico said. "While she's weak."

"No way!"

A woman flew into the room, her soft hair tinged with sweat and her wings trembling. "Lord Hades!" She interrupted.

"What is it, Peisinoe?" He asked with a tired release of air.

"It's Persephone, she's gone!"

Notes