Page 76 of Spring's Descent

“Fine morning for a stroll through the grove, is it not?” Morpheus was wearing the same tunic from last night, but the edges were rumpled, and his dark hair disheveled as if he hadn’t spent the night sleeping. He was relaxed, his hands loosely in his pockets and gaze fixed on the horizon—as if I wasn’t moments away from killing him. “Especially with a heated fire opal to keep you warm.”

“Where is she,” I snarled, grabbing his throat.

He managed a smirk, his golden eyes ringed in red and sparking with mischief. “I always knew you’d be into airplay, My Lord, but we haven’t agreed on a safe word.”

My grip tightened, only to be stayed by Hecate’s spark of magic around my wrist.

“He’s fucking with you, Hades. We can’t afford a war with Hypnos.”

Morpheus’s smile grew, revealing a hint of fangs despite his toes barely grazing the ground. “Don’t tell me there’s someone else you’d rather have your hands on, Dark God.”

My eyes narrowed as my jaw clenched. “I will not ask again.”

“Hades,” Hecate breathed, her eyes wide with horror. “The grove. Persephone is in the grove.”

Morpheus crumpled to the ground as I turned, following Hecate’s gaze. The once decaying trees were flourishing, their vibrant branches heavy with plump pomegranates.

“No,” I breathed, realizing what awaited at the heart of the grove. Dense clouds heavy with shadows and frost darkened the skies overhead as true terror gripped me for the first time. I was humble enough to be wary of The Hollow, to realize that even a being such as myself couldn’t control whatever force governed it. “This is Demeter’s doing. It must be.”

“But you two are already married,” Hecate said, her eyes snagging on the dark crown glinting between my ram horns, no doubt realizing Persephone must have her own display of poweratop her head. “Demeter might try to force her to choose the Earth Coven, but she’s already married to you. She can’t bind Persephone to Cyrus, meaning?—”

“The High Matriarch can’t lay claim to all of the little goddess’s powers,” Morpheus said, his hands in his pockets as he stepped to my side.

“If Persephone reaches The Hollow, if that bitch gets her hands on her…” Hecate swallowed as the color drained from her face.

“She’ll kill her.”

49

HADES

I was already movingbefore the thought of Persephone’s death could take hold. A storm born of death magic and vengeance swirled overhead as I dashed through the trees. My wings were helpless here. The grove was far too dense to see through from above, but the branches seemed to whisk me forward as I ran, guiding me toward the center. Toward Persephone.

She was close. So close. I could feel her panic—herfear.

“Persephone!” I bellowed, catching a glimpse of The Hollow up ahead. I threw my magic out in a torrent of icy wind in an attempt to slow Persephone down, willing the trees to pull her back to me. But the compulsion gripping her was strong, far too strong to have been placed by a stranger. She was being led to The Realm of the Living—to her death—by someone she knew. Someone she trusted.

“Time’s up, Korae.”

The voice slashed through the air as I stepped into the clearing. The Hollow was as powerful as ever. It was ancient, one of the first creations of this world. Some had used it as a portal between our worlds, but each passing was a risk. The great treewas connected to more than the space between The Realm of the Living and The Underworld.

And Persephone was falling right into it.

I felt the moment her life passed from my realm. The second she was taken from me. The frantic, beating muscle in my chest squeezed, my pulse freezing as I raced forward, waiting for her essence to reemerge in The Realm of the Living.

There was a blur of dark hair following Persephone into The Hollow—the witch who’d lured Persephone here. I reached out, intent on seizing her, to make her death as slow and agonizingly painful as possible, but The Hollow flared with magic just as my fingers wrapped around the ends of her hair.

I was thrown back as light seared from the open crevice in the trunk. My body slammed into the ground, gnarled roots and freshly sprouted grass breaking my fall. A dull throb ached across my ribs. It felt like half of my body had been scorched by the sun, but all I could focus on was the dark strands of singed hair clutched in my fingers—And the strong beating of my heart.

Persephone was alive.

Branches snapped in the distance, the sound of racing footsteps growing louder. I fought for breath pushing to my knees as I felt the effects of soothing magic working to heal me.

Persephone’s life magic was racing through my veins, our marriage allowing our powers to be shared. If she lived to see her awakening, our magic would be forever entwined and her life tethered to that of an immortal god. She would have both my power and my immortal soul protecting her.

I only hoped Demeter was arrogant enough to think she could somehow still claim her daughter’s magic for herself.

“Gods below,” Hecate panted. “She’s gone.”