Hades and Persephone Ch 16 1Word下载.docx
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Hades and Persephone Ch 16 1Word下载.docx
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evergrowingflockofblacksheephadn'
twanderedinagain,leavingtheirdroppings,munchingonasphodelflowers,becomingatoyorameal—orboth—forCerberus.Hewastiredofcleaningupafterthem.
Justashewasabouttoretiretohisbed,Askalaphoshadseenallthelightsinthegardendim.Then
she
hadwalkedout,cladonlyinLordHades'
cloak.He'
dhid,notsureofwhattodo.Shehaddroppedthehimationatherfeetandhehadstumbledawayandhuddledbehindapoplartree,prayingshehadn'
tseenhim.Hedidn'
tdareimaginewhattheQueen—or,godshelphim,
the
King—mightdotohimwiththeknowledgethathe'
dglimpsedhernakedinthemoonlight.Askalaphoshadguessedthatitwasaritualofsomesort.Hehadneverinvolvedhimselfwithanyoftheesotericgoings-oninChthonia,andneverquestionedthem.He'
dheardrustlingfromPersephone'
sdirection,thensilence.Itwasn'
tuntilAskalaphossawthewallsofthegardenglowwiththelightof
her
fire,soverymuchlikethePhlegethonitself,thathedaredtoturnaroundandslinkfromhishidingplace.
He'
dbarelysteppedintothegrovewhenhesawit:
apomegranate,open,missingseeds,rightwhereshehadbeenstanding.
No,no,no..."
Askalaphoswrunghishandsandtriedinvaintodrawinafullbreath.
Whydid
he
alwayshavetostumbleintothesemesses?
Noonecouldfindoutaboutthis;
notMenoetes,notHecateorNyx...noone.AndespeciallynotLordHades!
Askalaphosknew—
everyoneknew—abouttheragethathadbesetAidoneusinthethroneroomthatday.WordtraveledfastintheUnderworld.Hermeswashere.TheOlympianshadrecalledPersephonetotheworldabove,somehow,andshewastoleavebeforedawn.IfanyoneknewthatPersephonewasnowboundhereforever,thatshe
mustreturntoChthonia,andthatAskalaphoshadbeenpresentandcouldhavestoppedherintime,butdidn'
t...
He
wouldbeblamedforpushingtheentirecosmostowar.
Thepomegranatehadbeenwrenchedapart;
atwisted,irreparablemess.Hehadtohideit.
Askalaphostookoffhischlamysandshivered.Hades'
houndbayedforlornlyinthedistance,andhisskinprickledagain.Hebundledupthefruitandasmanyfallenseedsashecouldfind,andpinneditclosed.Dartinghiseyesaround,hopingdesperatelythatnoonehadseenhim.
Hetookafewsteps,carefulnottoleaveanytracksbehindhim,andwipedhisfeetinthegrass.Askalaphosduckedunderabranch,thenbrokeintoafullrun.Afrightenedbleatwasallheheardbeforehetrippedandsprawledinthedirt.Ablacklambshookitselfoffandboundedawayintotheasphodel.Hisparcelrolledawayfromhim,comingtorestagainstaroughebonystaff.Askalaphospaledandlookedupatthecrookedkneesofthebondsman.
Askalaphos?
Menoetessaid,holdingupanoillamp.Thelightwasblinding,andhecouldn'
tseetheman'
sexpressionbeneathhishood,onlytheflickeringflame.
I...I..."
hesaid,scramblingtoriseanddusthimselfoff.Menoetesleanedforwardandgraspedthegardener'
shand.Hestillfavoredhisrightleg,injuredafewmonthsago,buthoistedtheportlymaneasilytohisfeet.
Easythere,friend.Whatareyoudoingoutsoearly?
I-Icouldaskyouthesame."
Oneofthelittleronessqueezedunderthegate,"
hesaid,motioningvaguelyintothedistancewherethelambhadzigzaggedthroughthegardenandawayfromAskalaphos'
clumsyfeet."
Ialmosthadherwhenyoucamechargingoutofnowhere.What'
syourhurryanyway?
Nothing.N-nothingimportant,Menoetes,"
thegardenerstammered."
I'
ll-lljustbeon...my..."
Askalaphostrailedoff,droppinghisgazetothebundlethatnowhadMenoetes'
raptattention.Afewseedshadspilledout,shiningbrightredintheflickeringlightofthebondsman'
slamp.ColdraceddownhisspinewhenMenoetespokedatthebundlewithhisstaff.
Whathavewehere?
Sweetone..."
Hedidn'
twanttodothis.
Mylove..."
Lethersleep,hisheartscreamedathim.Letherrest,andletherstayhereforeverrightbesidehim.Buthehadtoawakenher.Theywerewaiting.
Persephone,"
Aidoneuswhisperedclosetoherear.
Hmm?
It'
s...timetowakeup,mylove.Youhavealongjourneyaheadofyou."
Persephonefelthishandpettinghershoulder,anddrowsilyopenedhereyes.Thegentlycracklinghearthfirelitherhusband'
scarewornface.Sheblinkedslowly,wakefulnessarrivingalongwithrecollectionofeverythingthathadtranspiredoverthelastdayandnight.ShesatupandwrappedherarmsaroundAidoneus.Heheldhertightly,breathingagainstherneck.
Shetangledherhandsinhishair,andnoticedafaintredglow.Herbreathcaughtinherthroat—itwascomingfromtheringsonherhand,theKey.Shebreathedoutslowly,hopingthatAidonwouldn'
tmaketheconnectionyet.Persephonepulledawayfromhimandclaspedhislefthand,histhreeringssmolderingthesameashers.Sheopenedhermouthinbewilderment.
Sixseeds.
Isawthemtoo.BeforeIwokeyou,"
hesaidquietly."
mgoingtotakeit...asagoodomen—thatyouandIwillbetogetheragain,someday."
Yes."
Persephonenodded,thenswallowed."
Aidon,when
did
youwakeup?
Anhourago.Icouldn'
tsleep."
Shefrowned."
Youneedrest.Todaywillbenoeasierforyou."
mnottheonewhohastofacetheOlympians."
Perfect,shethoughttoherself."
WhatifIaskedyouto?
Hegrimaced."
Persephone,wediscussedthislastnight—"
Thisisdifferent,"
sheinterrupted."
IwanttospeaktothemandconvinceZeus—"
Aidonsnortedderisivelyandshookhishead.
Shecontinued."
IneedtotellthemthatI
must
comeback.ThattheUnderworld
needs
me.AndIneedyoutheretosupportme,Aidoneus."
Persephone..."
Thetruthisastruetodayasitwasyesterday,andasitwillalwaysbe."
Shouldwejustforgeteverythingthat'
shappenedandwallowindenial?
Please,mylove,don'
tmakethisharderonyourself.Thereareonlytwopathsdivergingfromthismoment,
andoneleadstotheendoftheworld."
Pleasebetherewithme."
Hefurrowedhisbrow."
Youoverestimateme,sweetone.Doyouthinkitwillbeeasyformetofacethosewhoareseparatingus?
Tojustleaveyouthereandcomebackwithoutyou?
Pleasetrustme."
Thishasnothingtodowithmytrustin
you,mylove.Idon'
thavethatkindoffaithinmyself."
ButIdo,Aidon,"
shesaid,strokinghischeek."
Youaskedmetotrustyoubefore.Manytimes.Please..."
Heloweredhishead.WhatwouldstophimfromtearingZeusandDemetertopieceswhenhesawthem?
Forbetrayinghimandrippingawaytheonethinghe'
deverwantedoraskedfororcaredfor?
Please,"
sherepeated."
ThismightbethelastthingIeveraskofyou."
Aknockatthebedroomdoorinterruptedhisanswer.
Yourmajesties?
cameamuffledvoice.HecatehadcometoescortherandHermestotheworldabove,Persephoneknew.Whatshedidn'
tknowwashowthethreeofthemwouldtravel.Wouldtheyalljourneythroughtheethertogether?
Abouttheothermatter,
thewhitewitchhadsaidyesterdaymorning.
Icanandshouldspeakwithyouaboutitlater.Tomorrow,perhaps?
Atleastshewouldhaveananswerabout
that.Hecatemusthaveknownallthatwouldtranspireandhadwiselysaidnothing.Persephonewrappedabedsheetaroundherselfandcrackedopenthedoor."
Hecate."
ThekindlyGoddessoftheCrossroadsstoodontheotherside,herhairwoundupwithstrandsofselenite,anoillampinherhand."
Alltheworldabovewaits,QueenPersephone.YouandIcanspeakcandidlyonthewaythere."
Shenodded."
Ifyoucouldwaitoutsideandgiveusamomenttoprepareourselves?
Certainly,"
Hecatesaid,andnoddedherheadbeforeleavingtheantechamberthroughthedoubledoors.
Persephonelitthetorchesonthewallwithawaveofherhand.
Youcandothatalmosteffortlessly,"
Aidoneusmused.
Thankstoyou."
Shewasabouttoaskhimagain,andworriedherlipwithherteeth.
llthinkonit,"
heanswered,readingPersephone.
Shegavehimapainedsmile."
Weshouldgetdressed."
Theroutine,mundanepreparationsforthejourneyaheadhelpedkeepherheartfromburstingoutofherchest.IttookallofPersephone'
swilltosuppressandconcealeverythoughtaboutwhatshewastodotoday,andwhatitwouldmea
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