Page 94 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

Persephone jumped up, her arms trembling from the loss of her magic. It made my stomach sink, knowing another goddess had given up her powers for decades for my sake. How much had Amara suffered for me? Persephone bit her lip. “There’s a chance they might still get out.”

Hecate’s eyes glazed over, the silver glowing around her brightening, and then she shook her head. “Unlikely.”

“We have a second option.”

Hecate frowned. “He’ll be furious.”

“I’ll make it up to him,” Persephone said with a smirk.

Hecate sighed but nodded and turned towards me, explaining the plan. So, I fought against providing retribution to the bull-headed creature that continued digging his claw-like fingers into my flesh and kept my gaze focused on Epiphany instead. Hera had hurt her. Badly.

But she was alive.

And this idea would work.

Persephone and Hecate had both veiled themselves to appear as mortals. They’d obviously had more practice with the magic than Apollo ever had. Where his veil often shifted or shimmered—his true nature shining through—theirs remained swallowed down.

Hera tapped her finger against her chin. “I told you, Artemis, to abandon this foolishness. But you chose not to.”

I hadn’t forgotten that she had killed my mother, and even if Mother had accepted her fate, it changed nothing for me. Venom laced into my words. “You’re a snake, Hera. And one day soon you’ll fall. That’s my prophecy, to undo you and your legacy… but it’s your own fault. Your actions are what’s leading to it.”

Hera gave me an annoyed look but tossed hair over her shoulder. “You have nothing to fall from. So, you can’t understand.”

Epiphany shuddered, and Valerian pulled her in tighter, his eyes bouncing between all the creatures in the room.

“I never want to be like you,” I said. “I would never hurt and murder others for the sake of my renown.”

Hera’s jaw shifted. “You’re right about that, at least. You won’t get the opportunity.” She nodded to the minotaurs holding us. “Throw them all in the pit.”

Valerian released a breath that caused his lips to quiver, and Epiphany whimpered. The creatures walked back farther into the cave, rolling a massive stone aside. The screams and cries that had screeched in the background magnified in volume. Epiphany trembled, but a smirk stole its way over Persephone’s mouth and magic sparkled over her. From the other side of the cave a sweet and tangy scent filled the air. A rumble echoed through the rocks, plum-colored smoke pouring into the cavern, and every torch wisped away as if the sigh of a ghost had snuffed them out.

In the murkiness, his dark form silhouetted by moonlight, his ebony robes draping against the stone, stood Hades. “Hera,” he said, his voice low and sinister. “You have crossed me and mine.”

Hera hissed and pushed forth her powers, lighting the cave in her glow, shadows slipping over everyone and casting their eyes like dark hollows, their features dimpled and sharply defined. “You have no business here, Hades.”

Persephone removed her veil, her silver light sweeping into the space and adding another layer of illumination amid the dark. Hades met her gaze for a lingering moment and then turned towards Hera, menace flooding his expression. “You’ve broken your vow and threatened my wife.”

Hera gaped and gestured towards Persephone. “She… she tricked me. I… I didn’t know.”

“She tricked you?” Hades said dryly.

Hera swiped her tongue along her teeth as though she checked to make sure of their sharpness before proceeding. “It’s not valid.”

Hades’ frown deepened. “Would you like me to call forth the vow to test its validity?”

“No,” Hera gasped the word out. She gave her head a shake and then trailed her eyes over everyone in the room before turning back to Hades, her words coming as a growl. “Name your price. What must I do to appease you?”

Hades’ jaw ticked, and he took a deep breath as though this was all a tremendous bother. But his eyes slipped to me as he spoke the words Persephone had asked him to say before we allowed ourselves to get caught. “Vow to Artemis that you shall not harm her nor stand against her now or in the future, or reveal who she is to other gods, including Zeus, and your debt is paid.”

Hera’s mouth gaped, and then her nose wrinkled before she stomped over to me. She yanked my arm and pulled a knife free from her waist and sliced it through my skin. I jerked back at the sting, but she clenched her nails into my flesh, drawing blood that dripped down along my wrist.

She cut herself and pressed the wounds together, her eyes boring into mine. “I vow it.” She hissed as the magic burned through me, but then a cruel smile crept up on her face. “But, to you only.” She turned, throwing the knife.

I stretched my hands out like I might stop it.

But the blade hit its target.

Striking Valerian in the neck.