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"I believe you. I suppose in Greece, it's a little different. Hades and the Court didn't want to hide anymore," she said before eating a piece of mango.
"Which begs the question, why do you?" Laverna asked, toying with a thin-bladed dagger.
"I'm not hiding. Not really. I don't know how I feel about the baby—babies—oh shit, what am I going to do?" Persephone said, her appetite vanishing once more.
Ashirah put an arm around her. "Whatever you do, it's your body and your choice. You don't think Hades would be happy or a good father?"
"He would be a great father. Have you met the triplets? That's not mentioning how he looks after all of Zeus's bastard sons. Hades is already an amazing father." Persephone swallowed back her unexpected tears. "I worry about whether or not I'm going to be a good mother. Demeter resented me so much. She fucked me up in so many ways. I never want to make a child feel like that."
"You wouldn't be like her. Not in a million years," Bellona reassured her. "You care about others. Set told me you saved Hermes's crazy ass in the middle of a fight and wouldn't leave without him. Demeter never would have done that. You have a kind heart. I can tell."
"Ah, you see. Even a war goddess can sense it," Magdalena teased.
"I understand kindness," Bellona replied, her full lips curving into a smirk. "It's peace I don't understand."
"And yet, I know for a fact that you once felt peace in a single kiss," Magdalena replied, calm and knowing. "Love always wins. Especially when the kiss of an angel is involved."
"I should never have told you that! It was one stupid kiss," Bellona hissed like an embarrassed cat. "That's the last time I'm getting drunk with you. You can't let anything go."
Magdalena's smile widened. "Some things shouldn't be let go of."
"Hmm, this conversation can be." Bellona got to her feet. "I have a sex trafficking ring to break up. Good luck, Persephone. Stand your ground with Hades and fight for what you want. Don't let Magdalena fill your head with any more sappy nonsense." Bellona headed for the door, her dress shifting into black tactical gear.
"Stay safe. I love you, sister," Magdalena called.
Bellona laughed like it was a threat. "Fuck you."
"Nice to meet—" Persephone said, but the Sabine goddess of war was already gone.
Ashirah sighed. "I wish you wouldn't provoke her like that, Miriam."
"Someone needs to. Otherwise he will be dead, and she will regret it forever," Magdalena replied unapologetically.
Dazed by the goddesses interacting and the revelation that she was having twins, Persephone could do nothing but take whatever happened next in stride.
Persephone ate another roll, and the churning feeling in her stomach finally eased. Minutes later, Isis appeared and gestured to Persephone. "Come walk with me."
6
Isis led Persephone out of the kitchens and along the shaded walkways. The day was warm, with a light breeze off the water. There were gardens and orchards planted between the building and the greenish blue water of the Nile.
"Can I ask you a question?" Persephone said as they walked through the lines of date palms and pomegranate trees.
"You can ask me anything you like, Persephone. It is why I brought you here," Isis replied, reaching up to stroke the ripening fruit.
"Why have you hidden yourself away on this island? Anubis misses you, and after his trials, he could have used his mother," Persephone said.
Isis started. "What do you mean his trials?"
Uh oh. Now, you put your foot in it. Persephone ended up telling Isis everything as they walked through the gardens.
She told her about Pandora creating Pithos to use against the Court and of Darius Drakos wanting to become a god himself.
She spoke about Set finding Ayla and then reuniting with Thoth. Isis laughed long and loud when Persephone told her that Thoth had fallen in love with one of Hermes's descendants. Together, they found Anubis and restored hiska.
Isis had no more smiles when Persephone explained about the Duat crumbling and souls and other creatures escaping in Anubis's absence.
"And where was Osiris in all of this?" Isis asked, her voice very soft.
