Changing the Future

Chapter 19

I spent the next month running errands for Hades. Get groceries, pick up my dry cleaning, go dispose of some people for me. You know, the usual stuff. 

To clarify, the people Hades sent me out to kill are some of the worst monsters on the planet. Sometimes, if he deems them as particularly evil, I get to go hunting with the Furies. They still hated me for what happened on Half-Blood Hill all those years ago, and I still resented them for trying to kill Thalia. Despite that, we had a grudging respect between each other. It was more of an I-won't-kill-you-if-you-don't-kill-me kinda relationship. 

Whenever I wasn't running errands or stuck in the throne room helping out with paperwork, I was in the Fields of Asphodel, talking to Hazel. We quickly connected, speaking to each other like we'd been lifelong friends instead of only meeting a few weeks ago. 

I tried to catch Hazel up on the world to the best of my ability without revealing much about myself or the fact that I was a Greek speaking to a Roman. I even made sure to speak about the gods in their Roman aspect, hoping that Hades wasn't close enough for him to become schizophrenic. 

She had been absolutely thrilled when I told her that civil rights passed forty years ago, giving colored people the same rights as whites. She'd also been relieved to find out that the world was still under control of the gods, Gaea having failed to raise Alcyoneus after Hazel had collapsed the glacier that was supposed to be the giant's home. 

Then came the question I'd been dreading: "How can you see me?"

"Probably because of my parentage." Not a lie, but not the truth either.

"Who's your godly parent, then?" Hazel asked innocently, playing with her curls while she spoke. 

"I don't know. They haven't made themselves known to me."

"Then we may be sisters," Hazel said hopefully. "I don't know of any other gods whose children can hold Stygian iron other than Pluto. And you also have control over the dead. I mean, you're talking to me."

"Gods, I'd love that," I said, returning the smile Hazel was giving me. Then I frowned, feigning ignorance about what I was going to ask. "Wait, you said I have control over the dead. Does that mean you don't?"

Hazel bit her lip, turning to stare at the ground. At her feet, a bright red ruby popped up, still shining despite the little light. "Don't touch it!" she yelped, picking up the ruby and tucking it into the pocket of her nightgown.

I wasn't going to touch it anyways, but the way she seemed so afraid of the ruby made me wonder just what Marie had done to her. Hazel scooted back from me, like she was expecting me to scream or hit her.

"It's okay, Hazel," I reassured her. "I'm not one to judge, especially when I have freaky powers of my own."

Hazel tilted her head sideways, confused about my reaction. I was right, she'd been expecting some sort of backlash from me, once again making me wonder how people treated her while she was alive. 

"What kind of powers?"

I glanced towards the palace then overhead, making sure I wasn't going to be caught. I don't know if Hades was aware of my visits with the soul of his dead Roman daughter.

Once I was sure I was in the clear, I opened my hand, letting a small flame dance across my palm. Then, with the little water in the air, I extinguished the fire before letting the water swirl around the two of us, making sure that not a drop landed on Hazel. 

I then glanced at a poplar tree and had an idea. I picked up a fallen branch, earning a weird look from Hazel. "Patience," I told her, tightening my grip on the white branch. Sure enough, little dark red flowers began to bloom – pomegranate flowers.