Abaddon: The Story of Persephone and Hades

Hades

I wake up with a pounding head. Opening my eyes, I notice three servants tending to me in the comfort of my own bedroom. I groan when I notice my shirt has been discarded so the servants have easy access to my abdomen.

Glancing down at my critical injury, I almost clamp my teeth down on my tongue when I realize how horrible it looks. That sharp rock really did a number on me. Blood is still covering my torso and thankfully there's a cloth covering the actual wound, or else I'm sure I would've vomited on the spot.

My shoulder is also covered with an ointment and a bandage. I can already feel the burning effect of the fire.

My muscles scream at me when I shift to a more comfortable position on the bed. One of my servants, Adria, notices that I'm awake. She gives me a warm grin and offers me a chalice of water.

"How long have I been asleep?" I ask weakly. My throat is burning from lack of hydration.

"A few hours," Adria answers softly. Her hand brushes against my forehead. "You have a fever."

I sip from the chalice and savor the cold water slipping down my throat. "Where's Persephone?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you," she replies apologetically. "They figured you would try to visit her, but the other servants want you to heal first."

I rub my eyes and feel a bandage on my head. Oh, I forgot about the rock hitting my head. "I'm going to see her," I demand, starting to get out of my bed. "It'll be faster if you tell me where she is."

Adria turns to the other servants, who all shrug indifferently. "She's in the kitchen. She was hypothermic, so Evadne said it would be best for her to heal there."

"And where's Thanatos and Laverna?" I demand. "What happened to them?"

"Thanatos turned himself in. He's in the dungeons. Laverna fled," she replies.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair with some difficulty due to the bandage wrapped around my head. "Thank you."

I start walking out of my room when Adria stops me. "Hades, Demeter sent word that she will be arriving tomorrow to take Persephone home."

"She is home," I murmur. Relaxing my shoulders, I give Adria a warm smile. "I will be back shortly to continue healing. My stomach is killing me."

Adria nods. "Refrain from running or participating in any strenuous activities."

I nod, giving her a half-hearted signal indicated that I've heard her. The windows in my castle tell me that it's late. Candles are lit in the hallways. It's eerie and silent as I make my way down to the kitchen.

The cobblestone ground is cold beneath my feet. My cheeks heat with embarrassment when I realize that I'm not wearing a shirt.

I feel for the bandage on my abdomen. Pain shoots through me when I touch it; it's still sensitive.

When I walk into the kitchen, I see Persephone sitting with Evadne on the floor next to the roaring fire. She has a blanket wrapped around her and her hair is a mess. I can't see her face, but I can tell she's sad.

Evadne hears me walk in. She stands from the floor and hugs herself as she makes her way over to me. "Be gentle with her. She's sensitive from her time in Thanatos's dungeon."

I nod understandingly. I promised her that I would never let her get hurt, but I broke it. What exactly happened to her, I'll never know, but it hurts immensely knowing that she's hurting.

I approach her and welcome the fire's heat and light as I sit next to her on the floor. She's clutching a cup of tea in her hands and her eyes are on the fire.