Noise awoke her, voices arguing and the clanking of metal and stone. It felt as if she’d only been asleep for a few minutes. Her body ached, like she’d worked out with Xan for too long. But she felt more like herself. Her mind wasn’t as cloudy, but she felt like there was something she was supposed to remember but couldn’t.

“Hope!”

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. A young woman with dark hair sat on her bed. Everything about her was angular and sharp, even her voice.

“You sleep like the dead.”

Especially her voice.

She wore a strap of leather across her chest, with several pairs of pinking shears, and a belt with various sizes of scissors. There were some with odd markings, others with jeweled grips. Some with thick long blades, and others with short pointed tips. The girl’s dark hair was cut in an angled bob, coming to points at her sharp chin. Dressed in a fitted dark-navy chiton with slits up to her thighs, the goddess leaned toward Hope.

“Do you know who I am?”

Hope swallowed her panic. “I thought you were supposed to appear with your sisters.”

Atropos pursed her lips and inclined her head. “I’m only here to deliver a message. You have to go to Olympus next, so don’t argue about that. Second, and most important, be sure to include everyone that has sacrificed their immortality to Hades on your behalf when you make your bargain with the Lord of the Underworld, or you’ll have bigger regrets than Priska’s death.”

Just the words made Hope cringe. What did it say that Hope hadn’t even considered that others would sacrifice for her? Of course that made sense. Was it a dream, or had she seen Athan here? Her thoughts raced and jumped, and Hope shook her head to clear it. “Are you talking about Athan?”

Atropos jumped and looked at the door. She brought her finger to her lips and then indicated that Hope lie back down.

The lock on the door clicked, and Atropos disappeared.

Hope lay down but tried to keep her eyes barely open. Just enough to see . . .

Persephone entered with another covered tray. She stopped as soon as she’d crossed the threshold of the room, and her eyes narrowed. She took a deep breath and came to the bedside. “You don’t have to tell me who was here, but don’t pretend you’re still asleep. It insults us both.”

Hope considered her words, and it seemed ridiculous to pretend anyway, so she sat up. “Sorry.”

Persephone waved away Hope’s apology. “Don’t. You have several gods making requests. You’re in a rare position of power.”

“I don’t feel that powerful,” Hope muttered. Her muscles protested every movement, as if trying to remember how to function properly, and she knew she’d lost a chunk of her memory. “But I think I’m ready to know what happened.”

Persephone raised her brows. “I think you’d better eat first. You need to talk with Lord Hades before you can bargain with anyone else.”

Hope oddly wasn’t hungry. Shouldn’t her appetite be back by now? She ate one cracker and washed it down with the bottle of water as she mulled over the information she had. Hades wanted her to go to Olympus, face Hera, tell her she was a hypocrite, and get the Olympians to unbind the gods of the Underworld. If she were to believe Atropos, she had to go to Olympus anyway. Gods, she did not want to screw this up. She thought of the goddess of Fate’s words.

Hope scooted back to the edge of the bed, her sheet-like toga sliding up to her knees. She pulled down on the fabric so it wouldn’t ride any higher. “Can I brush my teeth first?”

Persephone smiled and pointed to the bathroom. “Be my guest.”

The chiton was a soft gray, and for some reason the color made Hope uneasy. Regardless, she put it on and made her way out. She was stronger today, if only a little bit so. Still, she wouldn’t be able to fight her way out of any situation physically, and she hoped her words would be enough.

“You’re better,” Persephone seconded. “In another few weeks, you’ll be healed and ready to go.”

Hope opened her mouth to protest. She couldn’t wait a few more weeks. Urgency to get out of the Underworld pulsed with every heartbeat. But it made no sense to argue either; at this point, she couldn’t even stand on her own for more than a few minutes. How could she be so tired when she was sleeping so much?

“Patience. You’ll get there.”

Persephone offered her arm, and Hope accepted it. The walk to the throne room was long.

The hallways were void of parishioners or Skia today, and the quiet made Hope’s skin crawl. As if the very structure were awaiting her decision before life moved on.

“Is Athan here?”

The corners of Persephone’s eyes tightened. “Why do you ask?”

It was hard to determine what was memory and what was dream, but she was pretty sure that was real. And it seemed like it had happened yesterday. Hope rubbed her forehead. “Didn’t he and Xan come into my room? Didn’t Athan kiss me?”

Persephone said nothing, and Hope was too tired to really push it. Her head ached, and she concentrated on the roiling of her stomach.

The throne room, like the hallways, was devoid of parishioners, but two Skia stood at the door with weapons in hand. Hope wasn’t sure, but they looked familiar.

“Ah!” Hades smiled at her and descended his throne. “Have you had a good rest? Are you ready to discuss our agreement?”

It was déjà vu. The sense that she’d just been in the room compounded the fogginess in her brain.

“You want me to go to Olympus and confront Hera?”

Hades smirked while nodding.

“I can’t guarantee that anything will change.” There was no way she was going to have what she asked for contingent on his desired outcome.

A dark chuckle escaped before he answered. “Oh, things will definitely change, young one.”

She would roll her eyes if it didn’t take so much energy. “I’ll do it if . . .”

There were certain words she should use. Didn’t the cutting goddess say something about specific words? Gods, she was so tired.

Hades raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”

“If everyone that gave their life for me is returned to the mortal realm and allowed to live a long, normal life. Without any influence from your realm until they die a natural death.” Was she forgetting anything?

“Not everyone,” Hades said, holding up his hand. “I will not override the effect on anyone the other gods have taken.”

“Fine.” She had no idea what he was referring to, but she trusted in the words of Atropos.

“If this is about your guardian, why not just ask for her back?” The god of the Underworld cocked his head to the side and studied her.

But Hope refused to answer and just stared at Hades, waiting.

“Done.”

The tightness in her chest loosened a little. “Swear on the Styx.”

A slow smile spread across his face.

It resembled the leer the Skia wore. Suddenly, she wondered if that was where it came from. Her heart skipped a beat.

“I swear on the Styx,” he sneered.

Hope shook her head. “I want to hear you say the words exactly like I did.”

Hades repeated the words she’d spoken, along with his oath to abide by his word. He then asked that Hope do the same.

The words rolled off her tongue. She would have to fulfill her oath or she would spend eternity burning in the hatred of the River Styx. But confronting Hera was the least of her worries. Hope swayed on her feet. “Are we done? May I return to my bed?”

Hades waved her off. “Yes, yes. You need your beauty sleep before we send you to Olympus.”

Hope was too tired to correct him. She had no intention of going straight to Olympus. She needed to see Priska settled and check in with her friends. She missed Haley, Xan, Dahlia, and especially Athan. She missed Mr. Stanley, and wondered if everyone was okay now that Apollo’s sons were ash.

Persephone led her to the door. “Your room is the fifth door on the left. Do you think you can make it?”

Hope looked down the hall. It wasn’t that far. She nodded and stepped into the hallway. Only seconds later she was at the room. It was right there. Had they come some circuitous route on the way to the throne room? Was she losing her mind?

Hope opened the door and went straight to the bed. She lay down but hadn’t even shut her eyes when there was a knock at the door. “Come in.”

Persephone entered. Her hair was no longer up, and it cascaded down her back in honeyed waves. Her blue eyes were rimmed in red.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “Here is a sleep aid for you.”

She held out a vial of silver liquid.

Hope shook her head. She was so tired she could sleep for a week. “I don’t want to take anything that will bind me here.”

Persephone offered a small smile. “It will not bind you here. It is a gift, from me. It is manufactured in the mortal realm, so it’s safe.”

“I appreciate your kindness, but I don’t want to take anything. If you let me sleep until I wake up, just one good sleep, then I’ll leave.”

The goddess of the Underworld crossed the room and sat on the bed. She leaned over Hope, and Hope scooted up in bed so she was sitting against the headboard.

“Either you can drink it . . . willingly, or I can call in help. It is a restorative tonic”— she held up her hand—“not that kind of restoration. It is for the body, not the mind. Hades would have you healthy before you leave us.”

Hope ground her teeth. “I have no choice?”

Persephone shook her head. “None. But I swear on the Styx it will not harm you, nor will it bind you here.”

The liquid was cool and sweet, like drinking the juice of a peach, and Hope had a fleeting thought of a peach orchard before darkness blanketed her.