me?”
“Don’t get too excited there, sweetie. You’re a goddess of spring. Not exactly anything vital.
Oh, and you have an overbearing mother, so good luck getting to do anything with those powers.” Muffin smiled tightly. “She’s kind of a battle-axe, that Demeter, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. It beats a coma, right?” She leaned over and pinched Rose’s cheek. “Right.”
Rose pulled away, rubbing her cheek. “One flower of the underworld, coming right up.”
“I thought you’d see it my way.” Muffin beamed, then glanced down at a sundial strapped to her wrist in place of a watch. “Now I’ve got to run. Have fun and don’t forget to call me as soon as you get that flower!”
She disappeared in a puff of glittery smoke, leaving Rose coughing and alone in the field.
Rose got to her feet, smoothing her dress and trying to hike it up over her bared breast. No dice—the darn thing seemed to be deliberately cut to expose her. Well, when in Rome… or Greece… or wherever she was. Muffin had said it was a different plane.
And that she was a goddess. It seemed unreal, but here she was. She didn’t even remember the coma. She just remembered swimming in the ocean, and, well… nothing past that. Had she drowned?
Nine years in a coma. Good lord. She’d missed out on nine years? Rose clutched her
stomach, feeling sick at the thought. How could so much time go by and she not notice? Surely she would have noticed… something? Wouldn’t she?
A goddess. Muffin had said she was a goddess. That was totally crazy. Goddess of spring, even. Rose glanced down at the field of flowers she stood in and stared hard at the greenery at her feet, concentrating.
Sure enough, the flowers began to twist and grow to an abnormal size, blooms unfurling at her thought.
All right. So the fairy godmother wasn’t lying.
Now she just had to find a flower of the underworld.
Chapter Two
Olympus
She was gorgeous.
She was forbidden.
Hades’s gaze was riveted to the maiden at Demeter’s side, her reddish-blond curls twined with bright flowers. She was such a contrast to Demeter’s stern, frowning face. Persephone was beautiful and smiling, her oval face tanned from the sunlight, blue eyes sparkling as she looked around her with wonder. Her slim figure swayed in her pale green chiton as she kept a few dutiful steps behind her mother, and he noticed her feet were bare. Even Demeter wore sandals over her feet in Olympus.
Gorgeous and just a bit headstrong if the lack of footwear was any indication. Demeter cast her daughter a disapproving look as they strolled down the long galley toward Zeus’s throne, and his mouth curved into a smile. Headstrong and rebellious.
Perfect for him.
He had to have her.
Of course, that would be if he could pry her away from her mother’s side. Even now Demeter shepherded her beautiful daughter through the halls of Olympus as if it were a singularly unpleasant task. Perhaps it was. Demeter was most at home in the fields, surrounded by humans.
Rumor had it that her daughter was half-human.
Hades didn’t care about that. Demeter was no relation to him. Though he might call her
“sister” as he did any descended from the Titans, she was of no blood relation and that made her daughter fair game.
He needed a queen for his kingdom. He needed a woman in his bed.
And he wanted Persephone. He cast a speculative glance over at Zeus, who was watching the young maiden with greedy eyes of his own.
Best to not waste any time, then.
~*~
Now she was finally getting somewhere.
Rose knelt before Zeus, uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her. Like he wanted to see what she looked like… without her clothes. Creepy old guy.
“My daughter, brother Titan,” Demeter snapped. “Persephone. I have given her a portion of my powers. She is to be the goddess of spring.”
At those words, Rose did as she’d practiced. She crossed her hands over her heart and knelt deep, giving the
“Don’t get too excited there, sweetie. You’re a goddess of spring. Not exactly anything vital.
Oh, and you have an overbearing mother, so good luck getting to do anything with those powers.” Muffin smiled tightly. “She’s kind of a battle-axe, that Demeter, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. It beats a coma, right?” She leaned over and pinched Rose’s cheek. “Right.”
Rose pulled away, rubbing her cheek. “One flower of the underworld, coming right up.”
“I thought you’d see it my way.” Muffin beamed, then glanced down at a sundial strapped to her wrist in place of a watch. “Now I’ve got to run. Have fun and don’t forget to call me as soon as you get that flower!”
She disappeared in a puff of glittery smoke, leaving Rose coughing and alone in the field.
Rose got to her feet, smoothing her dress and trying to hike it up over her bared breast. No dice—the darn thing seemed to be deliberately cut to expose her. Well, when in Rome… or Greece… or wherever she was. Muffin had said it was a different plane.
And that she was a goddess. It seemed unreal, but here she was. She didn’t even remember the coma. She just remembered swimming in the ocean, and, well… nothing past that. Had she drowned?
Nine years in a coma. Good lord. She’d missed out on nine years? Rose clutched her
stomach, feeling sick at the thought. How could so much time go by and she not notice? Surely she would have noticed… something? Wouldn’t she?
A goddess. Muffin had said she was a goddess. That was totally crazy. Goddess of spring, even. Rose glanced down at the field of flowers she stood in and stared hard at the greenery at her feet, concentrating.
Sure enough, the flowers began to twist and grow to an abnormal size, blooms unfurling at her thought.
All right. So the fairy godmother wasn’t lying.
Now she just had to find a flower of the underworld.
Chapter Two
Olympus
She was gorgeous.
She was forbidden.
Hades’s gaze was riveted to the maiden at Demeter’s side, her reddish-blond curls twined with bright flowers. She was such a contrast to Demeter’s stern, frowning face. Persephone was beautiful and smiling, her oval face tanned from the sunlight, blue eyes sparkling as she looked around her with wonder. Her slim figure swayed in her pale green chiton as she kept a few dutiful steps behind her mother, and he noticed her feet were bare. Even Demeter wore sandals over her feet in Olympus.
Gorgeous and just a bit headstrong if the lack of footwear was any indication. Demeter cast her daughter a disapproving look as they strolled down the long galley toward Zeus’s throne, and his mouth curved into a smile. Headstrong and rebellious.
Perfect for him.
He had to have her.
Of course, that would be if he could pry her away from her mother’s side. Even now Demeter shepherded her beautiful daughter through the halls of Olympus as if it were a singularly unpleasant task. Perhaps it was. Demeter was most at home in the fields, surrounded by humans.
Rumor had it that her daughter was half-human.
Hades didn’t care about that. Demeter was no relation to him. Though he might call her
“sister” as he did any descended from the Titans, she was of no blood relation and that made her daughter fair game.
He needed a queen for his kingdom. He needed a woman in his bed.
And he wanted Persephone. He cast a speculative glance over at Zeus, who was watching the young maiden with greedy eyes of his own.
Best to not waste any time, then.
~*~
Now she was finally getting somewhere.
Rose knelt before Zeus, uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her. Like he wanted to see what she looked like… without her clothes. Creepy old guy.
“My daughter, brother Titan,” Demeter snapped. “Persephone. I have given her a portion of my powers. She is to be the goddess of spring.”
At those words, Rose did as she’d practiced. She crossed her hands over her heart and knelt deep, giving the
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