“Apollo?” she exclaimed, practically dropping the watering can in her palms. “What are you doing right here?”

Geri, who had practically run into the solar god, glowered. “What the fuck? You possibly can’t simply pop in like that with none warning! What if there was a mortal round and noticed you?”

Apollo smiled at her straightforward, assured demeanor, his golden hair catching the sunshine. “Nicely, whats up there, Geri,” Apollo purred. “It’s been some time. What have you ever been as much as? Seen any good films recently?”

Geri, unimpressed, shot him a disdainful look. “Save your charms for somebody who cares, Apollo. I’ve bought work to do.”

He went as much as Geri and leaned in, his voice a low, teasing whisper that solely Geri may hear. No matter he stated lit up a mischievous spark in her eyes, and an surprising flush coloured her cheeks.

Geri, attempting to keep up her composure, shot him a pointy look. “Flattery gained’t get you wherever, Apollo. Now, when you don’t thoughts, I don’t want your distractions.”

“Ah, so that you admit, I’m distracting?”

“Like an annoying fly I need to squash with a swatter.”

Apollo, undeterred, turned his consideration to Persephone, who was observing the trade. “Persephone, my radiant flower, care to share a second of divine dialog?”

Persephone raised an eyebrow, unamused by his antics. “What would you like, Apollo?”

His smile faltered barely, and he cleared his throat. “I assumed we may discuss. You understand, about…issues.”

“Issues?” Geri interjected, shaking her head. “That’s very particular. You’ve gotten a manner with phrases.”

Ignoring Geri, he tried to regain his composure. “I simply needed to catch up and see how issues are getting in your nook of the Upperworld. No hidden agenda, I promise.”

Persephone’s expression remained skeptical. “Superb, let’s discuss. However maintain it quick. I’ve a store to are inclined to.”

They walked as much as her condominium, which had undergone a refined transformation. The candy perfume of blooming flowers crammed the air, however the once-bright hues had change into extra muted. As a substitute, beautiful vegetation adorned each out there floor and existed alongside shadows and darker undertones, mirroring the depth of Persephone’s evolving persona.

Getting into the remodeled house, Apollo expressed his shock. “Nicely, that is surprising. It’s like getting into a unique realm.”

“I suppose it displays the completely different aspects of my world now,” she stated thoughtfully, acknowledging the adjustments. “Now, what did you need to discuss, Apollo?”

“Hades.”

“No.” Striding over to the door, she opened it and jerked her thumb on the outdoors. “Go. Now.”

“Please, Persephone,” he started. “He’s my good friend, and I simply need to assist him. You’ll do the identical in your pals, wouldn’t you? What if Geri requested in your assist with one thing? Wouldn’t you do your greatest to assist her out?”

She pursed her lips. “I extremely doubt Hades would ask in your assist.”

“True, he would quite spend a thousand days in Tartarus than ask for assist, however I might say he was silently crying out for my assist.” He walked over to her and shut the door. “He’s so depressing with out you.”

“So? You understand what he did, proper?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Do you know about it too? From the start.”

The solar god put his palms up defensively. “I swear, I didn’t. I didn’t even find out about you till you got here to the Underworld. And even in regards to the seer rigging the heaps. Hades, you understand, retains rather a lot to himself. He’s very personal and by no means shares with anybody.”

“I do know. And he’s a liar too.”

“He didn’t lie,” Apollo stated.

“He lied by omission,” she shot again. “He knew from the start that he wanted to marry me in an effort to convey me to the Sealing Ceremony.”

“Nicely, would you might have performed it if he simply got here out and requested you? And instructed you about Zeus?” Apollo identified.

“In fact not!”

“And so, he did what he wanted to woo you. However did he ever coerce you into coming to the Underworld? Or into marriage?”

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