Searing pain ripped her from sleep. Pandora shot upright in bed and clutched her throat as a scream died on her lips. Metallic blood tainted her tongue; her chest convulsed as panic tightened and clawed under her skin.    

She stumbled into the adjoining bathing chamber and flicked on the light. Her nightshirt hit the ground, a crumpled heap in the corner. There were no wounds. No reddened flesh. Only a delicate swirling imprint spiraled along her collarbones, a lasting reminder of Hades.    

This affliction belonged to him.  

The sensation had haunted her for two weeks. Even her dreams fell silent and empty. Persephone had not saved him. Not yet.

“I’m going to bring you home,” she whispered as she skimmed her fingers over the filigree. Unshed tears stung. They burned as she blinked.  

“Little god-killer thinks she might break him free.” Eris, the woman from Hypnos’s dreamscape, appeared behind her in the mirror. A sinister grin split her face, and black ink poured down her chin. “The power of love doesn’t fix everything.”  

“What do you want?” Pandora demanded through clenched teeth. She slammed a fist against the glass. The shards broke and distorted their reflection.  

“Chaos! I crave chaos.” Eris leaned closer, her image splintering. “The Harvest Goddess has tried so hard but lacks discipline. Her pride may kill him and end you all. What will you do?”  

“I won’t play your games. I am not your puppet,” Pandora snarled.    

“That ache you feel? Venom coursing through his blood.” She tapped the fractured spot, and her smile unfurled. “If you fail to intervene, he will not survive. His soul clings to yours. Could you overcome that devastation?”  

“And how does your master fit into your desire for mayhem?”    

“He doesn’t; he’ll be livid. I’m meant to distract the Harvest Goddess,” Pandora felt the brush of her lips on her ear, though she knew Eris wasn’t there. “This seemed more fun. Try to rescue your lover.”    

“I…” A heavy knock startled her.  

Eris laughed before vanishing. It lingered after she was gone.  

As the sound faded, Pandora took a moment to process everything. Her chest still ached. Her fist throbbed. Sticky warmth told her she was bleeding. She pulled first aid supplies from the cabinet, then mechanically cleaned the wound. The gauze was stained red. She flexed her knuckles. 

Eris called her god-killer. That meant she was aware of the event in her past life. Dread filled her because no one should remember it. The Fates had scrubbed him from their records. At least they were supposed to.  

She wanted to ruminate longer, but another knock indicated her visitor’s annoyance. Cursing, she fought the desire to punch something else. She snatched her shirt off the ground and yanked it on.   

“I’m coming,” she huffed. Each night, Helen heard her screams and checked on her. Expecting her, Pandora let her in and stood aside. “You can come in, Helen.”   

“Too bad I’m not Helen.” Persephone entered, and Pandora staggered. She towered over Pandora, and her golden gaze swept over her space. Displeasure twisted her features. “Your quarters are unexpectedly small.” 

“To what do I owe this visit, Persephone?” She put emphasis on her name, a forced smile on her face. Her frayed nerves made this visit even less desirable.   

“Don’t play coy, Pandora,” Persephone snipped. “My attempts to save him prove futile; it’s never enough.” 

“And?” Pandora shot her a withered look. “My assistance isn’t needed, remember?”   

“I won’t beg. I will find someone else, but that’s not what you would prefer.” She spun, fixated on her face. “By the way, I discovered your dirty secret.”    

Pandora stiffened. Folding her arms over her chest, she regarded Persephone with the same distaste. “I have no secrets.” 

She laughed. “Of course not. I’m sure Athena is aware of your affair with my husband.”   

“You know she doesn’t.” Her heart thundered in her ears as renewed panic stormed through her. “You’re right. No one else should be involved.” 

With a curt nod, Persephone turned. She ran a manicured finger over rumpled bedsheets as she wandered. Restlessness kept her moving. Pandora had the same problem. Sharing anything in common with Persephone made her skin crawl, but she stayed quiet.  

“Will you help me?” The words were softer, no longer threatening. The impact struck Pandora, who had waited for this opportunity. 

“Yes.”  

“Good. Now, come,” Persephone stepped past her before she paused. She looked over her shoulder and smirked. “Maybe wait to explain this to Athena. My aunt has quite the temper.”    

***    

The smell of wet paint filled Pandora’s senses as they entered Hypnos’ chamber. An ever-evolving masterpiece sprawled across his walls and stunned her into silence. She wanted to dip her fingers into the globs. Turning, she spotted the figure on the bed. It was Hades.    

She forgot everything else and rushed to his side.  

Two weeks had changed his living body. Sculpted cheekbones were now prominent under an unkempt beard. His pale complexion faded to sickly gray. The suit he wore sagged; it was no longer impeccably tailored. She choked on a sob. Longed to reach for him.  

“I told you not to fail him, Persephone.” A thinly veiled warning darkened her tone. “If he dies because of your pride, I will destroy you.”    

“As you’ve said,” Persephone looked down her nose at Pandora. “He’s not dead yet, so hold your threats.”  

“He is stable, Pandora.” Hypnos placed a hand on her shoulder and halted the ramping hostility. “Look.”   

A mirror appeared above Hades’ head. A wave of demons raced towards Hades, twin god-blades poised to strike. Wounds covered every exposed inch of flesh. Some were fresh, some festered. With every beast he struck, more took their place. Their endlessness took a toll. His breathing was heavy, and sweat poured into weeping cuts.   

Without warning, bright illumination burst from a lily tattoo on Hades’ hand. They scattered. The beam incinerated those too slow to flee. The afterglow remained and pushed back any survivors. They clawed at an invisible barrier, and their fur smoked when they got too close. Hades collapsed in the center of the barrier, and his chest heaved from exhaustion.   

“How?” She anxiously stroked the pattern on her collarbone beneath her nightshirt. He was covered in bite wounds. “Their venom should block his power.” 

“The blast was not from him but from Persephone.” He continued when Pandora looked confused. “Tending to the flower in the Waking Realm allowed her to infuse magic into his dreamscape.”     

“Persephone, will you continue to care for it?”   

“Without constant sunlight, I cannot offer much. I’ve given my all.” She traced a petal, and the corruption faded. It reappeared when she pulled away. “If you give me twenty-four hours, I’ll have enough to provide a more extensive blast.”  

“That should allow me to find the dimensional rip.” Her fingers trembled with adrenaline. Without a solid plan, she would fail. This offered her potential. “Once sealed, they’ll be unable to respawn.”   

“More than demons are keeping him there,” Hypnos interrupted her elation. “His heightened emotions caused the rip. Until he resolves them, he will remain trapped.”   

Sending her to the Upperworld wouldn’t cause this level of response. She knew the agony of separation, but this was something more. “What did you do?”  

“Athena beckons you.” Hypnos waved dismissively before he vanished.   

Pandora winced as a burning sensation filled her. Her owl tattoo glowed blue on her arm. Athena was summoning her, and the discomfort would worsen if she ignored it. With a glance at Persephone, she also disappeared.   

Pandora touched the mark, and an image of Athena appeared. Narrowed silver eyes and a deep scowl distorted her beautiful features. Behind her, Helen offered an apologetic smile and a small wave. She must have come to Pandora’s room after they left.   

“You are in the Underworld again,” Athena noted. “Persephone dismissed you.”  

“She did, but there’s been no progress.” No lies, but not the whole truth. “She required my aid. I couldn’t say no.”   

“You should have asked for my permission. Especially after your last incident with a god?” Concern softened her face, but only for a moment. “You are duty-bound to me, not to Persephone. Not Hades.”  

“I apologize, my lady. Should I return?” Pandora questioned, silently begging her to say no. Sweat coated her palms, and she looked away.    

“You’re hiding something.” Startled, Pandora shook her head. Too quickly. Athena’s voice darkened. “I’d like a word with Persephone.”  

The connection went dead. She sucked in a  breath, relieved Athena hadn’t demanded her home. The only request she couldn’t obey. Not with Hades in trouble.  

“It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission,” Persephone said nonchalantly as she reappeared. The absurdity brought Pandora out of her thoughts. “Remember: I require twenty-four hours to gather strength. Keep him alive until then.”  

“I will,” she snapped. “So long as you honor your word.”  

“You needn’t worry.” She moved to leave but paused. “I have some things I should atone for. I hope he’ll listen.”  

In her wake, Hypnos materialized before the portal. Pandora wanted to hug him, to promise him it would be okay. The gloom in his gaze gave her pause. Dark bags rimmed his eyes, and his hair hung around his shoulders. Time hadn’t been kind to any of them.  

“Will you apologize to Hades while in there?” Hypnos fiddled with the edge of his sweater. “He won’t want anything to do with me.”    

“What happened?” Whatever Hypnos did, it was enough to cause this mess.    

“Hades learned of my affair with Persephone. It was physical on her part. In my distraction, I sensed the intruder in my realm too late. Please, grant me mercy.”   

His plea for forgiveness dulled the edge of her anger, but didn’t extinguish it. She knew he hadn’t meant for any of this—but he had let it happen. Too distracted by Persephone, despite everything she had put Hades through, to stop it. She hugged him. His full weight sagged on her, and he shook in her arms.   

“We’ll talk later,” She stroked his silken hair as he squeezed her tighter. “I’ll try to smooth out his anger. Deal?”    

“Thank you.” He floated from her and wiped at his tears. “He’s in desperate need of his woman. No one else is capable.”    

He slipped into the swirling mass, and she followed. It felt like stepping into an eternal spring. Ethereal light streamed through massive columns. Butterflies drifted from the flowers that surrounded the fountain. A gentle breeze brought the scent of honeysuckle and dreams.      

A dark wooden door loomed on the other side; a blight against the serenity of the atrium. The grain ran in restless, knotted patterns, and the finish was glossy and warped. A brass figure of Cerberus served as the knob. Three heads had frozen mid-growl, and their eyes glowed electric blue. Hints of tarnish turned the finer details green.  

“Has it always looked so ominous?” 

She took a tentative step closer and felt the corrupted aura. The Cold deepened with every step. Fat puffs of fog drifted above her head. Eerie red seeped from weathered cracks, and wispy smoke crawled along the marble floor. It reached for her.  

“No.” Hypnos grabbed her arm and halted her. “The pollution runs deep. This shall not be a simple endeavor.”  

“It’s never easy, but you get used to it.” She shrugged out of his grip. “The only difference this time is my emotional ties.”  

Her palm closed over the Cerberus’ heads, and the atrium trembled. Hypnos yelped but didn’t stop her as she twisted it. Darkness pulsed within, and the living entity waited for another victim. She stepped through, and the boom of the wooden panel closing echoed through the emptiness beyond.  

Editor: Lucy Cafiero