The Gatekeeper's Bride: A Prequel to The Gatekeeper's Saga by Eva Pohler

Author:Eva Pohler [Pohler, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: azw
Published: 2016-04-11T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Two: Hecate’s Promise

Demeter took her daughter’s hand and stopped her from leaving her rooms. “Wait.”

“But, Mother, Hades is just outside the gate.”

“Don’t you love me?” Demeter asked as tears filled her eyes. She glanced back at Hecate, who gave her a reassuring nod.

“Of course I do!” Persephone embraced her mother, and Demeter shuddered against her as the tears fell down her cheeks.

“Tell me you’ll miss me,” Demeter said, unable to stop herself from stroking her daughter’s hair. She was filling with panic, worried this might be the last time she would ever see her daughter again. What if the lord of darkness went back on his word and never let Persephone leave the Underworld again?

“I will miss you. I love you very much.” Persephone pulled away to look at Demeter’s face. “But you must understand that I’m anxious to see my husband.”

Demeter pursed her lips. “Perhaps if he were any other husband.”

Her daughter heaved a heavy sigh.

“What if you give birth while you’re down there, among the dead? What kind of place is that to nurse your babies?”

“It’s as good a place as any,” Persephone assured her.

“Who will help you deliver them?” Demeter insisted. “Maybe I should go with you.”

“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Demeter lifted her brows. “You want to get away from me.”

“No, of course not, Mother.” Persephone took both of Demeter’s hands. “I just know how unhappy you’ll be.”

“I’ll be unhappy anywhere without you,” Demeter pointed out.

“Ask the Muses to cheer you up, or Aphrodite’s Graces.”

Demeter could barely breathe. The idea of being seen by the other gods in her agitated state was appalling to her. No, she wouldn’t stay on Mount Olympus. If she couldn’t be with her daughter, she’d go to her new cabin near Demophoon.

Hecate crossed the room and placed a hand on Demeter’s shoulder. “I could go with her until the babies are born.”

She turned to her friend. “Oh, my dear Hecate! That might make the next six months bearable.” To Persephone, she said, “Hades won’t object, will he?”

Demeter detected a hint of disappointment in her daughter’s face as she said, “Of course not. Now let’s not make him wait a moment longer.”

Persephone led the way into the great hall, where the other gods stopped what they were doing to bid her farewell. Hephaestus stopped polishing his shield, Apollo stopped playing his lyre, Hermes put down his pipe, Hestia wiped her hands on her apron, and each came to kiss Demeter’s daughter on the cheek. When it was Zeus’s turn, Persephone turned her head, and Zeus’s kiss landed on her hair.

Instead of apologizing, Persephone raced to Aphrodite for a kiss. Demeter noticed Zeus had taken offense at being snubbed, but he said nothing. Hera, on the other hand, seemed rather pleased. The queen followed Persephone and got her kiss, too.

At the gate, Demeter thought she might faint. How had her life come to this? What other mother in the whole wide world had to watch her daughter die again every year?

Persephone waved once more as she stepped through the gate.

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