her every few years. He never remained in one place very long. He was a wanderer and no one knew that much about him except that he had been cursed to roam as a blood-drinker.
But since he was in my vision today, I had a rare glimpse at his elusive face. He was thin and pale, with dark hair and gray eyes. He wasn’t strikingly handsome, but he had an air of something special about him, something compelling.
He whispered into Hecate’s ear and she moved closer to him with a sigh.
“I hate it that you always leave,” she murmured. “Why must you?”
He smiled and moved away, rolling from the bed and pulling on his clothing.
“Because I must,” he answered. “I’ll return.”
And then he was gone and the vision changed.
Hecate was watching a little girl run through a beautiful garden. The girl had long, dark hair that streaked behind her as she ran and she turned laughingly to look at her mother. Her eyes were gray- the same shade as Mormo’s and I realized with a start that I had seen them before.
I had dreamed of them not too long ago. She was the woman who had asked for my help.
“Empusa!” Hecate called, “We must go. We have things to do.”
“But I want to stay here, Mama,” Empusa answered. “It’s happy here.” And she was right- it was why I loved gardens myself. They always seemed happy and peaceful.
Hecate smiled lovingly at her. “My child, we’ll come back. Come with me now.”
She took her arm and they walked away and my vision distorted once again.
This time, Empusa was in a dark place filled with shadows. She was older and breathtakingly beautiful, just as she had been in my dream. Her skin was pale and shimmery as she moved through the dark.
She murmured softly to someone and my vision expanded to reveal another person in the shadows. A child. I gasped and my heart thundered.
Raquel.
Empusa reached out and snatched deep red berries from my daughter’s hands.
“No!” she cried out. “You must never eat here. Promise me, little one.”
Raquel nodded, her face smudged with dirt, making her jade green eyes all the more luminous.
“Okay,” she replied tremulously. “But I’m so hungry. I’ve been here so long. I don’t like it here, Em.”
“I know,” Empusa answered. “We just have to hide a little longer.”
She reached out to brush Raquel’s hair out of her face before turning to me, locking her gray gaze with my own.
“Hurry,” she implored. My breath caught on my lips.
“Harmonia, what in the world are you doing out here?”
The startled voice came from behind me and my vision turned black. I turned to find Persephone emerging from the palace onto the terrace, obviously surprised to find me outside.
“Why are you drinking from the fountain?” she asked curiously. “What did you see?”
“I saw my daughter,” I answered shakily. “With Hecate’s daughter. Do you know anything about this? Do you know where they are?”
She watched me with sympathy as she approached.
“There are many, many things that I do not know,” she told me. “Hades does not share everything with me, unlike the bond that you and Cadmus share. I love Hades with every breath that I take, but our love is different from yours. You love only each other. Hades and I… we’re different.”
“Why should that concern me?” I stared into her eyes. “I do not care about your relationship.”
“You should,” she replied. “Because it will affect you today.”
“How so?” I asked curiously, noting for the first time that she carried something partially hidden in her skirt. “What are you holding?”
“I was on my way to your rooms,” she explained. “I have something for you.”
“Why would you want to help me?” I asked, slightly suspicious.
“Because…I do not want you here,” she explained simply. “I have nothing against you personally, my dear. But Hades is entirely too infatuated with you. You must leave.”
I stared at her in shock. Before I could speak, she laughed.
“You thought I didn’t know? Of course I knew. I know my husband like the back of my own hand. He has desired you for a very long time- before he had even set eyes on you. But Hades… well, when he desires things, it is simply to keep them. Just like an art collection. He enjoys surrounding himself with things that he considers lovely. It is me he loves, however, even if he samples other things of beauty from time to time.”
I suddenly saw Persephone for what she was. A woman in love with her husband, even despite of his faults.
“So, how are you planning to help me?”
She lifted her hand and in it, she held Hades’ Helm of Darkness. I gasped and she smiled a thin smile.
“I know. He will kill me when he finds out. Well, not literally. Please don’t use it against him. He is… not what you think. He’s vulnerable on the inside and he can be kind. I do not wish him harmed. Please, only use it for what you need.”
I nodded slowly, reaching out trembling fingers to take it from her. It appeared as a simple warrior’s helmet, made from bronze. But I knew of its powers. It was far from simple.
“Now,” she said briskly. “You need to leave. Your family needs your help.”
I looked at her questioningly. “My family?”
She nodded, looking over her shoulder. “Your parents and your husband are in the dungeons. Hades is keeping them there, but I know that he intends to transfer them to the Dungeon of the Damned, so you must hurry.”
“Why would he do that?” I cried. “They haven’t done anything to deserve damnation!”
She nodded sadly. “I agree. But sometimes, a reason is not needed here. Your parents are good people, Harmonia. And your husband loves you with all of his heart. I know that you do not want them harmed, even if you are angry with them right now.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “I would never want them harmed. How do I get to them?”
“The helm will render you invisible,” she answered. “You will be able to slip in and free them, but getting out with be a trick. There is a hidden corridor behind the forging fires. If you can get to it, you can escape. Here is the key.”
She handed me a large brass key, which I clutched tightly in my hand. “Use care, Harmonia. Hades will hunt for you for all of eternity.”
The thought sent chills down my spine.
“What are you waiting for?” she nudged me. “Go. You must be quick.”
I took off running, slipping the helmet on as I ran. Interesting enough, my hands and arms faded away and I realized that I was, indeed, invisible. No one could see me. As I picked up speed, I realized one other thing. I was running immortally fast. The helmet was blocking the limitations of the Underworld- my goddess abilities were back. I sighed a breath of relief as I blurred down the hallway in a streak toward the basement.
I made good time. I was standing outside of the massive iron doors within minutes. Cautiously, I slipped inside. It was like a different world in the dungeons as opposed to the beauty of the palace above.
It was dark, with the only light coming from wide-spaced torches on the walls. It smelled musty and dank and the walls were covered in condensation. Low moans echoed throughout the halls and I was instantly filled with trepidation. What had Hades done to my family? They weren’t able to defend themselves… they didn’t have their abilities here.
As I walked, my heart sank. The dungeons were composed of a labyrinth of halls and corridors. Each corridor was lined with musty cells, with prisoners of every type contained within. But as I searched, I realized something. My thoughts were being invaded by the sound of the prisoner’s thoughts.
Because I was wearing the helm and my goddess abilities had returned, I was able to once again read thoughts. Obviously, I could block them out if I chose, but instead, I focused in and tried to hear Cadmus, Aphrodite or Ares.
For a while, all I could hear was the sad, depressing thoughts of prisoners. I kept looking in each cell as I ran, trying to find a familiar face. But then my name stuck out and I honed in.
Cadmus.
He was thinking of me. He was picturing me, and through his thoughts, I could see what I looked like as I had left with Persephone. I looked fragile and heartbroken- exactly what I had felt like. He had no way of knowing that I felt stronger now and he was devastated at my rejection of him.
My heart twinged and I desperately wished that I could forgive and forget everything that had happened. I loved him with every ounce of my being. I couldn’t imagine my life without him, yet I couldn’t make my heart forgive him, either. Shaking that thought from my mind, I focused harder, following the thoughts as they grew louder and I knew I was close to him.
Turning a final corner, the room opened into a large, dark room. Hanging from the walls, guarded by two hideous guards, was my family.
It was clear that they had been beaten. Aphrodite had blood streaking from her temple, dripping onto her clothing. Her eyes were closed as she hung limply from her wrists. Her fingers were turning blue from lack of circulation.
Ares’ eyes were wide open and furious. He also hung from manacles and he was a bloody mess. He was covered in bruises and welts and it was obvious to me that he had resisted and they had beaten him all the more for it. Cadmus was the same.
My husband was covered in blood. And I felt certain that he had fought as much as he could to escape so that he could get to me. I could see the blood seeping from his wrists around the steel manacles where he had tried to work them loose. My eyes filled with tears. They might have lied to me, but I loved them. And this was no place for them.
Turning, I appraised the guards. They had the gray, ashen skin of the undead. And I regretted the decision that we had made to leave Zeus’ sword with Ahmose for safekeeping. For the crime of hurting my loved ones, I would like to kill these guards, bring them back and kill them over and over until I felt like justice had been served.
But once would have to do.
I quietly lifted a heavy sword from a bracket on the wall and in one deft blow, I impaled them both. Both Ares and Cadmus snapped up their heads, straining to see what had happened.
“It’s me,” I called out as I approached. “I’m wearing the helm.” I took it off as I stood in front of them.
Ares face erupted into a grin. “Harmonia! Thank the gods! Get your mother down first, would you?”
Obediently, I raced to Aphrodite’s side and crushed her manacles in my grip, catching her as she slipped down the wall. She barely opened her eyes, in fact, one of them was nearly swollen closed. Anger boiled up from deep within. This atrocity would be avenged.
I laid her gently on the ground while I freed my father and Cadmus. As I broke Cadmus’ locks, he embraced me gently, even though I knew it must hurt him. His arms were covered in bruises and blood.
“Please forgive me, Harmonia. I love you.” His gaze implored me. “This is killing me.”
My heart cracked.