The Search for Juno

Chapter XXIII

The view from Hades's penthouse was staggering as ever, the whole square an ornate geometric work of art brimming with tiny, colorful specks of souls and demons. Hades stood with his back to the glass, Persephone at his shoulder, a king and queen before their domain.

"Remember, their reservation's at six thirty," Hades said to the trio who stood in his living room. Though he twirled a finger mindlessly in his wife's rosy hair, his face was mirthless. "So when I zap you, you won't really have any time to mess around. If you don't get there on time, he's not going to wait around for you."

"Sorry," Angie said, raising her hand. Something about the word sounded unpleasantly violent to her. "When you zap us?"

"I have confirmation that the Morganthaus are camping out in Portland right now," Hades explained, making eye contact with each of them in turn. "I can teleport you all to a hotel on the northeastern side of the city—that's my nearest trajectory—but the restaurant is at least another half hour from there. I'll have your car parked outside for you."

Hermes grimaced. "And what time is it in Portland right now?"

"I think about 5:45?" Persephone answered, a brilliant smile on her face. "That's more than enough time! I'm sure you will all be fine!"

Clio returned the goddess's grin. "Of course!"

Hermes and Angie shared a wary look over Clio's head.

Of course that was hardly enough time, but Persephone was the sort of person whose optimism was impossible to topple without feeling like a terrible human being.

"You ready?" Hades said, stepping forward.

Considering she did not know until five seconds ago that teleportation was even a thing, no, Angie was not ready. By this point, however, she'd gotten used to not being aptly prepared.

Her eyes met Clio's, then Hermes's. The three of them nodded.

"Very well. Angie, Clio, it was a pleasure to meet you," Hades said with a congenial grin, which promptly vanished from his face when he added, "And Herm-Herm?"

Hermes stiffened. "Y-Yes?"

"I won't tell your dad what happened here, but you'd better stay out of trouble from here on out."

"Hades, don't threaten him," Persephone said, linking an arm through her husband's. She leaned forward, her eyes so sparkly that Angie had to glance away. "Your uncle just cares about you very very much, Herm-Herm. So you'd better not get hurt again! Or we will never, ever forgive you!"

Hermes swallowed.

"Persie, I think you're scaring him more than I did," Hades said, but chuckled, ruffling Hermes's hair. "Alright. Don't screw this up, guys. Goodbye, now."

Hades stepped back from Hermes, and before Angie even had time to brace herself, the world fell away beneath her feet.

The first thing Hermes did when they appeared, as instantaneously as apparitions, in the hotel room was make a beeline for the snack bar.

He didn't get very far before Angie snatched his collar, drawing him to a halt. "Hermes," she said, raising an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

"What?" he whined, trying to make a break for it again, only for Clio to step into his path. "Oh, come on. I'm starving. And, you know, love Uncle Hades to death—ha—but Underworld food is abysmal."

"You know what would also be abysmal?" Angie said, casting a glance out the hotel room window, where the sky above Portland's brick and cobblestone array was beginning to turn an inauspicious shade of gray. "Missing our chance to get one over on the twins. So can we go now?"