Neon Gods

Persephone is relieved to see Psyche, who helps her escape from the party as her mind whirs with shock and fear. Psyche is furious at Demeter’s betrayal of all of them, and Persephone persuades her not to enlist Callisto in their predicament yet. Persephone tells herself, “I should marry him. It would ensure my sisters remain protected, or as near to it as possible in this pit of vipers” (17). She sends Psyche for her purse and rapidly walks away from the Tower, desperate for escape.



She soon realizes two men are tailing her to the River Styx, a boundary she is rumored to be unable to cross. The men identify themselves as part of Zeus’s entourage, making her run faster, hoping to find a bridge across. She arrives at one, seeing a strange man standing still on the other side. She rushes across the bridge, briefly overcome by whatever force is meant to block her. The man, who has dark hair and eyes, finally beckons her to approach. As she keeps running and successfully crosses, Persephone thinks, “I don’t know who this stranger is, but anyone is preferable to Zeus, no matter the price” (25).

The action continues from Hades’s point of view. The ruler of the lower city watches Persephone cross, surprised to see a woman eager enough to risk it. He recognizes her as she gets closer. He is Hstunned to see a daughter of one of the Thirteen so clearly bent on escape, realizing that “she must be truly desperate to make the crossing, to throw in her safety with a man like me” (27). Hades also recognizes the men, realizing that he is suddenly embroiled in one of Zeus’s power games. He can only urge her across verbally, as his agreement with Zeus means he cannot enter the upper city or engage with its citizens. He catches Persephone in his arms, realizing her feet are injured. He simulates holding her by the throat, to convince the men to give up. They threaten him, reminding him of Persephone’s importance to Zeus, but he reminds them that entering without his consent could cause civil war. Hades is quietly exultant, as Persephone’s arrival may be a chance for him to strike back at Zeus, whom he has always hated for murdering his parents when he was a young child.

Hades carries Persephone away, but Persephone protests, surprising him with her spirit. Hades reminds himself that “the woman over my shoulder will either be the tool I use to finally bring Zeus down, or she’ll be my ruin” (30). He meets up with his personal security, resigned to their presence because his maintenance of the lower city is key to the survival of its many citizens, especially while he has no children to inherit his title. Persephone argues with Hades, insisting she does not want to be forcibly abducted. When he reminds her that he saved her, she says, “I was being chased. You seemed the lesser of two evils” (33). Hades is struck by her pain when she admits that she is shocked by the night’s events.

He arrives in his kitchen to find two of the Thirteen, Hermes and Dionysus, drinking his best wine. As befits her mythical counterpart’s status as the god of thieves, Hermes frequently arrives in Hades’s home without permission and brings Dionysus with her, as his food and drink are a temptations to the god of hospitality. Hermes and Dionysus are shocked to see Persephone, and Persephone is overcome with shock when she hears her host’s name.

Bemused, Hermes and Dionysus inform Hades of the engagement party that Persephone escaped from, as he immediately grasps the political implications. He catches sight of Persephone attempting to run, terrified of him. He notices her feet are bleeding and tells her to stop trying to escape. He reminds her that any hospital would call her family, and he explains that he needs to examine her injuries.

The narrative shifts back to Persephone, who is reassessing her situation. She watches Hades work and decides that “the careful way he cleans [her] wounds doesn’t exactly support the idea that Hades is a monster” (39). She is struck by his dark eyes and handsome features. Persephone argues when Hades brings her blankets, but she eventually subsides. She expresses her shock that he exists, and that he knows other members of the Thirteen. She finds herself explaining the engagement party, including her mother engineering the entire event without her knowledge or consent. When Hades is unsympathetic, reminding her that such power games are common among Olympian elites, she slaps him. Persephone reminds herself that while the legend of Hades is frightening, she has much more evidence of Zeus’s treachery and harm to women.

Hades carries her to a guest room, insisting that if he puts her down, she will damage his floors and furniture because her open cuts are bleeding. This results in spirited banter as Persephone retorts, “[W]hat kind of a threat is that? You’re worried about your floors?”; he responds with, “[T]hey’re nice floors” (45).

Left alone, Persephone realizes that she has to risk a phone call, as her sisters do not deserve to worry about her safety just because her mother has betrayed her. Persephone gradually explains to them she is in the lower city, and that she is not fantasizing about Hades’s existence, as she is in his home and knows that he is alive. The sisters realize that Zeus has tried to erase knowledge of his adversary from public consciousness, likely as part of a broader power strategy. Persephone refuses to return, despite their protests, and tells them she will call them the next day.

Persephone is disillusioned and beleaguered, as she had hoped for an exit from Olympus that would endanger her sisters far less than her current circumstances. Persephone looks around, fearing for her safety after her night of terror and lifetime of danger. She realizes that the only nearby lock is in the bathroom, and she drags bedding in there to sleep in relative safety.