Chapter 6: The Most Unexpected Wake-Up Call
Kael didn’t get much sleep since his mom decided to pull him into the Underworld out of nowhere. He yawned, rubbing his eyes.
"Mom... I think I need to get some sleep."
The weight of everything came at him at once—claiming his birthright, stepping into the Underworld, accepting his place in a world that he barely understood. He was exhausted.
Persephone smiled gently, running her fingers through his hair. "Of course, my love. You’ve been through a lot."
Kael sighed. "Yeah... I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired before. Can you send me back? Back to the surface?"
Her smile faltered, just for a second. But he saw it.
"You want to leave so soon?" she asked softly.
He hesitated.
He didn’t want to leave the Underworld. After all, he finally found someone that cared about him. He didn’t want to lose that feeling of not feeling alone for once. But he had a life up there—a ridiculous, chaotic life, but still his.
"...I have to," he said. "I will visit whenever I am free. I promise."
Persephone studied him for a long time before sighing. Then, she pulled him into her arms and embraced him tightly, as if she didn’t want to let him leave.