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Chapter 81 Chapter 83
The Council sat momentarily silent.
They looked from the beautiful and powerful Aphrodite to the corpse of Psyche lying on the couch.
It seemed that Aphrodite was right. Psyche was weak. She belonged in the Underworld with the rest of the departed mortals.
There was nothing else for the council to do.
Persephone looked at Psyche’s frail figure and thought about her encounter with her when she’d come to perform her third task.
There had been something special about her.
Persephone was already convinced that Athena was right. This mortal was worthy of more.
But that needed to be proven to the rest of the council. Psyche’s lifeless form was doing nothing for Athena’s case. Persephone needed to step in and help.
“Psyche is a wonderful addition to the Underworld,” Persephone said, stepping forward. “But we shall see where it is she belongs.”
Persephone eyed Athena, who nodded and gave her the floor.
“I, like many in this room, have every right to be upset with Eros — and even Aphrodite,” Persephone said.
Aphrodite stiffened.
“This is not the first time Aphrodite has asked her son to do her bidding and use his power of love and desire to destroy the life of another,” Persephone said.
Persephone eyed Hades, who frowned a little.
“But like many things in this world, destruction and death can lead to rebirth. In my work I see it all the time. It is a natural cycle of life within nature,” Persephone said. “When Psyche came to perform her third task to obtain some of my beauty, I knew Aphrodite had no intention of allowing this mortal to succeed in her final task.
“This mortal is both loving and beautiful and has won Eros’s heart.”
Persephone turned to Aphrodite.
“Aphrodite claims that this mortal deserves to be in the Underworld, away from other mortals who would wish to worship her. Looking at her as she is, it’s easy to agree,” Persephone said. “She looks so pitiful. How could she be worthy of anyone’s worship?
“But I have spoken with Psyche and disagree with Aphrodite’s judgement. There is something different about this mortal.”
Persephone walked over to Psyche.
“I couldn’t help being curious, upon meeting Psyche, what kind of judgement she really deserves,” Persephone said. “The thing about the Underworld, which many of you rarely enter, is that it is a place of reckoning. Souls must face their true selves.
“It can take some time for certain souls as they struggle to accept what they see when they look into the eyes of death.
“That’s because one cannot claim that which one does not possess. Good deeds performed with selfish intentions dim in comparison to good deeds done for the sake of doing good.
“Truth is made light and nothing can hide from the justice and judgements of the Underworld. There is no power which can deny it. There is no escaping the truth.”
Persephone turned back to the council.
“Interestingly, there is also no space for modesty in the Underworld,” she said. “No one can hide the truth of one’s goodness and power.
“I did indeed put my beauty into the box, but not my beauty as of the Goddess of Spring. It was, as requested, the Beauty of the Queen of the Underworld. Anyone who opened the box would have the gift of immediate reckoning.
“No lingering, no waiting to accept the truth about one’s self.”
Persephone smiled.
“I had half-hoped Aphrodite would be the one to open the box. I had hoped that Psyche would have succeeded in her task. Aphrodite would have had the pleasure of facing the truth about herself.
“If she would ever like such a gift, I am happy to give it.”
Persephone looked at Aphrodite who recoiled slightly.
“But as we can see,” Persephone said, again facing the gods, “It was not Aphrodite who opened it and released the reckoning. It was this Psyche.
“Upon the release of my beauty, she would have experienced a sort of judgement. Psyche would have seen the truth of all of her deeds, fully illuminated to her mind. The truth about her worshippers, her blasphemy, the good and bad things she had done with her life.”
Persephone turned to Hades.
“We need to bring this mortal before the council,” Persephone said. “We need to know what she saw. The power of the Underworld, its justice and its truth, will tell us where this mortal belongs.”
“Indeed,” Athena said, seizing the opportunity. “I implore the God of the Underworld to allow this mortal to reunite her spirit with her body. Let her come before the council to be thoroughly questioned. Then — honored Council — we will determine the fate of this mortal.”
All eyes turned to Hades.
He studied Persephone for a moment before answering.
“Granted,” Hades said.
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