James and Jared's heads swiveled to face Eleanor.
"This whole ceremony," Eleanor said, wiping the single tear that had escaped her eye. "It's based on a lie."
James frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"The story. Pluto kidnapping Persephone. Ceres cursing him." Eleanor's jaw was tight. "It didn't happen that way."
Jared's expression darkened. "What the hell does that mean?"
"It means exactly what I said." Eleanor turned to face them fully. "Persephone loved Pluto. She went with him willingly."
James took a step back, eyes wide. "For the time I've known you, I never took you for a follower of that… demon. A death cultist."
"A death cultist?" Ryan's eyebrows furrowed.
"Death worshippers," Jared said sharply, glancing at Ryan. "People who follow Pluto. Blood magickers. They're hunted down and executed."
Eleanor's expression didn't change. "I'm no cultist, just a follower of truth."
"So how would you know this?" James demanded. "How could you possibly kn—"
