[ graphic: @me]

a jar of secrets
11 | the twins

"And we're back on the road again."

"Hermes!"

"I can't wait to get back on the road again."

"You're really starting to piss me off kid."

"Oh come on, you're no fun dude."

"Dude as you can clearly see, my girl is asleep and if you mess with her sleep you're dealing with me and you know where you'll end up if that happens."

Did Hades just call me his girl? I think he just did. Oh god please don't be blushing, if I'm blushing that's going to blow my cover.

"Yeah I'm good here among the mortals thanks, The Underworld gives my skin a bit of an ashy look to it."

Mortals? The Underworld? What the hell is this guy talking about?

"Have you heard anything from my brother?"

"Which one, the cool one or the cool one?

"Oh my god kid, you're really pushing it. I will stop the car and push you out of it."

"But what would your girl think huh?"

"I'll tell her you just 'puffed' into thin air."

"You do know I could just appear back in here again, right?"

"Hermes I swear to-"

"Hermes stop pissing off your uncle!" I tell him but I start chuckling towards the end of it.

"Oh now you've done it, she's awake and it's not even six - the suns not even up yet!" Hades sighs glancing over at me. "I tried to keep him quiet but he's a real pain in the ass!" Hades apologises although I shake my head.

"It's okay I was awake anyways," I admit glancing around to see Hermes sitting in the middle of the back seats. "Where do you go anyways? When we drop you off at random places?" I ask.

"Anywhere really, here there and back here again. I'm a messenger of the go-"

"Hermes!"

"Oh come on man, you can't keep her hidden from the dangers much longer - she probably already knows most of it anyways," he adds glancing over at me.

Hades just glares at him but stays quiet.

"You're a messenger of who now?" I ask curious.

Hermes turns back to face me, a dazzling smile on his face.

"I'm the amazing trickster, aka the most handsomest messenger of the g-"

"Get down!" Hades cuts his nephew off suddenly in a loud voice.

"No I am not the messenger of the 'get down' gro-"

"Down. Now."

I quickly duck my head low just as a flash of red light flies by my passenger side window and collides with an old tree on the side of the road, it bursts up into flames.

"Ooh that get down!" I hear Hermes mumble in the seat behind me. "I'm guessing they're not here to fight for these two seats back here with me then?"

My heart is racing in my chest and yet I can't help but laugh at Hermes words, he just has that certain charm and way about him.

"How many?" Hades asks him and I notice how the tone of his voice has changed, back to the coldness from before.

"We've got two, maybe three cars tailing us," yells Hermes from behind my seat, glancing out his side window. "And boy do they look pissed! Who do you think put shit in their cereal this morn-"

"Hermes!" shouts Hades trying to regain control of the vehicle as yet another flash of light hits us behind pushing the vehicle violently forwards. "Really not helping."

"What's going on?" I cry lifting my head back up to stare across at him worriedly. "Is there a fire?"

"Can you do something about them Hermes or not?" Hades asks swearing under his breath as he serves another one of the blasts.

"I'm the one and only Hermes, of course I can do something about them."

I see Hades roll his eyes at this but chooses not to comment.

I glance up into the mirror just in time to see him disappear from view, but not before winking at me.

My eyes widen in shock.

"Who are these people?" I shout glancing at the side view mirror. I make out two or three black armed vehicles gaining quite quickly on us. "And what the hell happened to Hermes?"

"They're the bad guys-"

He glances over at me, somehow sensing that I'm about to say something more.

"And that's all you need to know. Now stay ducked."

I bite my lip to stop from blurting out and instead choose to follow his order because honestly, I don't want to find out what happens if that red blast hits human contact.

"Where's Hermes?" I ask again feeling worried for him. I try to look behind us but I don't see him anywhere.

Distracted, Hades mumbles his answer.

"He'll be around somewhere... stay away from the window."

It's in that moment that I see another flash of white go pass my window but this ones different, this one is in the shape of a blurry yet familiar looking human shape.

I'm about to yell out to warn Hades when the white shape slows down just enough for me to make out blond spiky hair and an all to familiar grin, Hermes, and with that he takes off down the side of the car and out of my view.

"What's he going to do?" I cry trying to look for him in the mirror, panicked. "What the hell is going on Hades?!"

"I said stay away from the window Persep-"

Something solid hits us from behind and I grip onto the top of the glovebox in support as the car jerks forwards violently, thankfully Hades gains control and keeps us on our side of the road.

Thank god there's no one else on these roads in the early mornings.

"Come on Hermes.. do something..." Hades mumbles and I catch a hint of desperation and something else in his tone, guilt perhaps. But why would he be guilty?

"There he is!... I think." I shout seeing a flash of white behind us in the mirror. "Oh no!"

Indeed it is Hermes but there now seems to be three black misty figures closing in on him, I don't see no cars in sight however.

Hades must have heard me because he looks in his rearview mirror as well and swears.

"We have to help him." I cry watching worriedly as the three misty figures give chase around the vehicle and the bush land surrounding us.

"I can't help him Persephone.. even if I wanted to, I'm useless!" Hades yells thumping his hand on the wheel loudly.

"What do you mean you can't help him?" I yell right back turning to look over at him.

Hades body is straight yet on edge as he continues driving us to who knows where, his eyes show how truly frightened he is though, looking from me, to the road and the mirror to keep an eye on his nephew.

"I can't do anything to help him," he sighs angrily.

"Well if you won't, then I will," I cry annoyed with his lack of helping his nephew. I look around the vehicle for anything I can use as a weapon, although I don't know if it'll work since they look like mist and anything will go straight through them.

"You don't know what you're dealing with. You're staying here with me so I can keep an eye on you."

Something bright catches my eye in front of us and I scream.

"What is i-" Hades turns to look where I am and groans before slamming his foot on the breaks, hard. "I should've known."

The orange light in front of us shines brightly but doesn't move out of the way, even when the car nearly doesn't stop in time.

I hit my bandaged wrist on the side of the door and let out a hiss of pain as we come to a stop before the light.

"Are you okay?" Hades asks turning to look over at me as he undos his seatbelt.

"I'm fine..." I mumble rubbing my arm. "Although it'll probably leave another bruise," I sigh under my breath.

I turn to stare at the bright orange light before us.

"What the hell is that?" I yelp as the thing shines brighter.

"More like who." Hades sighs before opening his side door and getting out.

Has he completely forgotten about his nephew or something?

Taking my time, I slowly get out of the car too and just stand there shocked, watching as Hades embraces the bright light in a manly hug.

I blink.

"You can tone down the brightness, she's one of us." I hear Hades tell the thing once he notices me standing awkwardly by the car.

The light turns to me as he says this and I watch in amazement as it walks or floats rather towards me, the orange light vanishes and is replaced by a striking young man.

"I apologise about that, I didn't realise you are the true Persephone," the man laughs as he leans forward to take one of my hands in his, lifting it up to his lips to kiss it. I blink again, still trying to come to terms with everything that's happened. "I am the golden sun, also know as Ap-"

"Apollo." We both look up to see Hades clearly disapproving look at our still joined hands and the man, Apollo, laughs as he lets my hand go. "Is Artemis around?"

"Aren't I always to clean up after my twins mess," another voice chimes from behind an old oak tree. I turn to see a blonde haired woman come to stand beside her brother, a bow in her hand.

"Hey when a bud calls, you gotta come," Apollo shrugs suddenly looking around us and then towards his sister. "Where is the trickster anyways?"

"Aww you're worried about me, you're so cute Ollo!" Hermes sings appearing from where Artemis had came from.

Apollo smiles as he goes to hug his friend.

"Aww look it's the two amigos back together again, where's D?" Hermes asks looking around.

"Guys can we just take a minute please," Hades yells over them. "Are we still being followed?"

"No I've dealt with the-" Artemis glances over curiously at me. "The issue. You should be okay for a little while," she adds with a sad smile as she glances from me back to Hades.

"But you really should be going again, you know who's men are still on the move and he's pissed since being told you.. left," adds her brother, Apollo to Hades.

"You alright?" I jump but realise it's only Hermes who has come to stand by me.

"Um.. I don't know it's a lot to-"

"Take in?"

I nod my head sighing.

"I'm guessing you don't remember the twins?" he gestures to the two talking to Hades.

"No... I'm sorry," I groan rubbing my forehead gently with the tip of my fingers. "I'm really trying but I just don't remember anything: you, the twins... even Hades."

I feel him place a hand on my shoulder as he smiles sadly at me.

"You'll remember when the time is right."

I sigh but nod my head, although I can't help but think that maybe they just have the wrong girl.

"Who were they back there?" I ask seeing that the twins are still talking with Hades.

"Who? The bad guys?" Hermes asks laughing, I nod. "They were just a bunch of idiots sent by a bigger idiot who works for an even bigger idiot."

I turn to glare at him which makes him laugh harder, I can't help but join in too which draws the attention of Hades and the twins. We both watch as they say their goodbyes rather quickly.

"Is it my fault?" I ask in a pained way, not looking at Hermes or the twins but instead focusing on Hades.

"Is what your fault?" Hermes asks stopping his laughter.

"All of this..." I mumble holding my tears in.

"No Persephone, it's not."

Hermes takes my hands in his, being careful of my bandaged one as he makes me look up at him.

"You're family Seph, and we protect our family till the very end."

❦

"How is she coping?"

We've been back on the road for an hour, everyone in their own little world. Hades suggested I take a nap and that's what I've been trying to do except I have so much inside my head, all this information and I don't know what to do with it all.

"She's a tough cookie Hades, she's not going to break on us," I hear Hermes reply serious for once.

"Then why do I feel like she will?" Hades sighs quietly beside me.

"Because you're worried about her and don't want to burden her with all this information so quickly but the truth is Uncle - the sooner she remembers, the sooner we can all go home."

"But what if she doesn't want to come home Hermes? You've seen the way she looks at me, she's frightened."

"Not of you Hades but of the things you're keeping from her, you need to tell her everything," Hermes tells him.

My eyes are starting to grow heavy and they start shutting on me.

"Okay I'll tell her but you must promise me something..." Hades trails off quietly.

"Yes, anything Uncle."