Aniya tried to apologize, her voice barely audible over the lapping of the water against the boat. "Ella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."
But Ella cut her off, her voice sharp and biting. "You're sorry? You're sorry? This is all your fault, Aniya. If you hadn't been so reckless, we wouldn't be here."
Aniya protested, her voice rising in pitch. "How was I supposed to know that stupid mortal would turn out to be a freaking demigod? I didn't mean to kill him, Ella. You know that."
Ella dismissed her excuses with a wave of her hand. "Save it, Aniya. It doesn't matter now. We're dead, and it's all your fault."
Persephone watched the sisters from a distance, her interest piqued by Ella's fiery spirit. Even in the face of death, the woman refused to back down, her strength and determination evident in every word she spoke. It was a rare quality, one that Persephone couldn't help but admire.
She turned to the other gods, her voice laced with amusement. "Isn't it fascinating, the way these two mortal sisters continue their never-ending feud, even in the underworld?"
The gods shared a laugh, the sound reverberating off the stone walls. But Persephone remained focused on Ella, her mind racing with thoughts of the woman's potential. Could her strength and determination be an asset in the underworld? It was a tantalizing possibility, one that Persephone couldn't resist exploring.
She approached the sisters, her footsteps echoing off the water. As she drew closer, she overheard Ella's final words to Aniya. "Don't talk to me until we get off this boat and into the underworld."
Persephone introduced herself, her voice laced with amusement. "Greetings, sisters. I am Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. And you are...?"
The sisters' surprise was palpable, their eyes widening in shock. Ella was the first to recover, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the Queen of the Dead herself. How delightful."
Persephone laughed, her admiration for Ella growing. "I couldn't help but overhear your argument. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Ella declined, her voice firm. "No, thank you. We can handle it on our own."
Persephone respected Ella's wishes, but she couldn't help but feel drawn to the fiery woman. She decided to keep a close eye on her as they entered the underworld, intrigued by the potential of the woman's strength and determination.
The boat ride to the underworld may have been a journey to hell, but for Persephone, it was a journey of discovery. And she couldn't wait to see what the future held for the woman who had captured her attention.
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