She had seen him do it a thousand times before, and something as simple as this comforted her, letting her relax in the knowledge that he was back to normal. Risa pushed her chair back from the table, careful not to jar Ravi too badly, and then stood to follow Leo.

She was blissfully full and emotionally comforted. Whatever Leo had in store for her, he had already told her the worst, so there wasn’t much more she should worry about. Meeting Hades still weighed on her mind, but if he was content to keep his distance then so was she. Besides, she already found herself quite comfortable with Leo, safe even. In the underworld, she had expected far worse, and she had no desire to bring it upon herself.

Risa was surprised, as they walked, that they continued down the straight hallways but didn’t pass a single door; even when she had come down from her rooms, there wasn’t a single extra passage way or spare door that should could have explored. It was a strange layout, but then again she didn’t know where they were. The smooth stone continued on as if it had never even been cut. The hallway was getting lighter by degrees, until finally she could see the end, light filtering around Leo as he walked suddenly out into the sunlight.

“What the…” she murmured as she stepped out into the sun next to him, taking in her surroundings. Before her stood the flowering fields that she had walked through before, stretching as far as she could see on all sides, and behind was a tall building. The imposing structure seemed to be made of the same stone on the outside as on the inside, and the bright color and smooth surface was reflecting the sun so it almost seemed to glow.  Risa looked up at it in awe, trying to see past the light to find the detail of the spiraling towers and arching windows. “Is this where I came yesterday? Actually…” she turned her attention back to the field, noticing for the first time that the sun was still high in the sky.  

“How long was I asleep?” She said, pointing to the sky. “The sun was that high when I went it… was it a whole day?” The thought that she would lose and entire day made her nervous, especially when her time was already limited

But Leo just shook his head. “It was only a few hours. The sun never sets here.”

“The sun… never…” Risa looked around again, the world suddenly absolutely foreign. “Never?” She checked again as though the answer would change.

“Never.”

The sun was warm on her face, but now it seemed a bit eerie. Leo continued walking so she shook off the feeling and followed instead.

“So… what did you want to show me?” She questioned as they walked. It didn’t take long for them to reach the edge of the flowers, the different blossoms swaying gently as they brushed past them on a small dirt path. She compulsively ran her hands along the velvet of their petals, touching each one that she passed thoughtlessly.

“This.” He swept his hand out to the side, motioning to the countless flowers before them. “This is why you are here as the Queen of the Underworld.”

Risa’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest at the sudden mention of her new life, but she nodded resolutely… and wondered if she had been brought there as a gardener. If it was a simple exchange for the safety of her village, then Hades might not have that much use for her. It's not like she could be of much help anyway.

“Flowers?” She finally asked, when Leo had paused long enough for her to wonder what else was coming. “Why am I here because of flowers?”

He didn’t look at her, but instead glanced at the blossoms around him before picking a particular one. She didn’t realize that she had been trailing her hands across them, their touch thoughtless and comforting, but she looked down to find Leo’s gaze on the small yellow daylily she caressed.

“Do you see this flower?” He asked, and she looked between him and the blossom in confusion.

“Yes?” Was there a reason she shouldn’t?

“All of these flowers,” he said, spreading his arms again, “Are souls.”

Risa froze, looking down at the soft petals between her fingers, and then to the thousands upon thousands of colorful dots in the distance. What did he mean, they were souls? Very slowly, she retracted her hand, letting it fall to her side. Leo waited as she processed this new information, then knelt down next to the flower at her side.

“They're all waiting to be sent on,” he continued. “More and more bloom every day, and never close. The Queen is the only one who can send them on.” He looked up at Risa, some unfashionable emotion in his dark eyes. “The spirits can’t move on until someone who has tasted life guides them. The Queen alone bares the power and fulfills the requirements to do so.  That is why you're here.”

Her head was spinning. “But… I don’t know how…” She trailed off as she watched Leo gently run his fingers along the edge of the daylily, much as she had before. He showed so much care there that she wouldn’t have expected. She felt her heart soften slightly, and then seize with realization.

“Was Emily unable to send them on?” Her voice was cold, even to herself, but she had known Emily, known her bright smile and unique appeal and kindness before she had been taken. If something had happened to her because she couldn’t fulfill this duty…

“No, she wasn’t.”

Leo didn’t fake innocence or ignorance, but said it straight. Risa couldn’t bring herself to look at him as she tried to figure out which of her many questions she wanted to ask next.

“Did you kill her?”