Three different types of love are shown in A Touch of Darkness: familial, romantic, and platonic. Persephone’s struggle to learn and navigate these different types of relationships makes up one of the central conflicts of the novel, as she often finds the desires of her loved ones in conflict with each other. Her reconciliation with Hades, her friendship with Lexa, and her attempts to fix her relationship with her mother all relate to the theme that Love is Worth Fighting For.

The romantic love between Hades and Persephone is also the love that is most fraught with difficulty. They meet under the guise of Hades’s contract, a system that Persephone deplores and believes herself to be trapped by. Her disdain for his attempts to improve mortal lives is a source of conflict that seems irreconcilable between the two of them, despite their mutual physical attraction. However, when Hades shows that he endeavors to help people and follows Persephone’s guidance in doing so, he proves that he is willing to fight for her affection by changing his behaviors. He overcomes his preconceived notions to help her feel seen and valued.