Untitled Part 28
Nico stood at the crossroads. To the east, the road led to New Rome. To the south, it meandered toward Temple Hill.
His original impulse had been to visit his father's shrine. Hades had never been one to respond to his prayers, but Nico harbored a slim hope that, after their most recent interaction, the god might be open to appearing and giving him some advice.
Now he wasn't sure that was a good idea. Did he really want to burden his father with yet another demigod conflict? Surely Hades already knew what was going on with Pirithous and this Court of the Dead. And if he didn't, did Nico really want to be the one to break the bad news?
Savannah's words echoed in his head: It's not easy to ask for help.
His other option was in New Rome. He felt a pang of sadness as he looked at the city's gleaming white streets and red-tiled roofs. He missed Percy and Annabeth, who were so very close to him right now. They'd know what to do. They'd be willing to help in a heartbeat.
But Percy and Annabeth had made it to college. They deserved a life beyond battles and quests.
Nico turned back toward Temple Hill. He chided himself for his indecision. Had he ever been a burden to his father? If Nico wanted Hades to act more like a regular dad, Nico needed to treat him more like a regular dad.
Nico hurried south. It was a clear day, but as he got closer, he noticed a single dark cloud hanging over Temple Hill. He didn't know what that meant—maybe a portent from his father? Or Jupiter. Or any of the dozens of other gods with monuments there. He wondered if they had to use a scheduling app to get their portents on the calendar. It's my turn for a storm cloud! I booked today for a flock of ravens! No, Tuesdays are rainbows!
Nico climbed the hill, past altars, monuments, and statues of Roman gods who all seemed to follow him with their eyes. It seemed so long ago when Nico had shadow-traveled to Pluto's shrine, cheating his way out of the Fifth Cohort's morning run. Strangely, he found it more difficult to find the place on foot. He took a wrong turn at the shrine of Juventas, and then he had to double back and follow the Path of the Nine Muses until he reached his destination—the modest dark mausoleum built into the side of the hill. As always, Nico admired the roof covered in bones and diamonds. He wondered if he could get a pair of boots to match.
At the entrance, he hesitated. He still remembered falling asleep in front of those double doors, dreaming of a voice from the Underworld. Go home, Nico di Angelo! Keep aiding and abetting criminals, and we'll find you guilty as well!
But now he knew that voice belonged to Pirithous. And he was not going to let some arrogant dead guy in a Halloween mask keep him from his father's altar.
Nico had every right to be here. He had come to seek help for Hazel, another of his father's children.
He pushed open the doors, and light rushed into the dark space. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. The space was no bigger than a walk-in closet. Unadorned pine walls supported a barrel vault ceiling of rough-cut stone. A single bench with red velvet cushions faced a small altar made of black marble.
He approached the altar and found a few offerings covered in cobwebs: a smooth gray rock, a pile of silver denarii, and a desiccated pomegranate. The last one made him smile. He hoped his stepmother, Persephone, was doing well.
Nico had given a lot of thought about what to offer. Sacrifices were important if you wanted to get a god's attention. He doubted Hades would settle for a gray stone from his son, like, Hi, Dad. I saw this rock and thought of you.
Nico needed something much more personal, more precious to him. He lifted his arm and stared at the gash on the sleeve of his bomber jacket. Maybe it was time to say good-bye to an old friend. He took off the jacket, folded it, and set it on the altar.
"Dad, Lord Hades, Pluto..."
Off to a great start, Nico told himself. You've named your dad three times.
He sat on the bench, trying not to feel exposed in just his T-shirt and jeans. "I hope you know how much that jacket means to me. It's been with me through...well, pretty much everything. It's like half my personality at this point. I hope it shows you how much I need your help."
He took a deep breath to settle his jangling nerves. Savannah was right. This wasn't easy.
"I don't know what to do," he continued. "I don't know where Hazel is. I think she's still alive, but I don't know for sure. I'm pretty sure she's in trouble. And it's eating away at me."
Unsurprisingly, Nico was met with silence, but he didn't let that stop him.
"I know you're busy," he continued, "what with running the Underworld and all, but I'm hoping you can listen. Maybe even offer me some advice. I just...I want to know there's hope, and we're not doing all this for nothing."
A gentle breeze blew through Nico's hair.
"It's not for nothing," said a deep voice behind him.
Nico turned. His father was standing just inside the doors. His black hair was cropped short, accentuating the gauntness of his face. His diamond tie pin seemed bigger than the state of Rhode Island. In his sharp black wool suit and glossy black leather shoes, he looked like an usher at a funeral.
"Father." Nico rose. "You're...you're here."
Hades raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to sound quite so shocked. You did make an offering and summon me."
"Well...yes. But you've never shown up before."
Hades gave him a thin smile. "Perhaps you've never offered me such a fine jacket before." He spread his arms. "Come here, son."
Not quite believing what was happening, Nico crossed over to Hades, and the god pulled him in for an embrace. His father smelled of pine and wet earth. He held his son for a long time. Nico felt as if a thousand new Cocoa Puffs were forming inside his stomach.
At last, Hades released him. He gripped Nico's shoulders and studied his face.
"It is good to see you again so soon," Hades said. "After your mother died...well, as you know, I spent too long away from you and Bianca. I thought that was best for your safety, but I was wrong. That distance...it made me bitter, indifferent, disconnected. If I am to remain the one who oversees the Underworld, I must do a better job of staying in touch with the world above. I would like to make a habit of more frequent visits with you."
Nico swallowed back the lump in his throat. He'd never felt so close to his father, but the feeling was undercut by what Hades had said: If I am to remain the one who oversees the Underworld... That seemed like a darker portent than any storm cloud.
"I'd like that, too," he said.
Hades's dark eyes glinted like onyx. "Sit, my child. Tell me what is troubling you, and I will see what I can do."
Nico felt like a broken dam. He started talking, and the story spilled out of him, leaving him breathless by the end.
Hades placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let me calm your mind a bit, Nico. Your half sister is very much alive."
Nico's relief was so immense tears sprang to his eyes. "Thank you. I don't think I could deal with another loss."
Hades examined him. "I am not so sure of that," he said. "I don't want you to suffer, but I also think you are possibly the most resilient of my children. You seem able to deal with anything."
"I—I appreciate that, Father. But sometimes I get tired of having to deal with everything."
I'm not human, but I believe you just described what it is to be a mortal."
Nico groaned. "I don't suppose you'd consider making me immortal, then."
Hades chuckled. "The life of a god is not easy either. We face hard decisions all the time, and we face them eternally. My punishment of Pirithous is a good example. One might argue that I set all this in motion."
"Is he really as bad as he seems?"
Hades frowned. "Let me put it this way: Pirithous's fatal flaw is selfimportance. He believes he is much grander, more powerful, and more deserving than he actually is. He is a fool who expects the world to cater to him, and he complains of injustice when it does not."
"So...I shouldn't take him seriously?"
"I didn't say that." Hades's tone turned grave. "Fools can be dangerous, especially if they convince others of their importance. Look at what Pirithous has achieved with this Court of the Dead. Even minor gods have flocked to his cause, convinced that he can order things better than the Olympians—better than me, to be precise."
Hades's eyes momentarily flickered with a terrible darkness, and there was a chill in the temple.
Nico was afraid to ask another question, but he felt like he needed to. "So you knew what Pirithous was up to? But you didn't want to..."
"Stop it?" Hades laughed without humor. "Ancient laws restrain the Olympians, Nico, and for good reason. If we tried to intervene every time someone blasphemed Olympus, or started a war, or even created an uprising among the minor gods, as Pirithous has done, we would quickly tear the universe apart. That is what Pirithous never understood. Judges of the dead must be fair and evenhanded. They must be able to see the entirety of a person's life before making a ruling. And they must allow latitude for exceptions. Hazel's time in Asphodel, for example, was a just sentence, no matter how much I disliked it. But when you freed her, that was also just. Pirithous believes everyone who does not behave in a way he deems proper deserves permanent punishment. The only exception, of course, is himself."
The god sighed loudly. "I lifted his punishment myself, you know, once I deemed that he had suffered long enough. I freed him from his rock, thinking he would see the power of mercy, maybe even discover humility. He did not. I hope you and your fellow heroes stop him. But I myself"—he spread his hands—"cannot act unless the entire Olympian Council deems that the gods are threatened. And you know that the council rarely agrees on anything."
Nico wasn't surprised. He'd dealt with the gods long enough to know their limits and their constant bickering. But he wasn't angry, either. He appreciated his father even being willing to talk to him.
"Can I ask..." he said, "what did Pirithous do to deserve his punishment?"
Hades stared at his altar. Maybe it was Nico's imagination, but he seemed focused on the desiccated pomegranate.
"That knowledge will come to you soon enough," said the god. "I don't trust myself to speak of it, or I will become angry."
Nico decided not to push. "I don't suppose you could tell me where Hazel is?"
Hades smiled. "That knowledge, too, is already coming your way, my son. Just because I cannot involve myself directly in your struggles does not mean I am not working behind the scenes, arranging some...happy coincidences."
He stood and brushed off the front of his suit. "I should return to the Underworld. I have faith that Hazel can handle herself until you reach her. And then, together, you will bring Pirithous to whatever justice you deem best. You and Hazel have both made me immensely proud."
Nico felt a comforting warmth encircle him, which shouldn't have been possible in such a cold, dark crypt. "I'm probably pressing my luck," he said, "but before you go...one last question?"
"Yes?"
"What should I do about Savannah?"
It wasn't until he'd asked that he realized how much her struggle had been weighing on him. A small thing, maybe, compared to all their other problems, but Nico saw so much of himself in her
Hades seemed to disappear into his thoughts. "Interesting you should ask about her, a girl you barely know. It shows you have a good heart."
"How do I keep her safe, but also keep Asterion and his friends safe?" "My son, two truths can exist at the same time. It is true that Savannah is haunted by what the empousai did to her parents. It is also true that Asterion and his friends have chosen to change and live a different life. You must find a way to allow them all to heal."
"You make it sound so simple," Nico said. "But some of the campers here are having a hard time adjusting."
"But they are adjusting, no? Aren't you training them to pair up with your cacodemons to rescue everyone from Pirithous?"
Nico scowled. "I don't like it when you're right."
"I thought you would have gotten used to godly righteousness by now."
"Did you just tell a joke?"
"Who, me? The god of the dead?" Nico thought he caught Hades smirking. "Surely not. At any rate, you and your boyfriend helped change the world. It sounds like you feel responsible for the ways that change has manifested, which I understand, but I feel compelled to remind you that you do not have to do this alone."
"Have you been talking to Mr. D? You sound exactly like him."
Hades let out a low chuckle. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I do appreciate the way Dionysus has been taking care of you. If I may give you a last bit of advice...I believe what Savannah is missing is closure. I can't say she'll get justice, because this world is so complicated. The empousai who took her parents could go their entire existence without ever knowing the pain they caused. But every living soul passes through my realm, and if I have seen anything that begins to take such pain away, it is honesty, empathy, and care. Don't think only of how you can defeat Pirithous. Think of how you and your friends can help repair the damage that has been done."
Nico started to answer, but Hades raised a finger. "Any answer you provide now would not be thoughtful enough. Give it time, Nico."
"Thank you."
Hades nodded. "Now, since fair is fair, I have one more thing to ask you before I head back downstairs. How are your...Cocoa Puffs? Is that what you're calling them now?"
"It's a lot better than their 'technical' name."
"There is nothing wrong with the word cacodemon."
Nico scoffed. "You try saying it ten times in a row. But...yeah, they're wonderful. I'm sure they're currently having the times of their lives tormenting our demigods-in-training."
"Hmm. You are the first person to ever become a steward of so many cacodemons. I hope you take the responsibility seriously."
"I do. I kinda see them like my own children. Especially when they're confusing me."
Hades's brow furrowed. "How so?"
"Sometimes, I'm thrown by the feelings they give me. They're not what I'm expecting."
Hades nodded. "That does sound like having children. I know you must think of me as a distant, impenetrable god who isn't tempted by the whims of emotion, but even we have feelings. Look at Dionysus, for example. He's just as chaotic as all of you."
Nico frowned. "Thanks?"
The god placed a hand on Nico's shoulder. "I have been alive for a very, very long time, Nico. I confess that life still surprises me. Not always in the ways I want, of course. That's the gamble of existence. But I suspect the cacodemons are learning to be what you need them to be, even if the feelings and memories they show you are uncomfortable. Talk to that boyfriend of yours. He is a son of Apollo. I'm sure whenever you need it, he will help remind you of the brighter side of life."
Nico smiled. "Even if it's the inferior side."
"My child of darkness." Hades pulled Nico in for one last hug. "Continue to trust your instincts—they have guided you well thus far."
And with that, Hades evaporated into shadows.
sat there for a moment, basking in the warmth of the experience he'd just had. Maybe he wasn't as lost as he'd thought.
He stood to leave...and then he saw that his bomber jacket was now neatly folded over the back of the bench. He glanced at the altar. Empty. He picked up the jacket and discovered there was no longer a gash down one of the sleeves. It had been mended as good as new.
Tears leaped to his eyes. "Thanks, Dad," he said. "Love you, too."
made his way to the doors and emerged into the daylight. As he did, someone stumbled back.
"Sorry!" said Deion. "I promise I didn't listen!" Then he frowned. "Well, I only heard the end part. Was that actually your father?"
Nico nodded. "Yeah. Made a rare appearance."
"Wow," Deion said, casting his eyes downward. "I hope I get to meet my mother someday. She's Aurora, goddess of the dawn? Which is weird, since I'm usually a late sleeper. What did you guys talk about?"
"Uh..."
"Never mind," said Deion quickly. "I have a bad habit of saying whatever I'm thinking."
"No, that's okay. I admire it! Better than keeping everything to yourself."
"I guess. Yazan says it's going to get me in trouble someday."
Nico couldn't help but laugh a little. "Maybe. But you'll learn to balance it. And there's nothing wrong with a little trouble." His brow furrowed. "Wait, why were you on Temple Hill, anyway?"
"Oh, right!" Deion's eyes widened. "Will needs you. Savannah told us you went this way, so I came to find you."
"Do you know what's up?"
"Someone showed up at the entrance to camp," he said gravely. "They claim to know where Hazel is."
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