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Will shivered. ‘I could never live here.’
Nico bit back the urge to sayNo one’s asking you to. He took a deep breath and addressed Howl-Smith. ‘We are thankful for your help,’ he said, channelling his frustration with Will into gratitude towards the troglodytes. ‘I owe you many rare skinks for your troubles.’
That sent the council into a new frenzy of excitement until Howl-Smith was able to calm them down. ‘We help you because it is right, son of Hades,’ she said. ‘Not because we expect tasty skinks.’
‘But we will not refuse tasty skinks!’ added Screech-Bling. He stood so quickly his tricorn almost fell off. ‘Now come! I will take you to our nap cove, where you may rest with our young ones.’
Will smiled weakly. ‘Nap time with baby troglodytes?’
Screech-Bling nodded. ‘They will cherish the opportunity to share blankies with heroes!’
The CEO led the way out of the council room, and Nico stayed in the rear, his thoughts simmering. He knew Will meant well; he’d never met anyone as kind and understanding of the world around him. But, after less than a day in the Underworld, the place was already exposing a part of Will that felt different, more judgemental. Sure, Nico often struggled with how other people saw him, and he’d certainly had to correct Will’s perceptions before. But was it gettingworse? Will didn’t seem very open to appreciating either Nico’s second home or the troglodytes. On the other hand, nothing in Nico’sstory about his time in Tartarus had made it soundgood. Could he really blame Will for thinking everything in the Underworld was bad after hearing all that?
As they moved through the cavernous main area, it was Will’s joke about Nyx taking some of Nico’s darkness that bothered Nico the most. If only it were that easy. If only someonecouldjust remove all the dark and scary and sad parts of him. But at the same time … they made up who Nico was. He wouldn’t be Nico di Angelo without his past. But did it make him less appealing to Will?
Ugh, this was so confusing to think about. Nico wished he wasn’t so sad all the time, but he also didn’t like the idea of giving it up. What was someone like him supposed to do?
He was surprised, then, as he and Will snuggled up on two bedrolls laid side by side in the trogs’ nap cove, that sleep came to him quickly. Normally, when his mind was buzzing, he would be up for hours.
But not this time. He was too exhausted, and his body desperately needed the rest.
He dreamed he waded knee-deep in a sea of shadows. Shapes floated within the darkness, but … what were they? They were small, barely coming up to his shins, and they scattered every time Nico took a step. Out of curiosity, he bent down and tried to touch one.
A mouth lashed out, full of glowing, sharp teeth.
Nico yanked his hand back, and the scene before him changed. He found himself standing before a long pit dug into the earth. Some sort of horrible-smelling liquid gurgled at the bottom. Nico pinched his nose.
A blue shade began to form out of the noxious gases at the bottom of the pit. Nico knew what was happening, knew it was just a dream, but that didn’t alleviate his sense of dread.
The spirit took shape in front of him. Bianca wore her Hunter of Artemis outfit – a glistening silver parka, a bow strung across her shoulder – though she was still illuminated by a ghostly blue glow.
‘Hello, brother,’ she said.
‘You’re not my sister,’ he said bitterly. ‘Nyx, get out of my dreams.’
‘You must choose, Nico.’ Her face was so lovely, so soft, so warm. Gods, he missed her. ‘Can you tell Will the truth?’ she asked. ‘The truth of who you are?’
Nico refused to be a part of this. He turned and started walking away, but suddenly Bianca was once again in front of him.
‘I really hate dream logic!’ he screamed.
‘Choose,’ said Bianca.
‘Message received!’
Bianca pulled an arrow from her quiver. ‘Choose, Nico.’
‘Leave a message at the tone!’ he snarled. ‘BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!’
She nocked the arrow and drew it back.
‘It’s a dream, Nyx,’ he said. ‘You can’t hurt me here.’
This time, the goddess’s bone-chilling voice came out of Bianca’s mouth: ‘You sure about that, son of Hades?’
Bianca’s arrow pierced Nico’s sternum, and pain exploded through him. He couldn’t breathe as he pitched backwards. Then Bianca was standing over him, cackling as she fired another arrow point-blank, then another, each of them setting Nico’s body on fire.
‘I’ll be waiting for you,’ she cooed.
