{1} 𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐘𝐄 | p.jackson

c h a p t e r - t h i r t y - f i v e

( chapter thirty-five )

in which nia goes home

NIA GRIPPED THE SLIP OF PAPER, her hands shaking as she stood in front of the townhouse.

"Here it is," she muttered. "124 West 132nd Street."

This was getting ridiculous. Why couldn't she just go inside?

Percy, Annabeth, Naomi, Grover, the whole of Apollo cabin, and just about everyone else who gave two shits about Nia had offered to come with her, but she had declined to all of them.

This was something that she had to do alone.

Anyways, how hard could it be? In the years since she had last seen her mother, Nia had done so much, much more than what should've been possible for her a kid her age, even by demigod standards. She wasn't the same seven-year-old kid anymore.

Finally, before she lost her nerve, Nia took a deep breath, raised a trembling finger, and rang the doorbell. Immediately, she got nervous. What if this was a mistake? What if she had been wrong to come here? What if--

The huge oak doors suddenly opened and there was a young woman with caramel-colored skin and dark brown hair in a bun opened the door. She was dressed in a black pencil skirt and a white blouse, like she had just finished with a business meeting.

Nia's breath caught. Julia Cortez...

The woman looked at Nia with a smile. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Uh, yes," Nia bit her lip. "I'm looking for Diana Kamaria. I believe that this her home. Are... Are you Julia Cortez?"

"Oh, yes... Yes, I am." Julia stood up a bit straighter. "Who wants to know?"

Nia took a deep breath. "I'm Nia... Diana's daughter."

Julia's eyes widened in surprise and recognition. Immediately, she opened the door even wider and stood aside. "Oh! Nia! Please -- come in, come in."

Glancing around the street, Nia quickly nodded and stepped inside.

THE TOWNHOUSE WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Mahogany staircases, floor-to-ceiling windows, and exposed brick. It was two hundred million dollars worth of fantastic real estate. Any real estate agent with half a brain would burst into tears.