Last Shadow || Deception Book III

Chapter 2 Pt.II

Nico stared at me in disbelief as I finished telling him about my mission. And stared at me some more. After a minute, I shifted uncomfortably, unnerved by his silence. "Say something," I said. "But please stop staring at me like I have four heads."

"Aren't you worried that I'm going to run off to join Luke and spill the beans?"

I winced. "Are you kidding me? After all that, that's the first thing you ask?"

"But it's a valid question. Why are you even telling me all of this?"

"You're right," I sighed. "I even find it weird. I don't know why, I just have a really strong gut feeling that you're trustworthy. Maybe it's because we're both children of the Underworld in a sense. But even though I only met you two days ago, and only spoke with you for like two minutes in December, I feel like I've known you for a long time."

"You must trust your gut an awful lot then," Nico replied.

I glared at him. "I could always just wipe your memories."

He flinched, shaking his head quickly. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. It's not like I have anyone to talk to besides you, anyways. Being a son of Hades is kind of like having a sign that says "Death is here, beware" floating permanently above your head. I know you think it's fine," he added as I opened my mouth to protest. "But not everyone is like that."

I couldn't argue with that.

"So, why are you here, not with them?" he inquired. "Shouldn't you be spying or whatever?"

"Yeah, but . . . Truth be told, I don't know what to do right now. On the winter solstice, Athena revealed to me that there was a lot more going on than I thought there was."

"You were betrayed."

"I guess you could put it that way. She told me my father, who I thought had died, was alive. That Zeus had ordered them to erase my memories of things that inconvenienced them. That I wasn't even human. It didn't get better after I heard my prophecy." I dragged out a sigh, feeling the weight of those words crushing down on me. "Sorry, I don't think I can recite it to anyone right now."

Nico shrugged, expressing that it was fine, and gestured for me to continue. I did, grateful that there was someone I could finally tell all this to, even if it was an eleven-year-old that was the subject of my emotional baggage.

"Also, spending so much time with them made me realize that they were right, in a way. I grew up on Olympus, and even though I was aware of their shortcomings, it was nothing compared to what I discovered on the Andromeda. I felt the agony and hatred of other demigods, their pain and anguish, and I just . . . I just don't know what to do anymore."

"You said your father was still alive, right?" Nico interjected.

"Yeah. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Have you ever thought that maybe you should go talk to him?"

"What?" I stared at him, shocked at his suggestion. "Go talk to him?" I blinked, imagining how that conversation would go. Hi Dad, I'm your long-lost daughter who was kidnapped by the Olympians. Well, actually, not really, since you knew what would happen to me. Anyways, I'm here now because I just discovered that my life has been a lie and there's this prophecy about me and this star that's fated to burn and I don't know what to do. Can you give me some advice?

I snorted. Wouldn't that be amazing. "It's too late for that."

"No, it's not," Nico insisted. "Go talk to him. It's never too late if he's your father. Believe me, he's probably going to care an awful lot more than mine."

I winced. "Yeah, Hades can be a bit of a bummer sometimes. But give him a chance, you know?" I said, patting Nico's head. He scowled at me and I grinned. "Your father may be the god of death and seem all scary and whatnot, but he's actually . . . well, nice might be the wrong word, but he's better than, say, Zeus for example."

Nico stared at me doubtfully.

"Give him a chance."

"Back at you."

"Gods above, eleven-year-olds," I muttered under my breath. Secretly, I was glad Nico was so adamant I go visit my father. It was what I wanted to do the moment I found out he was still alive. Did he ever think about the daughter who'd been taken away from him eighteen years ago? Did he ever wonder how she was faring, what she was doing, who her friends were, what she looked like, how she felt and thought and saw the world around her? Did he miss me?

"Probably," Nico said softly.

I started, staring at him in surprise.

"What?"

"H-how did you just-"

"It's written all over your face."

I blinked. How was this eleven-year-old able to read my emotions so well, when I could even fool immortals? This was ridiculous. What the hell was going on?

"That's how I feel whenever you're seemingly able to just snatch thoughts out of my head," Nico retorted. "It's annoying. Anyways, are we going or not?"

I supposed I'll have to get used to this, I thought to myself as I sighed and stood up. Since I need to make sure nothing happens and Kronos never sinks his claws into him.

"You are so damn stubborn. Fine. You're coming with me though, and later on, we're going to make a trip to the Underworld to see your father."

"Deal."