𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 ༄ ᴘercy ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ

breaking news: girl dies from rickety chair

I awoke with a start in the same place as before.

Hades' Palace.

This time I was expecting it, and so was he, from the way he immediately launched into conversation.

"I don't like your plan." He told me.

"Tough." I told him.

He frowned. I imitated his expression and his mood seemed to worsen if that was possible.

I remembered Kai's words from earlier that day. All his questions. If he were here, he'd do the sensible thing and ask. So that's what I would do.

"Could you conjure a chair or something, I feel like this is a conversation I should have sitting down." He glared at me, but a moment later a chair appeared. It was rickety and looked moments away from collapsing, but it was better than nothing.

I sat down (and almost fell off, but who'd know?) and clasped my hands together, leaning my elbows on my knees. "I have questions. And I want answers. Truthful answers. You will give them to me."

He raised an eyebrow in amusement, as a silence stretched on. Then, "And if I don't? Or I lie?"

I grinned and leaned back in my chair (hoping I looked more relaxed than I felt), "Because, if you don't, I don't do what you ask." No reaction. "And regarding Bianca and Nico, well, if you don't give me what I need, maybe I'll accidentally look away as they run into danger. Death. Or not. Really depends on how you answer my questions, to be honest. And if you lie... Well I'll find it out eventually anyway."

His jaw clenched for a second as I spoke of the Di Angelos and a fire seemed to burn behind his eyes, but I couldn't care less about his anger. I had his weak spot. I won.

Of course, I'd never actually harm the Di Angelos, but how was Hades supposed to know this?

"Ask." He growled.

"Why do you need me for this?"

"I don't need you for anything. But the fate of the Greek civilisation as we know it depends on you. Prophecies and all that crap."

"What did you mean when you said I was powerful?"

He sighed. "Your parent. Olympian parent, that is. Their abilities have been given to you. It's just a matter of whether you realise and understand how to use them or not."

"You know my parent?"

This time he smiled. But it wasn't a kind smile. It was the type with bared teeth and secret knowledgable looks. "By Gaia, by now, every Olympian knows your parent! Seems you're the only one left in the dark. But don't bother asking about who it is. We aren't permitted to tell you."

I bothered. "Who?"

He glared at me.

"Fine, whatever." I grumbled.

I hesitated. "Did my mum, my mortal mum, that is. Did she know?"

"She did."

"Is that what, um, drove her how she is?"

crazy

"It's one factor. There were many that lead to her demise."

I opened my mouth to ask another question, but found myself unable to do so.

It wasn't the lack of questions. It was the fact I didn't know if I wanted the answers to them.

In the end, I decided on something safe: "Why don't you like my plan?"