The Animal Within

Chapter 68 - Infirmary

Nico stumbled when he emerged out straight into New Rome's infirmary, within the limits of the city. He leant against the wall as his heart skipped and he felt the energy drain from him at the cross-country jump. He vaguely heard a startled shout from a Roman somewhere nearby and a handful of curses.

Nico's lips twitched slightly, and he raised his head, still leaning against the wall and still slightly dizzy, to see a wide-eyed group looking at him. Four of the beds in the infirmary had been sectioned off from the rest. Jason lay on one of them, bare-chested and burns spiralling down his torso and the side of his face.

There was cream over them and a glass of nectar was held in his hands, along with what looked to be unicorn draught on the table next to him.

Nico gaped at him, ignoring the other three in their own beds. "What happened?" He demanded.

Thalia snorted, tears gleaming in her eyes from where she sat next to Jason's bed as Jason waved slightly at him with a grimace. Also in the room were Reyna, Frank, Piper and Nico was confused to also recognise Chrysaor standing away from the group. The ancient son of Poseidon had raised an eyebrow at Nico's entrance. Thalia squinted at Nico, before she scowled and tossed him a cube of ambrosia from beside Jason's bed.

"Thanks," Nico muttered as he nibbled at the cube, letting out a relieved sigh as he felt the fatigue from his shadow travel fade slightly.

Chrysaor gestured to Nico, more specifically to Nico's side where his sword was belted. "Why does he get a weapon within the city, but mine was removed from me?" He demanded sharply.

Nico gestured back to Chrysaor. "What's he doing here?" He asked with a scowl.

"Long story," Thalia dismissed. When Nico's hand remained hovering at his sword's hilt, she shrugged. "He's getting paid," she said.

"I didn't think the Hunt paid off mercenaries like him," Nico said.

Tears shimmered in Thalia's eyes again. "We don't," she said.

"It's good to see you again," Nico finally hesitantly offered Thalia when it seemed that no more was going to be said. Generally, Nico tended to avoid Thalia and the rest of the Hunt.

Thalia snorted. "You too," she said.

Reyna stirred. "You got the message?" She asked Nico.

"Yes," Nico said. "Percy's trying to get a sea serpent to defend Long Island Sound for us before he flies over here on Blackjack," he said.

"A sea serpent?" Frank asked. "Why? What's happened?"

Nico pressed his lips together. "Nero," he said. "He – well, I guess the Triumvirate struck first is what happened. We lost a few campers," Nico said. "Nero burnt them alive."

The horror in their eyes then made Nico grit his teeth to stop himself from feeling it all over again after he'd had to watch it all happen already. "Percy just wants to make sure Camp will be fine without us," he said. Nico gestured to Jason. "So? What happened?" He asked.

Jason grimaced. "Caligula," he said. "He's the one here in the West. He had Medea gather Helios' essence together for him and was going to use it to make himself into the new Sun god," Jason explained. "But we put a stop to that." Nico noted the new odd-shaped oval shield that was propped up against the end of Jason's bed. It looked old and important.

Piper smiled. "Not us specifically," she said. "We couldn't hurt Medea. But Hyperion could." Nico eyed her with a faint frown. Piper didn't look much better than Jason, covered in monster dust, golden ichor, blood and ash. Her siblings at Camp Half-Blood would protest, but Piper had never been one for caring much about her looks and it didn't seem any different now.