Back To Black | Luke Castellan

17

Percy and Grover caught up to her as they got to the front gates of the palace. Two giant stone guests turned around and the door opened and they stepped inside and they stopped in the middle of the room.

The floor started moving them up like an elevator and they looked around at it and then they reached the top and it stopped moving.

"Is this our stop or?" Grover asked them. They heard footsteps and they saw Hades walk towards them. He threw out his arms. "Hey, fellas. Lady. Welcome!" He said to them.

"Sorry about all the... oh... anyways, it's great to meet you. I know who you are, and you know who I am, so we can just skip right past that part." He said stopping in front of them.

Nadia glared at him, crossing her arms. "Can I get you anything? Fresh pomegranate juice, a snack?" Hades asked them.

"Actually if—" Grover started but Percy interrupted him. "My mother." He said and he looked at him.

"Boom. Straight to business. I admire the cut of your jib." He said and they just stared at him.

"Little nautical reference for you. I see you."

"Where is she?" Percy asked. "Right. Okey-doke. Let's get to it. Your mom's just over here." Hades said walking away. "You've come all this way, don't be shy."

Percy and Grover started to walk but Nadia didn't move and they looked at her. "I dreamt about our first time meeting since I knew who my father was. I knew it wouldn't be wholesome and all but that was just horrible." She told them.

"I'm sorry, Nadia." Percy said and she shook her head. "Whatever. The faster we talk, the faster I can never see him again. It's for the better." She said walking off to where he was.

They walked into the other room and saw a small living room set up. But the thing that caught their attention was Percy's mother. Turned into a gold statue.

"Mom?" Percy called out as they walked closer. "What did you do to her?" He asked him.

"Uh... saved her life?" He said to him. "You know, typically getting crushed by a Minotaur is a terminal diagnosis. I snagged her for ya, just is the ta-da nick of time, so that you would come see me. And here we are." He said.

"You give me what you got, and I'm giving you what I got." Hades said. Nadia and Grover looked at Percy. "I... I can't give it to you." He said.

"Ah, see, there's a quid and a quo here."

"The bolt doesn't belong to you, asshole." Nadia said to him. Percy grabbed her wrist and shook his head and looked at Hades. "Your plan almost worked. You and Ares managed to steal the bolt, tricked me into bringing it right down and giving it to you but it's wrong and I won't do it."

"So all I can do is ask you to do the right thing, too. Please... let my mom go." Percy said.

Hades looked confused. "Huh?

"What?" Percy asked him.  "Who—who tricked Ares into doing what?" He asked him.

"You're in cahoots with Ares, to secure the bolt." Grover said and he shook his head. "I'm not in cahoots with Ares. I seldom 'cahoot.' The bolt is my brothers' drama, and I don't want any part of it." Hades told them.

"You don't want it?" Nadia asked. "No."

"Then what do you want?" Percy asked him. He threw out his hands. "My helm!" He said. "Your what?" He asked him.

"My helm of darkness. It went missing just days before someone used it to turn invisible and steal the bolt. I'd like it back now, please, and then you get your mom back." Hades said.