YOUNGER

Chapter 8

First Person: Nico

I glanced at Hazel, following her gaze to our sister's peaceful face. We both sat in our chairs again. I put my forehead on the mattress tiredly. The only sound in the infirmary was Helena's soft snore, until it was joined by a rustling of fabric. I looked up to see Hazel holding Helena's hand palm up.

"Have you ever seen this before?" Her gold gaze flickered up to mine for a moment before returning to Helena's palm.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean? Have I seen her ha-"

Hazel tilted the smaller hand until I could see how part of the skin glinted differently — as if it was covered in scars.

"-nd... No I haven't seen that before."

My sister met my gaze, her eyes flooded with the same worry I felt. "Did we ever ask about what happened to her in Tartarus?"

My silence was enough of an answer. I looked at Helena, expecting to see the peace I'd seen just a minute ago.

This time, her eyes were scrunched in pain, her chest rising and falling as if she had been running.

Beads of sweat formed on Helena's pale forehead. She curled onto her side facing Hazel, shaking.

"Can you hear what she's saying?" Hazel's worry filled the question. Only then did I hear the faint mutter growing in panic.

"No... no... no, no, no, no no nononononono no!"

Helena's muttering ceased with a shout. The silence it left was deafening.

A heavy feeling of dread filled me as Hazel leant forward, whispering, "Hey, Lena. Are you okay?"

Helena showed no sign of understanding.

"Helena? Lena?" Hazel looked at me. "Her chest isn't moving."

I watched Hazel shake the daughter of Thanatos' shoulder gently, slowly growing harsher as her whispers became desperate.

"Nico! Get Will! Quick!" Hazel returned her attention to the younger girl with tear-filled eyes.

I wiped my own eyes on my sleeve, quickly walking out of the room. I shadow-travelled to my boyfriend's cabin, asking one of his siblings to get him to the infirmary before sliping through the shadows to the Hypnos cabin.

The door opened before I knocked, revealing Alviva — the current cabin counselor. "Nico Di Angelo? Are you here for your sister?"

"Haze- oh yeah Helena. Yes I'm here for her." Campers rarely referred to Helena as my sister as far as I knew.

Alviva smiled grimly. "Where is she? Can you take me to her?"

"Shadow-travel?"

The daughter of Hypnos shook her head. "I prefer running. Infirmary?" The girl ran away before I could reply.

I slipped through the shadows to stand next to Hazel, quickly gathering her in a hug as she cried. A sigh of relief left my mouth as Will ran into the room.

"We think she stopped breathing. She was having a nightmare."

The son of Apollo nodded before looking at my youngest sister. "Did you get a Hypnos camper?"

At that moment, Alviva entered the room. "Hypnos camper present. Can I use one of the other beds?"

Will nodded. The navy-blue haired girl almost jumped onto one of the beds, soon snoring away.

I watched as Will tried to help my sister until my own eyes blurred with tears. I sniffed, wiping them on my sleeve. The blond looked at me.

"You and Hazel should go take a walk. I'll come find you if anything happens."

I nod gratefully before leading my still bawling sister out of the infirmary. "Thanks."

•••

Third Person

Will bustled around Helena for a few more minutes before sitting down on a nearby chair in anguish. He looked out of the window, scanning the visible campgrounds until he spotted a boy with deathly pale skin and a girl with dark skin surrounded by a group of demigods.

He could see Hazel in her boyfriend's arms, Piper McLean and Leo Valdez standing with them, while Annabeth talked with Nico, Percy just behind her. The blonde embraced the son of Hades, catching Will's eye before he turned away from the window.

The son of Apollo chuckled darkly. "Look at that. My boyfriend's out there being comforted and I'm in here looking after his sister..." His breath hitched at his last words, a few tears trickling down his cheeks. "What am I thinking? She's as much my sister as his. Oh, Lena," he whispered, smoothing the blanket he'd already adjusted many times before.

Familiar arms wrapped around Will's neck. "So that's what it's like to be tall," the person whispered.

"How did you get here so fast?" Will reached a hand up to his boyfriend's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Annabeth saw you looking. She said you probably needed someone too."

Tears flooded the blond's eyes again. "I'm so sorry. There's nothing else I can do."

"I know. And that's okay." Nico reached for a tissue, passing it to Will before continuing. "I saw her dad."

The son of Apollo tensed at his words. "What did he-"

"That no one would die today. He looked like he'd been crying as well."

The couple watched the daughter of Thanatos, the room filled with silence except for the occasional sound from the nearby child of Hypnos.

"Y'know, she and Alviva are basically cousins."

"Except-"

"Yeah I know. 'Gods don't have DNA.'" The younger boy chuckled. "You've said that a lot."

Will scoffed. "Only because I've needed to."

"Totally."

"Ok, you're really cute, guys, but I think you'll want to know about what's going on with Little Miss Nightmare over there." Alviva walked past them towards Helena. She pressed her fingers on the younger girl's head, muttering something before turning to the boys. "Are you both comfortable with seeing what she's seeing?"

Nico stood straight. "Definitely. Will?" The blond nodded as he too stood.

Alviva smiled. "Perfect. You might need to go to Mr D later though." She winced. "Just a warning. I know I will."

The boys exchanged confused glances before each of them were overcome with horrifying images of a child's life in the lowest depths of the world. Bloodthirsty monsters, haunting reflections, excrutiating pain. They were gone in a moment, yet the sons of Apollo and Hades could still remember every detail. Alviva watched them sympathetically.

"She'll be awake soon. She's breathing. I've sent some, nicer scenes towards her. I can't say that she'll wake soon though." The daughter of Hypnos pressed her palm to her forehead. "I'm going back to my cabin."

Nico could've sworn he heard her sobs floating back into the infirmary. He looked towards his sister in pained awe, remembering some of the scenes Alviva had passed onto him.

The son of Hades sat next to the daughter of Thanatos, reaching for her hand just as Hazel had done a little while ago. He swallowed as he saw what he now knew were from self-inflicted burns.

"W-will. She did this to herself."

The son of Apollo followed his gaze. "She thought that was what cold felt like. She really is a miracle."

"La mia piccola miracolosa," Nico muttered, a soft smile on his face.