scared? | a nico di angelo fanfic

chapter 29: fighting

"Whoever Nico is. Get up."

At this point, they figured out what was going on as they waited to be pulled out to the arena. It was just a matter of who was selected first.

That person was Nico.

"Fuck," Hoa muttered under her breath. "Good luck. Don't die."

"Great advice, Hoa. Before you said that, I was gonna stab myself."

"Well, damn, that's mean. Don't use your powers though, got it? Don't expose yourself too early."

Nico gave her a wink as he was pulled up by the dracaenae guards.

Hoa's heart fluttered as she smiled. That boy is going to be the death of me.

He better survive this one.

~•~•~

Up ahead, Percy could see bronze doors. The muffled roar from behind the door made him feel unsettled, his muscles tensing as he braced himself for a fight.

"Oh, yessssss," said the snake woman on his left. "You'll be very popular with our hossssst."

"Who's your host?" Percy asked.

She hissed, which might've been a laugh. "Oh, you'll sssssee. You'll get along famousssly. He'ssss your brother, after all."

"My what?" Immediately he thought of Tyson, but that was impossible.

He went with Grover to look for Pan. What is she talking about?

The giant pushed past us and opened the doors. He picked up Annabeth by her shirt and said, "You stay here."

"Hey!" she protested, but the guy was twice her size and he'd already confiscated her knife and my sword.

Kelli laughed. She still had her claws at Rachel's neck. "Go on, Percy. Entertain us. We'll wait here with your friends to make sure you behave."

He looked at Rachel. "I'm sorry. I'll get you out of this."

She nodded as much as she could with a demon at her throat. "That would be nice."

~•~•~

In the center if the arena, a fight was going on between a demigod in all black and a giant. He was skillfully dodging all the enemy's attacks with a black sword while the giant swung a javelin the size of a telephone pole.

The crowd cheered, but bit Percy felt sick. "Nico," he muttered.

Then he looked above the banner with the trident on is, and he felt his features contort into distaste. "Luke."

He wasn't sure if Luke could hear him over the roar of the crowd, but the traitor smiled coldly. He wasn't wearing his sword, which Percy found strange.

There was a cry from the arena floor, and Percy jumped back as Nico crashed to the dirt beside him.

He met Percy's eyes pleadingly. "Hey, a little help would be nice."

Percy reached for his sword, but it was taken from him and hadn't reappeared in his pocket yet.

The son of Hades panted as he reached for his sword in time to counter the javelin and roll to the side. Percy had the perfect opening to attack; the giant's back was turned, if only he could—

"If you value your friendsss' lives," my dracaena guard said, gripping his shoulder with a taloned hand, "you won't interfere. This isssn't your fight. Wait your turn."