Solangelo

Chapter 11

Thalia

I woke up in a different cave, this time it was far smaller. It had a bed hung by chains, a bucket and a plate with a loaf of bread on it. Thick metal bars kept me from the rest of the cave and it didn't take me long to realize I was in a jail cell.

Almost as quickly as I realized what was going on, a skeleton guard showed himself behind the bars. "The Ghost King will see you now" he chattered, his fleshless teeth clicking against themselves. "Ghost King?" I asked, confused. The Ghost King? I know I heard that name before. It was Nico's title. The skeleton waved his hand and the bars that contained me crumbled to the ground in a pile of dust.

I swallowed hard, as the guard grabbed my hand, the cool bone scraping against my bruised skin. If Nico was still considered the Ghost King, maybe we could get out of here? We. There is no "we" without Jason. I looked in each cell as we walked through what seemed to be a jail but I saw no one I recognized.

The guard must have lead me down a million different passageways until we came to what appeared to be a massive throne room with none other that Nico sitting tall and proud a top his throne. The throne itself appeared to be made of fine bone, carved with detail, crested with several jewels and decorative metals forming an elegant coat of arms. A golden skull at its peak as if to watch over everyone.

Nico was dressed in the finest cloth, jewels and metals I had ever seen next to the Gods themselves. His normally deep sunken eyes somehow seemed deader. His skin as white as bone, his hair was so dark, it seemed to be made of the shadows themselves. The fur of a hellhound wrapped around his frail body. He peered down at me and I saw the biggest difference - his eyes. Now shone in a brilliant gold just like Luke's did when Kronos possessed him.

Nico grinned, "Thalia! I am so pleased to have you see me. Go on, feel free to bask in my glow!" he announced, his voice deeper than usual, more confident. Nico struggled to his feet and almost immediately, the skeleton guards at his side began to help him but he shooed them away. "The Ghost King can stand on his own!" he cried, hitting one of them with his hand. "I am no liberal pansy!" he roared. It was as if he were a whole new person.

Nico looked back down at me, his pleasant smile returning to his face, a rare sight for him. "Nico? What happened?" I asked, stepping forward to reach out to him but his guards shifted, making me step back. Nico blinked, as if he didn't quite understand what I was asking. "Why, Thalia, I have taken my rightful place as king! I now rule nearly half of the Underworld. When you and Jason were found, nearly dead I might add, sorry about that, I saved you!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms out dramatically before adding, "I must compliment myself on saving you. It was my idea. My brain often does amazing things. Good job brain!" he cried, sounding like an immature child.

I blinked, unsure of what to do. One thing was for certain, this was not Nico. It came to my attention that I must have been staring because Nico clapped his hands, "Why are you eyeing my delicious thighs and robust rump? Wait." he said, raising his eyebrow curiously before gasping. "You aren't undressing me with your eyes. You are going to eat me!" he screamed, making his guards jump. Nico fell back onto his chair, touching his hand to his forehead dramatically, "Oh eat me if you must, but I will give you terrible indigestion and gas unlike any ever!" he cried. His guards quickly began to seize me. Was this guy for real?

"No Nico! I don't want to eat you!" I exclaimed, trying to understand what the hell was going on. Nico looked up, smiling again. "You're not?" he asked, sounding serious. "No, I'm not. I was just- confused" I stuttered, unsure of what exactly was happening.

"Confused? You've been in this position before, standing before a gorgeous perfect human specimen while in chains begging for your life. Don't play dumb with me Thalia, I am much better at it" he boasted. I swallowed hard, struggling to maintain my compsure.