The Blood of Olympus

Chapter Eighteen: Nico

Hello my amazing pumpkins! How are you all????? Angry, I hear you say? You have a reason to! I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry for the late update! From now on, i will try my absolute best to update every Sunday.  But thanks for all your patience! 

This chapter is dedicated to ilovemyseaweedbrain because of the inspirational comments and everything! Thanks! 

And to the rest of you: THANK YOU!!!!!!! I didn't realize how many comments and votes i actually had! I can't remember the exact amount, but i think it was A LOT! I love you all! I didn't realize i would even get, like, 100 reads. Thanks guys! <3

Anyway, here is the chapter! I'm quite proud of it, but it is unedited and there is probably a lot of mistakes, so I'm very sorry. Now, if you've just skipped past all this then GOOD FOR YOU! Because that's what i do! :P 

Nico

“Um…Nico, I don’t think this is going to work.” Reyna said, kicking up sand with her shoes, trying not to look nervous.

The three were walking along the small beach that had been hidden behind one of the cliffs…which wasn’t really there. Nico had to remind himself now and then that what he was seeing was an illusion and that either Coach or Reyna were seeing the real island.

The three had walked round the island, brainstorming on ways to escape, until Nico had suggested checking the small, craggy beach. They had sat down on the baking hot sand, feeling defeated and hungry.

“What do you mean?” Nico yawned. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and stay like that forever never having to think or speak ever again. He yearned for eternal peace.

“Finding out what the real island looks like.” Coach grumbled.

“Even if we can find that out, what difference would it do?” Reyna demanded.

Nico resisted the urge to throw something at them. He was trying his best to understand his own instincts. Reyna and Coach were not helping by doubting his plan-not like it was perfect; it was highly unlikely that it would even work. But maybe if they tried harder and had a little bit of luck…then the plan might work.

And maybe if I had listened to my father. Nico thought sullenly. He was angry-to say the least-but in a small part of his mind, he wanted to his father proud. Maybe if he could ask for help, they would be able to…

We’re exhausted. Nico reminded himself before he made anymore plans. And hungry. And thirsty. And we’re scared, though we try not to show it.

“We need rest.” Reyna said as if she had read his mind.

Coach Hedge began to protest, insisting that they were “tough cupcakes” and could “probably survive for a few more minutes”.

Reyna wearily rolled her eyes at the satyr whilst brushing aside a strand of her dark hair. Nico noted how much different she looked now compared to when she was standing in front of legion back in Old Rome. She had looked strong, confident and passive. But now some of that familiar confidence had disappeared, along with that sense of strength. But she looked more comfortable now-not at all like the rigid, passive Roman leader, but more like a real person with real emotions which played out naturally on her face without getting held back.

Nico didn’t realize he’d been staring at her until her eyes met his. He darted his eyes away so she didn’t see the embarrassment under a thin layer of darkness, which normally concealed his emotions.