The Black Coral (Percico/Pernico)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Rekindled Hopes

It had been two weeks since the last time Nico saw Percy, but the desires were not all one-sided. Percy missed Nico leaning against him. He missed waking in the morning only to see Nico's deep, mystifying brown eyes with little flecks of gold that reminded him of chocolate with little toffee bits—a delicacy he missed having when he lived in his small village with his mother—staring gently into his own. He missed Nico's arm wrapping around him as he curled into his body, pressing a small, lazy kiss to his lips and muttering a sleepy, "Good morning."

He wanted to see Nico as soon as he could. He wanted to pepper his face with small kisses and hold him close. He never felt so empty in his life without him by his side.

He had begun to loathe the sight each morning as he woke only to see the dark cave walls, and for that bloody witch to try and convince him that he loved her he despised more than anything. She, however, found it especially pleasing when she made him feel guilty of promises he had made when he was only thirteen.

The promise that he would come back for her was the main subject she repeatedly brought into light.

He began to stop showing emotion toward her whatsoever. Whenever she asked if he wanted anything, he no longer answered, "My freedom." Instead, he would shrug his shoulders indifferently. When she tried to look into his eyes, he would turn his head away to avoid her gaze.

"If you wish to cast a spell on me, I would not recommend it." Those were the first words he spoke to her in three more days of waiting for the appearance of his crew. "I am not interested in incantations of any sort."

"Love spells are so trivial," giggled the witch. "I want to wait until you realize that you're in love with me and me alone."

"If you wait so long, you will be alone with a corpse."

The witch glared at him. "So you say now. Mark my words, you will realize soon that you are passionately and intensely in love with me."

"Consider them marked," Percy mumbled to himself.

- - - - -

"We need to be very careful," Annabeth warned as Hazel and Frank had deployed the anchor in a hidden location. "This place is full of men and knights that will not hesitate to arrest you and bring you in to tie a rope around your neck. Do not draw attention to yourselves. Especially you, Nico. If they catch you, they will be sure to bring you back to your kingdom, and I know that you would rather perish than go back there."

Nico nodded understandingly as Jason began to give orders.

They hid behind cottages as they watched guards with torches patrol through. Despite this village being small and not very important, it was still part of the kingdom, and they suspected it of being a witch haven as it was overlooked and the rumors spread around. They snuck around in the darkness, avoiding the sources of light that made their way through and around the village.

At the moment, they were hiding behind a well in the yard of a large cottage.

"Hazel," Jason whispered.

"Yes?" Hazel whispered back.

"Where exactly does she live?"

"I—I'm not sure," Hazel admitted. "I only know that she lives in the village."

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "We cannot merely give a guess. We will be caught, the lot of us. I do not want to dance the hempen jig yet."

Nico sighed. "Why don't we try this one?"

He gestured at the house in front of them.

"Perhaps," Hazel contemplated. "If not, I am sure if we ask for someone, they will let us know where she lives."