Death's Son (And All Its Perks)

Chapter 21

Nico looked up when Will entered the room with Almaji, putting on a fake smile for the young kid. "Hey, come here."

Almaji looked to Will before jogging over to Nico, his smile bright as he jumped on the bed beside him. "Will said we're going to play Mythomagic."

"What-"

"Maybe," Will interjected. "He needs to check something real quick."

"How?" Almaji looked between them, suddenly realizing that this wasn't just a friendly interaction. "What's wrong?"

Nico wrapped an arm around Almaji's shoulders and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Will wants me to try my powers out on people so I can help out in the Infirmary. He's a baby that thinks it's too much work."

Almaji burst out laughing, causing Will to look over in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing." Nico looked at Almaji. "So I'm going to try and see if you're healthy, okay?"

The boy nodded. "K,"

Nico closed his eyes and grabbed onto Almaji's hands just as he had done with Will. He felt his soul departing through the shadows, looking around the room. Will was his usual flashlight-like self, Nico was dark and cold, but Almaji's energy was...it was different, to say the least. Nico could immediately tell that he wasn't fully mortal, no matter what they had thought previously. Everything about him was a deep, healthy orange. Where his heart should have been, it looked like wounds were constantly being stitched back together. Nico could feel the godly power deep in the boy's soul, but it wasn't too strong. He was definitely not a son of the Main Twelve so Apollo was out, but everything about him screamed healing.

Nico opened his eyes and let Almaji go, suddenly feeling too sick to move. He leaned over the side of the bed and threw up, his energy draining.

"Nico!" Will ran to his side as Anubis alerted himself to the situation, his end of the line grim and worried. Nico, you always have boundless energy when it comes to your powers nowadays.

"Did I do something wrong?" Almaji asked quietly, watching Will wipe Nico's face with a napkin he pulled from his first aid belt. Leo had given it to him as a gift, it working the same as Leo's toolbelt did.

"No, no, it wasn't you." Nico managed before throwing up again, this time all over Will. "Oh gods, sorry..."

"It's fine." Will picked him up and looked at Almaji. "Come on, let's take him to the Infirmary. He probably used too much of his powers."

Nico and Will both knew that was a lie, but Almaji bought it and followed them to the Infirmary not too far away. They got some strange looks from some of the campers, but they all knew by now not to question that trio.

"I'm sorry," Nico repeated as Will laid him down on the white bed. "I didn't mean to get it on you. It's so disgusting-"

"It's fine." Will assured him, getting some ambrosia. "Here, take this and see if it helps. You look fine to me. It might have actually been using too much power."

"We both know that wasn't it," Nico growled out, his hands clenching the bedsheets as he tried to keep the vomit down. "And get that away from me. I have no idea if I can have it anymore."

"Why wouldn't you? If anything, you're more god. You're taking it, di Angelo." Will looked to Almaji, who had been watching silently. "Can you go with the Stolls for the rest of the day while I take care of Nico? He's being stubborn enough to stay in here all day."

"Oh, no you don't, Sol-"

"Yep," Almaji ran out quickly, leaving Nico and Will the only ones in the silent room. They could hear the laughter and talking outside and feel the warm breeze settle in, but they felt more alone together than ever. Stepping into an Infirmary was like stepping into a church. Suddenly, everything gets quiet and you don't think about what's happening outside those doors.

Will sat next to Nico and forced the ambrosia into his hands. "Eat it. Now, Nico."

Nico huffed in annoyance but ate the godly food, feeling his stomach start to put itself back together. "No one can hear us, right?"

"Right...?"

"I need to tell you about Almaji," Nico explained, slowly sitting up. "He's a demigod, but-"

"You're serious?!" Will's head perked up and his eyes widened. "I was still kinda doubtful. But...you're sure? You're sure, Nico?"

Nico nodded. "A minor god or goddess. He isn't very powerful at all, which is probably why we were mistaken."

"Which one?" Will questioned. "What did his soul feel like? Is he dangerous? Evil?"

"I'm not an expert on minor Greek gods and goddesses, but it's got something to do with healing," Nico explained everything he had seen. "As soon as I let him go I got that sick. I don't know why-"

I think I do. Anubis cut in, making Nico go silent. Remember what I was saying about the Fates? How we pissed them off and changed everything up?

Nico nodded. Yeah...

If they had gotten their way, you would have never been able to do what you just did. You may have never even met Almaji. Doing what you just did, looking into his soul, was probably some serious changing-the-Fates action. As big as if you just walked up to them and clipped a string yourself.

Nico frowned deeply. So that's why I got so sick? Because I altered something big I shouldn't have?

Exactly.

Nico breathed out deeply before looking to Will. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Did he say anything important?" Will asked, completely used to Anubis being there by now.

Nico nodded, retelling all Anubis had told him before closing his eyes. "I hate this."

"Hate altering our world as we know it?" Will asked. "Yeah, I think we all would."

Nico let out a small chuckle. "I mean how everything is so complicated. I deserve some rest every once in awhile, I think."

"You're a Greek demigod hosting an Egyptian god." Will replied slowly. "I don't think you're ever going to get rest."

Nico rolled his eyes under his closed eyelids. "You're probably right."

"I know I'm right." Will got a glass of water and handed it to Nico. "Drink this. You need to heal yourself."

"I'm fine. I feel better." Nico refused to take the offered glass. "That ambrosia is helping."

"Fine..." Will set the glass aside. "You stay in here. I'm going to go check up on Almaji, see if he remembers anything else."

Nico nodded and pulled the covers over himself, grumbling about how they were nowhere near as soft as the ones in his cabin. Will smiled at him for a minute more before heading out, knowing he had to talk to Rachel.