The Harvest Trials

Chapter XXII

Nico

As soon as Hazel got back to the cell, I knew something was wrong. She had a cut on her cheek and her hair was a mess. Most prominently, she was stoic and quiet.

She avoided me, too. Probably because she knew I would ask questions. She stayed glued to Frank's side the whole night, save for when he went to the bathroom.

I approached her and pulled her into a side hug, my head on her shoulder. "What happened today?" I asked causally.

Her unease was practically leaking out of her. "Oh nothing. A diamond nicked me," she said to me. I looked at her suspiciously. "Don't lie to me," I said.

"I'm not," her voice got small then, "I promise."

We sat in silence. Then Hazel looked at me. "Nico, I love you a lot okay?" My face was the epitome of confusion.

"I love you too?"

She smiled sadly. "Good talk." She snuggled back up to Frank for the rest of the night and I went back to Will, lacing my fingers through his. I fell asleep not long after that.

"Nico," someone called. I looked around. It took a few seconds to register that I was dreaming.

"Nico," the voice called again. I knew that voice. It was very familiar.

"Percy?" I asked.

He came out of the swirling mist, his form flickering and transparent.

"Hey, Neeks," He said. The tears were dripping from my eyes before I even fully registered that he was talking to me.

"You idiot," I said, running forward and wrapping him in a hug. He laughed and hugged me back. Despite his transparent appearance, he was solid enough.

"Listen, Nico, you need to tell them."

I cocked my head to the side. "Tell them what?"

His form flickered even more. "Nico, the gods...stuck...Olympus."

"The gods?" I asked, trying to make sense of the information he was giving me. He was cutting out a lot.

"Save them...I was never the hero...A-"

He disappeared momentarily before reappearing. "The hunters are...Nico, I'll make sure she gets to Elysium."

"Percy, what do you mean?" I asked.

He tried saying something else but his voice was gone. Instead he settled for a smile. Goodbye, Nico, he mouthed, saluted me, and disappeared.

I woke up crying.

"Nico," Someone was saying, but I just buried my head in my arms and cried.

"Nico," Will tried again, "what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" I realized with a start that Will had his arms wrapped around me and that Leo, Hazel, Jason, and Frank were all staring at me. 

"No," I said in answer to Will's question. "I didn't."

I then explained to them Percy's cryptic message, leaving out the part about making sure 'she' got to Elysium. I didn't know who 'she' was or why he was promising me he'd take care of her. And it didn't feel like the right time to share that information. 

Hazel was crying a little when I finished. "So the gods are...stuck on Olympus?" Frank asked finally. 

"And apparently we're supposed to save them?" Jason seemed absolutely baffled. I could see where he was coming from. I mean, now the gods have an actually valid excuse for not being here, but they obviously know our situation, and they have the nerve to ask us for help right now?