Fate Withstands

Chapter 28

Nico watched Jason hide the note for Reyna, his eyes on the room around them. He couldn't feel Diocletian's spirit anywhere.

"Hello."

Nico turned to the voice with his daggers out and ready, his eyes landing on the spirit before him. Jason had also jumped into battle position, accidentally slicing off the head of Diocletian's statue.

"That wasn't very nice," the spirit taunted. "I mean, what did Diocletian ever do to you?"

Jason lowered his sword. "Uh...it was an accident."

"Keep it up," Nico hissed.

Jason raised it again. "You startled me."

The spirit chuckled. "Jason Grace, the West Wind has been called many things...warm, gentle, life-giving, and devilishly handsome. But I have never been called startling. I leave that crass behavior to my gusty brethren in the north."

Nico took a step back. "The West Wind, you mean you're-"

"Favonius," Jason realized. "God of the West Wind."

Favonius bowed, an action that made Nico want to run him through with his sword even more. "You can call me by my Roman name, certainly, or Zephyros, if you're Greek. I'm not hung up about it."

Nico barred his teeth. "Why aren't your Greek and Roman sides in conflict, like the other gods?"

"Oh, I have the occasional headache," Favonius shrugged. "Some mornings I'll wake up in a Greek chiton when I'm sure I went to sleep in my SPQR pajamas. But mostly the war doesn't bother me. I'm a minor god, you know, never really been much in the limelight. The to-and-fro battles among you demigods don't affect me as greatly."

"So..." Jason held his sword like he wasn't sure if the god before him was an enemy or not. "What are you doing here?"

"Several things!" Favonius said. "Hanging out with my basket of fruit. I always carry a basket of fruit. Would you like a pear?"

"I'm good. Thanks," Jason declined.

"You can shove the pear up your ass," Nico hissed.

Favonius shook his head. "Nico di Angelo, you always fight your feelings."

Jason cleared his throat. "I mean why did you appear to us? Why did you lead us to this cellar?"

"Oh!" Favonius nodded. "The sarcophagus of Diocletian. Yes. This was its final resting place. The Christians..." He gave a pointed look to Nico. "moved it out of the mausoleum. Then some barbarians destroyed the coffin. I just wanted to show you that what you're looking for isn't here. My master has taken it."

"Your master?" Jason asked. "Please tell me your master isn't Aeolus."

"That airhead?" Favonius snorted. "No, of course not."

"He means Eros." Nico's instincts were telling him to fight, to destroy this god before him. "Cupid, in Latin."

Favonius smiled. "Very good, Nico di Angelo. I'm glad to see you again, by the way. It's been a long time."

Nico frowned. "I've never met you."

"You've never seen me," Favonius corrected. "But I've been watching you. When you came here as a small boy, and again when you were confirmed into a religion against your father. I knew eventually you would return to look upon my master's face."

Nico's breaths turned heavier, he thought about grabbing Jason and shadow traveling away and never looking back.

"Nico?" Jason asked. "What's he talking about?"