Death's Daughter

Chapter 9

Nico led the way to Hades' palace. I let him think he was the only one who knew where they were going, but really, I was being drawn to the obsidian building. I felt a strange mixture of comfort and unease. I was comfortable in the darkness, but I also felt smothered. There was a pressure on my chest, and I found myself taking deeper breaths to the point that I was practically hyperventilating. I stopped moving, suddenly dizzy. Leo was at my side at once. He led me to the stone wall on the side of the river and helped me sit.

"Frankie, can you hear me?" He was screaming in my ear, though it sounded like he was at the other end of a tunnel.

"Frankie, please." Was that Nico? Then he said something to Leo, but I couldn't understand him.

"I don't know what happened to her," Leo mumbled, or maybe he was talking normally. "Frankie? Franchesca?" I felt something drip into my mouth, was that... pomegranate waffles? And heard, "Franchesca Garcia!" before I blacked out.

•••

I woke up in a dimly lit room that was almost empty. It was decorated with neat white furniture and purple walls. I slowly began to recognize the little faux butterflies perched on the walls and the gauzy lavender curtains. This was my room, but it was decorated from when I was a kid. A young woman walked in my room, interrupting my train of thought. That's when I realized I hadn't woken up; I was still dreaming, and that woman was my mom. I clutched the chain that held her ring, dangling from my neck. She had my tiny toddler fist in her hand and tucked younger me into bed. She kissed my forehead before turning off the light and leaving the room. I tiptoed down the hall after her. She walked downstairs into the parlor of our Victorian house and I almost tripped when I saw who was in the room already. It was my dad.

"Is she in bed?" he asked. His voice was deeper than I expected: it was gruff, yet caring.

My mom nodded and walked into my dad's arms. "Are you sure you have to go?" She choked back tears. I wondered what was going on.
Hades smiled sadly. "You know I have to get back to the Underworld. I've already spent too much time away. And besides, Persephone has to come back in a short while."

Wait, what? I thought my mom didn't know my dad was Hades. And she knew he had a wife? I don't get it. What really happened?

"I wish you could stay longer. But I know, your seperate forms can't stay apart for a long time." She stood on her toes and kissed him on the lips. "I love you. Come back, okay?"

Hades smiled again. "Of course. I love you too."

With that, my dad left out the front door, and the world crumbled, leaving my to the darkness once again.

•••

"Frankie? Please wake up. Please." Leo was kneeling over me, holding a square of what looked like granola. What was that called? Ambrosia. He brushed a strand of hair out of my face and closed his eyes.

"Leo?" I croaked. His eyes fluttered open and he threw his arms around me, squeezing me so hard I couldn't breathe. I tapped his shoulder. "Can't. Breathe."

He let go of me and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I just- I'm glad you're awake."
I sat up, causing my head to start throbbing. I winced, and Leo handed me a piece of the ambrosia. I nibbled on it; it tasted like the steaks my uncle made on the grill in the summer months. Leo saw me smiling.

"What'd it taste like?" he asked.

"Steaks."

He laughed. "Ambrosia always tastes different. One time mine tasted like burritos. It's weird."

I smiled and suddenly remembered something. I patted my shoulder and hip. Nothing. "Where's my bow? And my dagger?"

Leo nudged his chin toward a black wall a couple feet away. "I put our weapons over there."

Sure enough, there was my bow, along with my dagger and Leo's sphere. All that was missing was Nico's sword and Nico.

"Where's my brother?"

He shrugged. "He found us this cave and then he kind of left. We were in an awkward silence for about a day, so..."

"Wait, a day? I was out for a day?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah. We couldn't figure out what was wrong. It was scary." He smiled at me. "But you're awake now, so that doesn't matter."

I looked at my black Vans. I sighed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

Still looking at my shoes, I replied, "Who's Calypso?"

"It's a long story."

I met his eyes. "Can you tell me?"

He pursed his lips. But finally, he agreed. He told me everything about the seven's quest, Khione and her attack on his ship, falling from the sky, the beautiful island and finally, the beautiful goddess that he fell in love with and that fell in love with him. He told me about her throwing pots at his head, making him clothes, and helping him leave. He summed up their last day together: the picnic, the raft, the astrolabe, the crystal, the navigator, and the kiss. He rounded his story off with the details of his promise.

"That was the most beautiful story I have ever heard in my entire life."

Leo chuckled. "It's not going to be so beautiful when it ends with my death."

"Leo- ," I began.

He interrupted me, "Yes, it will. No matter what. If I don't go after her, then I die. If I do go after her, I could still die on the way. I could get lost forever if the island doesn't want me to get there. And even if I do make it to Ogygia and rescue Calypso, I'm going to die eventually. She's a goddess, I'm just a demigod. My death is inevitable."

I was about to say something, but I was stopped by Nico yelling, "Oh my gods! You're awake!"

Soon I was gathered in Nico's arms. Leo gave me a puzzled expression that told me that Nico doesn't hug much. So, I wrapped my arms around my brother and relished in this little piece of Elysium.