Darkness and Duty

Sunset

And so it began.

Nico evaded her questions for an entire week, leaving her frusturated and drained. Percy cast her furtive glances at every meal they all had together, until she wanted to smack him on the head. It might help him some.

Eventually, to her surprise, he broke.

She was pacing by their meeting spot, Aurum and Argentum picking up on her mood and growling at every little thing that flew or scampered by, when he popped up out of the darkness. Startled, she stumbled back and nearly fell.

"Nico!" she said in an accusing tone.

"Sorry," he muttered under his breath. He didn't look sorry at all.

It was almost autumn, the leaves turning crisp red and orange colors. As Reyna watched, a few fluttered down to rest at her feet. It was getting colder, too, the shadows creeping closer. Nico was thriving. Fall was his favorite season, where everything hung right between light and dark and it wasn't as bone-chilling and wet as winter. 

 "I thought about what you said," Nico told her. He was twisting his skull ring around his finger, something Reyna knew he only did when he was nervous, scared, or angry. She couldn't tell which one of the three.

"And?" She felt kind of awkward, standing there.

"Why don't you come with me?" The words tumbled out of him in a rush, and Reyna blinked. The fall air caressed her face and whispered go into her ears. Or maybe that was just her heart telling her to follow Nico wherever he led her.

She shook her head slightly to clear it. "Go with you where?"

"On one of my journeys," he said, the corner of his mouth twisting up, "to... er, reap souls." She winced.

"I--"

"Just put Percy in as backup praetor," he suggested. He wasn't looking at her now, his eyes fixed on the setting sun. It lit the sky up with colors striking and vivid--yellows and reds and blushing pinks. The navy blue of the dark fall afternoon was still threaded through the warmth. "They can manage. I know it. Just--you were right. I care about you--er, you guys, so--"

Reyna smiled, out of the blue. "Of course I'll come with you. I'll go talk to Percy."

For the first time since he had showed up over a week ago, he offered her a smile. It broke her heart and healed it at the same time. The aura of darkness around him flickered and for a moment she thought it disappeared--but when she looked again it was still unfortunately there. 

And then Nico disappeared, as quickly as he had come.