The Second Jackson- Piper McLean book 1

The Son of Pluto

Hazel

I felt like I'd just introduced one nuclear bomb to a pair of nuclear bombs. Now I was waiting to see which of the three exploded first.

Until this morning, my brother Nico had been the most powerful demigod that I knew. The others at Camp Jupiter saw him as a traveling odd ball, about as harmless as a faun. I knew better. I hadn't grown up with Nico, hadn't even known known him for very long. But I knew Nico was more dangerous that Reyna, or Octavian, or maybe even Jason.

Then I met Percy and Lani.

At first when I saw them stumbling up the highway with the old lady dangling between them, I had thought they might be gods in disguise. Even though they were beat up, dirty, and stooped with exhaustion, they'd had an aura of power. They had the good looks of a Roman god, with sea-green eyes, Percy's short windblown, and Lani's long wavy yet somehow also windblown, black hair.

I'd ordered Frank not to fire on them. I thought the gods might be testing us. I'd heard myths like that: a kid with an old lady begs for shelter, and when the rude mortals refuse- boom, they get turned into banana slugs.

Then they'd controlled the river and destroyed the gorgons. Percy turned a pen into a sword, and Lani turned a hair clip into a dagger. They'd stirred up the whole camp with talk about the graecus.

A son AND a daughter of the sea god...

Long ago I had been told that a descendant of Neptune would save me. But could Percy and Lani really take away my curse? It seemed too much to hope for.

Percy and Nico shook hands, then Nico and Lani. They studied each other warily, and I fought the urge to run. If these two busted out the magic swords, things could get ugly.

Nico didn't appear scary. He was skinny and sloppy in his rumpled black clothes. His hair, as always, looked like he'd just rolled out of bed.

I remember when I'd met him. The first time I'd seen him draw that black sword of his, I'd almost laughed. The way he called it "Stygian Iron" all serious like- he'd looked ridiculous. This scrawny white boy was no fighter. I certainly hadn't believed we were related.

I had changed my mind about that quick enough.

Percy scowled, "I- we know you"

Nico raised his eyebrows. "Do you?" He looked at me for explanation.

I hesitated. Something about my brother's reaction wasn't right. He was trying hard to act casual, but when he had first seen the twins, I had noticed his momentary look of panic. Nico already knew Percy and Lani. I was sure of it. Why was he pretending otherwise?

I forced myself to speak. "Um... Percy and Lani lost their memories" I told him what had happened since Percy and Lani arrived at the gates.

"So, Nico..." I continued carefully, "I thought... you know, you travel all over. Maybe you've met demigods like Percy and Lani before, or..."

Nico's expression turned as dark as Tartarus. I didn't understand why, but I got the message: Drop it.

"This story about Gaea's army" Nico said, "You warned Reyna?"

Lani nodded, "Who is Gaea anyway?"

My mouth went dry. Just hearing that name... It was all I could do to keep my knees from buckling. I remembered a woman's soft sleepy voice, a glowing cave, and feeling my lungs fill with black oil.

"She's the earth goddess" Nico glanced at the ground as if it might be listening. "The oldest goddess of all. She's in a deep sleep most of the time, but she hates the gods and their children."