Death and Madness|| Nico di Angelo

I excel at making things awkward

The dirt tunnels turned to stone. They wound around and split off and basically tried to confuse us, but Rachel had no trouble guiding us. We told her we needed to get back to New York, and she hardly even paused when the tunnels offered a choice.

To my surprise, Rachel and Annabeth started up a conversation as we walked. Annabeth asked her more about her background, but Rachel was evasive, so they started talking about architecture. It turned out that Rachel knew something about it from studying art. They talked about different facades on buildings around New York—"Have you seen this one," blah, blah, blah, so I hung back and walked behind Nico and Percy in uncomfortable silence.

"Thanks for coming after us," Percy told him at last.

Nico's eyes narrowed. He didn't seem as angry as he used to—just suspicious, careful. "I came for Vi, Percy. Plus...I wanted to see Daedalus for myself. Minos was right, in a way. Daedalus should die. Nobody should be able to avoid death that long. It's not natural."

"That's what you were after all along," Percy said. "Trading Daedalus's soul for your sister's."

Nico walked for another fifty yards before answering. "It hasn't been easy, you know. Having only the dead for company. Knowing that I'll never be accepted by the living. Only the dead respect me, and they only do that out of fear."

"Bitch who do you think I am?" I spoke up. 

"I blame Castor and Pollux for making you annoying" Nico groaned. "But fine, you're my friend."

"Yay" I said in a small voice that made Percy chuckle.

"You could be accepted," He said. "You could have friends at camp."

Nico stared at Percy. "Do you really believe that, Percy?"

I didn't want to, but I was offered a sneak peak inside his mind. Thoughts were racing through Percy's head.

The truth was, Percy didn't know. Nico had always been a little different, but since Bianca's death, he'd gotten almost...scary. He had his father's eyes—that intense, manic fire that made you suspect he was either a genius or a madman. And the way he'd banished Minos, and called himself the king of ghosts—it was kind of impressive, but it made Percy uncomfortable too.

Percy was afraid of Nico's show of power, I wasn't. 

In fact I kind of found it hot. 

what the fuck. 

I was glad no one else could read minds.

Before I could figure out what to say to Percy to him trust Nico, I ran into Percy who had run into Rachel, who'd stopped in front of him. We'd come to a crossroads. The tunnel continued straight ahead, but a side tunnel T'd off to the right—a circular shaft carved from volcanic rock.

"What is it?" I asked.

Rachel stared down the dark tunnel.

"Is it that way?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Rachel said nervously. "Not at all."

"Why are we stopping then?" Percy asked.

"Listen," Nico said.

I heard wind coming down the tunnel, as if the exit were close. 

"Eucalyptus trees," Percy said. "Like in California."

"There's something evil down that tunnel," Rachel said. "Something very powerful."

"And the smell of death," Nico added, which made me feel a whole lot better.

"What does death smell of? Zombies? Rotting corpses?" I thought out loud.

Annabeth and Percy exchanged glances, they ignored me.

"Luke's entrance," she guessed. "The one to Mount Othrys—the Titans' palace."

"I have to check it out," Percy said.

"Percy, no."

"Luke could be right here," Percy reasoned. "Or...or Kronos. I have to find out what's going on."

Annabeth hesitated. "Then we'll all go."

"No," Percy held up his hands. "It's too dangerous. If they got hold of Nico, or Rachel, even Vi,for that matter, Kronos could use them. You stay here and guard them."

"Percy, don't," Rachel said. "Don't go up there alone."

"I'll be quick," Percy promised. "I won't do anything stupid."

I snorted. In the few days I had known Percy, he was constantly doing stupid things.

Annabeth took her Yankees cap out of her pocket. "At least take this. And be careful."

"Thanks." Percy said. 

"Aw, no kiss this time?" I spoke up. Which earned me a flick on my ear courtesy of Annabeth. In the dim light, Percy and Annabeth turned red, and Rachel looked away. 

"Right, .. don't kiss him, Annie" I completed awkwardly. Annabeth only shook her head.

Percy put the hat on. "Here goes nothing." And he sneaked invisibly down the dark stone tunnel.

We waited about ten minutes before unanimously deciding that letting Percy go alone was a stupid idea. We snuck our way down the tunnel too, and when we saw what awaited us, I almost wished we hadn't moved at all.